Kenya to receive 16 helicopters from US Govt by 2025

Kenya is scheduled to receive 16 US manufactured helicopters (8 Hueys) and (8 MD-500s) between late 2024 and 2025, the United States Government has said.

As part of strengthening ties between the two long-standing partners especially in the security sector, the United States will deliver the helicopters to bolster its ability to provide regional peace and security and participate in peacekeeping missions.

The development comes after US President Joe Bide hosted President William Ruto for a roundtable on at the White House in Washington, D.C.

A statement from White House Thursday said the two leaders’ agenda showcases how ties between the two countries deliver tangible benefits to their citizens.

The two Head of State discussed democracy, human rights, and governance; health partnerships; people-to-people ties; shared climate solutions; trade and investment; debt, development, and sustainable finance; digital, critical, and emerging technology cooperation; and peace and security cooperation.

To support Kenya’s peace and security, the US Government said the partnership extends to areas including international peacekeeping, peace negotiations, security governance, refugee inclusion, and cooperation in cybersecurity.

“The U.S.-Kenya partnership plays a central role in international efforts to defeat Al-Shabaab, ISIS elements based in East Africa, and other terrorist organizations,” the statement read.

On countering terrorism, the two countries are set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to expand the Manda Bay Airfield in coastal Kenya by building a 10,000-foot runway.

The US Government said that the expanded facility will provide Kenya the required infrastructure to increase operations against the terrorist group Al-Shabaab.

The US Government also reaffirmed its support for Kenya’s plan to deploy 1,000 police to Haiti as part of the MSS mission to Haiti to help bring security and stability to the Caribbean nation.