Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale is in Italy for bilateral talks with his counterpart Guido Crosetto.
The two ministers discussed a cross-section of issues of cooperation within the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), a framework signed by the two countries in February 2012 adding that the two countries are in the process of reviewing the MoU to enhance their defence cooperation.
Under the reviewed Defence Cooperation Agreement, Kenya and Italy shall have a robust collaboration in security and defence policy, research and development, peace support operations, training and education as well as military medical services.
Other areas the two countries envisage to partner include counter-piracy and maritime security, exchange of intelligence information, military sports, and technical assistance among others.
Duale noted that over the years, Kenya and Italy have enjoyed cordial relations and have partnered extensively in a number of sectors among them tourism, trade, health, environment, natural resources, water, among others.
He observed that the ties were enhanced following the State visit to Kenya by Italian President, Sergio Mattarella in March this year where he held talks with his host, President William Ruto.
Duale and his host further explored ways of bolstering potential future cooperation in the field of counter-terrorism and counter-violent extremism, cybersecurity, exploitation of the Blue Economy and high-level diplomatic visits.
Duale also held talks with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Thales Alenia Space Italia Massimo Claudio Comparini during his four-day official visit in Rome, Italy.
The CS noted that Thales Alenia is one of the global leaders in providing high tech space-related solutions for telecommunications, navigation, Earth Observation, and environmental management, among others.
He informed the CEO that, as a developing nation, Kenya contends with a myriad of challenges around agriculture and food security, environmental monitoring, natural resources management, land and physical planning, disaster management, national security, and the adverse effects and impacts of climate change.
He maintained that as a result, Kenya is determined to leverage on space technologies and applications to effectively and efficiently address these challenges.
The two leaders explored viable partnerships on Earth Observation solutions for defence and security applications, broadband communication and developing Kenyan human and technical capacity in space systems engineering and space-derived data analytics among others.
During the visit, Duale was accompanied by Kenya’s Ambassador to the Republic of Italy Amb. Jackline Yonga Managing Director of Defence National Security Industries (DNSI) Major General Bernard Waliaula and the Director General of the Kenya Space Agency (KSA) Brigadier Hillary Kipkosgey.
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