President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday, May 16, held talks with US Army General Stephen Townsend at State House, Nairobi.
President Kenyatta’s talks with Gen Townsend, the Commander of the US Africa Command, centred on peace and security in the Horn of Africa region, with a special focus on Somalia, State House said in a statement.
Uhuru appreciated the cooperation between Kenya and the US on security matters, particularly on the fight against terrorism.
“We appreciate the work we have done in collaboration with the US Africa Command regarding peace and security in the region. We look forward to continuing the partnership,” President Kenyatta told Gen. Townsend.
On his part, Gen. Townsend, who was accompanied by US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Eric Kneedler, assured President Kenyatta of continued partnership between the U.S. and the Kenyan military.
The meeting came just when US President Joe Biden has signed an order authorising hundreds of US special forces to be sent back to Somalia according to the New York Times.
Around 700 US troops were moved out of Somalia during the last days of President Donald Trump’s term in January 2021.
New York Times on Monday reported that President Biden also approved a Pentagon request for standing authority to target about a dozen suspected leaders of Al Shabaab.
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“Together, the decisions by Mr. Biden, described by the officials on the condition of anonymity, will revive an open-ended American counterterrorism operation that has amounted to a slow-burn war through three administrations. The move stands in contrast to his decision last year to pull American forces from Afghanistan,” NYT reported.
In a statement, Adrienne Watson, the National Security Council spokeswoman, acknowledged the move, saying it would enable “a more effective fight against Al Shaabab.”
Present at the Nairobi meeting were Chief of Defence Forces Gen Robert Kibochi and Head of Public Service Dr. Joseph Kinyua.
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