Kenya is on Thursday, May 23, expected to be named a major non- North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ally.
According to United States government official, US President Joe Biden will extend the invite to Kenya after bilateral talks with President William Ruto.
Kenya will receive a non-NATO ally status which will mean closer security cooperation with the 32-member states including the United States.
NATO is the largest military alliance in the world. Other powerful members of NATO include; the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and Canada.
The move by Biden will elevate Kenya’s continental military status as it will be the first sub-Saharan country to receive such membership.
Among other military benefits, Kenya will be able to access sophisticated weapons from the United States as well as engage in closer security cooperation with the world’s superpower.
Already, Kenya has started enjoying fringe benefits of the arrangements before the formal enjoinment to NATO.
The United States has already given Kenyan police access to its Pentagon stockpile of riffles, ammunition and armoured cars.
This is expected to be used by the 1,000 Kenyan police officers who will be deployed to Haiti to quell unrest.
Apart from Haiti, the United States will work closely with Kenya to bring peace to Sub-Saharan Africa, the Red Sea and Europe.
Kenya in that regard has already joined the US-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group as well as Operation Prosperity Guardian which fights Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.
There are 19 countries that have been accorded non-NATO ally status and only three in Africa including Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia
