British army forced to cancel training in Kenya after defence agreement dispute
The British army has cancelled a planned training exercise in Kenya after the Kenyan government refused to ratify a bilateral defence agreement. The dispute involves disagreements over legal jurisdiction for British soldiers and the financial terms of the hosting arrangement.
Why it matters
This highlights a shift in diplomatic relations as Kenya seeks greater sovereignty and accountability regarding foreign military presence on its soil.
Soldiers of the British army training unit in Kenya (BATUK) with troops from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) on a training exercise on the Laikipia plateau./Getty Images Soldiers of the British army training unit in Kenya (BATUK) with troops from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) on a training exercise on the Laikipia plateau./Getty Images British army British army forced to cancel training in Kenya after defence agreement dispute Exercise for September called off after Kenya raises concerns over funding and jurisdiction for criminal offences
Prefer the Guardian on Google The British army has been forced to cancel training for its troops in Kenya after the Kenyan government refused to ratify a bilateral defence agreement.
While the UK government wanted to renew the existing agreement, Kenyan lawmakers had sought changes to give local authorities greater powers to hold British soldiers accountable for any offences committed in the country.
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