Kenya and Italy have signed a Letter of Intent aimed at strengthening cooperation in preventing and combating crime, marking a significant step towards a broader bilateral security agreement between the two countries.
The agreement, signed between Kenya’s Ministry of Interior and National Administration and Italy’s Ministry of the Interior, establishes a framework for closer collaboration between the two governments and their respective police services in tackling crime, including transnational organised crime.
According to the two governments, the Letter of Intent lays the groundwork for a comprehensive security cooperation agreement that is currently under negotiation. The pact is expected to enhance coordination in addressing cross-border criminal activities and other emerging security threats affecting both countries.
Under the arrangement, Kenya and Italy will designate official contact points responsible for planning and coordinating strategic security initiatives at both bilateral and multilateral levels. The mechanism is intended to facilitate the exchange of information and strengthen operational cooperation between the two countries’ law enforcement agencies.
Speaking during the signing ceremony in Nairobi, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the agreement builds on the longstanding diplomatic relations between Kenya and Italy as well as the existing cooperation between the National Police Service and Italy’s Carabinieri Corps.
Murkomen said the Letter of Intent would provide a practical framework for expanding cooperation in policing, combating transnational organised crime, anti-narcotics operations, public order management, capacity building, institutional exchanges and intelligence sharing.
“The signing provides a practical bridge towards a more structured framework for cooperation in areas such as policing, transnational organised crime, anti-drug operations, public order management, capacity building, information sharing and institutional exchanges,” he said.
The Cabinet Secretary said Kenya was keen to learn from Italy’s integrated approach to security, particularly its emphasis on linking development, migration management and public safety.
He noted that previous engagements between the two countries, including benchmarking visits on public security coordination and modern policing methods, would inform future areas of collaboration.
Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said international partnerships remain essential in strengthening the capacity of policing institutions to respond to increasingly sophisticated criminal networks.
Piantedosi noted that Kenya occupies a strategic position in Italy’s engagement with Africa through the Mattei Plan for Africa, an investment-led initiative designed to strengthen economic and development cooperation across the continent.
He said the Kenya-Italy Action Plan for 2026–2029 would further deepen collaboration on security, migration management and efforts to combat transnational crime.
The two governments reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation in support of public safety, regional stability and the fight against evolving security threats.
The signing comes as Kenya continues to strengthen international partnerships to combat organised crime, terrorism, cybercrime, drug trafficking and human trafficking, challenges that increasingly require coordinated responses across national borders.
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