Kenya and Ethiopia share many things in common that make them natural allies working together to advance their converging interests. The two friendly nations share a largely secure common border, which serves as epicenter of trade and gateway for people crisscrossing the countries. There is near unanimity among the leadership and citizenry of the two countries that the border is artificial hence need to be dismantled to facilitate seamless flow of goods and people.  Some communities like Borana domiciled in both Kenya and Ethiopia, share common ancestry, background, language and inseparable bond. This explains why Kenya-Ethiopia relations is anchored on strong people-to-people ties to facilitate cultural exchanges and connections among communities of the two nations. Kenya and Ethiopia are also renowned athletics powerhouses and with admirable rich culture, which are key components of sports diplomacy. 

As East Africa’s biggest economies, Kenya and Ethiopia have every reason to work together to retain their economic superpower and support other small economies for regional prosperity. To enhance economic integration, trade and investment, the two countries signed the Special Status Agreement in 2012. They pledged to open trade facilitation offices to facilitate collaboration in areas such as textiles, agricultural goods and food complexes. Moyale One Stop Border Post (OSBP) is a product of such bilateral agreements that has revolutionized trade between Kenya and Ethiopia. The government is currently working on modernizing OSBP and removing Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) along the transport corridor to facilitate seamless trade. During his State Visit to Kenya in February 2024, Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed expressed commitment to continue collaborating with Kenya in security, economic and other sectors. Ethiopia is among Kenya’s dependable partners in the implementation of the ambitious Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) project, which seeks to improve connectivity, contribute to infrastructure development and boost bilateral trade. With its growing economy, Ethiopia is finding its overreliance on Djibouti ports untenable and is eager to utilize LAPSSET. 

Abiy is credited for opening Ethiopia’s economy, a strategic decision that has benefited Kenya more than any other nation. In 2022, Kenya’s giant telecommunication company, Safaricom launched commercial operations in Ethiopia as part of its regional expansion strategy. The company continues to register success in the new market of about 112 million customers, especially with its flagship product, M-Pesa. In October 2022, President Dr. William Ruto made his maiden visit to Ethiopia to launch Safaricom and for bilateral talks with Prime Minister Abiy, which underscored the strong ties between the States. Other Kenyan firms have also eyed the Ethiopian market including the Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC (KenGen), which was contracted to drill geothermal wells in the country. 

The deep-rooted Kenya-Ethiopia relations is historic by nature and has only grown even better over time. It dates back to the colonial era when Ethiopia established ties with the British, the then Kenya’s colonial master, to work on modalities to demarcate Kenya-Ethiopia border in 1907. In 1954, the two nations commenced diplomatic engagements after Ethiopia established an Honorary Consulate in Kenya. By 1961, Ethiopia had posted its inaugural Ambassador to Kenya, prompting Nairobi to reciprocate by setting a similar office in Addis Ababa. Ethiopia participated actively in Kenya’s independence journey including by assimilating Mau Mau freedom fighters to operate within its territory.

The inter-state relations were nurtured and sustained leading to Ethiopia being among the first countries to recognize and congratulate Kenya for attaining independence from the British in 1963. In order to underscore how the two nations were mindful of each other’s wellbeing, Kenya’s Founding Father Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and Ethiopia’s Emperor Haile Selassie signed Defence and Security Pact ostensibly binding the two countries to protect and offer military assistance in case of an attack by an adversary. The pact remains in force to date, which informs enhanced collaboration between the two countries especially in the security sector. 

Kenya and Ethiopia play a leading role in promoting peace and security in the region by confronting threats posed by both terrorist groups and criminal gangs. As founding members of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the two nations have almost singular responsibility of leading peace initiatives and promoting development in the region. They have played critical roles in fighting Al-Shabaab and stabilizing Somalia to make Horn of Africa secure for development to thrive. Both Kenya and Ethiopia were major troop contributing nations to African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), which has since transitioned to African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM). In recognition of Kenya and Ethiopia efforts in supporting peace process in Somalia, Mogadishu, African Union (AU), IGAD, United Nations (UN) and other parties have requested the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and Ethiopia National Defence Forces (ENDF) to be part of AUSSOM.

Kenya and Ethiopia have paid the ultimate price for their continued counter-terrorism operations in Somalia or those within their borders. Al-Shabaab have launched a number of retaliatory attacks in the countries, some of which have been fatal and leading to destruction of properties. It is for this reason that the two countries need to enhance collaboration through intelligence sharing, joint training of security personnel, joint security operations and sharing resources to defeat enemies like Al-Shabaab terrorists. This is the letter and spirit of the historic Defence and Security Pact between Kenya and Ethiopia to safeguard national interests of the two nations.

Al-Shabaab is not only carrying out terrorist attacks in Kenya and Ethiopia but also collaborating with criminal gangs along the common border areas like Marsabit to the detriment of security of the two nations. The unholy alliance between Al-Shabaab and a notorious criminal gang that has been operating in Ethiopia and areas of Northern Kenya like Marsabit and Isiolo will undermine security in the region. Al-Shabaab has already trained and armed some members of the criminal gang and absorbed them within its rank to lead onslaught against innocent Kenyans and Ethiopians. The Somalia-based and Al-Qaeda linked terrorist group has directed their members from Ethiopia’s Oromia region and Kenya’s northern region especially Marsabit and Isiolo to recruit new members especially youth as part of its penetration strategy in the regions. 

In August 2024, Al-Shabaab terrorists working in cahoots with the criminal elements kidnapped two South Korean citizens from their home in Odda in Moyale. Kenyan and Ethiopian security agencies are actively engaged in joint security operations to rescue David Lee and Hiwi Sokk Cheon, who were involved in missionary work in the region. Ethiopia has already designated the criminal gang as a terrorist group and is dealing with its members with commensurate brutal force. Kenyan security agencies operating in Marsabit and Isiolo are also not sparing the belligerents, who are hell-bent to destabilize the region. 

The government extended ‘Operation Maliza Uhalifu’ to Marsabit and Isiolo to target the criminals, who were fanning cattle rustling and banditry to raise money to finance criminal and terrorist activities. The criminals were also supplying weapons to bandits in North Rift and other parts of Kenya, hence the need to crash them to find a lasting solution to the banditry menace. National Police Service (NPS), Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and National Intelligence Service (NIS) continues to mount intelligence-led operations to degrade the criminal gang and its sponsor, Al-Shabaab. Specialized units like the dreaded Special Operations Group (SOG) have pitched tent in the region to deal with terrorism and other organized crimes. 

There is notable increase in organized crimes such as kidnapping for ransom, weapon smuggling, counterfeiting of money, illegal mining, banditry, drug and human trafficking along Kenya-Ethiopia border. The crimes fuels insecurity and impacts negatively on the economies of both nations. The upsurge in crimes can be attributed to the fact that the criminal gang operating along the common border has pledged allegiance to Al-Shabaab, hence it is under pressure to raise funds to support terrorist activities. 

It is important to note that the Government has succeeded in dealing with most of these crimes that are detrimental to national security. In March 2024, the Government closed gold mines of Hillo in Moyale Sub-County of Marsabit County for security reasons. Kenyan media has also been awash with stories of hundreds of Ethiopian illegal immigrants arrested in Kenya while being trafficked to other countries such as South Africa and United States. On drug trafficking, the Multi-Agency security teams have successfully conducted intelligence-led operations that have netted huge quantities of bhang being smuggled from Ethiopia to Kenya. Kenya’s success stories in dealing with cross border crimes is not by accident but involves infiltrating criminal cartels and working closely with our friendly nation, Ethiopia. 

Both Kenya and Ethiopia are anchor nations hence their stability and peaceful coexistence is of paramount importance not only to the irrespective States but also to the region at large. It is on this premise that Kenya offered a helping hand to resolve the conflict between the Ethiopian government and Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). As the host of African Union Headquarters, Ethiopia is held in high pedestal by its peers in the region and across the world hence it is needed to continue being a beacon of peace and provide much needed leadership in the continent. Kenya and Ethiopia need to continue working together to promote peace and security in the region by dealing with security threats like terrorism and criminal gangs as well as promote development.