Kenya Keter seals a pipeline security alliance with Israel

摘要

Kenya’s energy and oil minister CharlesrnKeter has put his money on Israeli technologyrnto provide security for the country’s energyrninfrastructure, including oil pipelines. To thatrneffect, he penned an agreement in Nairobirnon Feb. 16 with the state-owned Israeli firmrnRafael Advanced Defense Systems at arnmeeting attended by his principal secretaryrnfor oil, Andrew Kamau Nganga, and Israel’srnenvoy to Kenya, Yahel Vilan. Rafael is to supplyrnthe Kenya Pipeline Co (KPC) with securityrnsystems for its energy equipment, and especiallyrna pipeline forming the so-named LapssetrnCorridor (Lamu Port-South Sudan-EthiopiarnTransport Corridor). That project involves thernconstruction of a pipeline linking the port ofrnLamu to South Sudan and passing by way ofrnthe Lokichar basin where Tullow Oil plans tornstart pumping crude in June. The first oil willrnbe carried out by truck. A few days later, Keterrnheld talks in his office with Mishel BenrnBaruch, director of SIBAT, a department inrnIsrael’s defence ministry that monitors militaryrnexports. The two discussed the possibility ofrnextending their security accords to otherrnfacilities in the energy sector. With its influencernwaning in Africa, Israel is counting on Kenyarnto help it regain sway on the continent, andrnparticularly with the African Union (AU). Kenyarnand Israel have a long-standing connectionrnin the security field. When he visited Kenyarnin July, 2016, Israeli prime minister BenyaminrnNetanyahou pledged to step up cooperationrnwith Nairobi to fight terrorism.