GAMBIA’S CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF VISITS KENYA

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Gambia, Lieutenant General Mamat O.A. Cham, on Tuesday, 7 October 2025, paid a courtesy call on the Chief of the Defence Forces (CDF) of Kenya, General Charles Kahariri, at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Nairobi.

The visit aimed to strengthen bilateral relations between the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF), with a focus on enhancing cooperation in regional security, peace support operations, capacity building, defence engineering, and intelligence sharing.

During the meeting, the two military chiefs discussed key areas of mutual interest, including counterterrorism, professional military education, joint operations, and training. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the African Union’s “Silencing the Guns” initiative through enhanced defence collaboration and professionalism. They also agreed to initiate negotiations towards a Defence Cooperation Agreement between the two countries.

Lieutenant General Cham commended Kenya for its steadfast role in promoting peace and stability within the Horn of Africa and beyond. He lauded the KDF’s professionalism, leadership, and invaluable contributions to international peacekeeping missions and efforts to counter violent extremism.

On his part, General Kahariri reiterated Kenya’s commitment to fostering partnerships with Gambia and other like-minded nations to address emerging security challenges. He expressed Kenya’s readiness to share best practices in command, logistics, leadership development, and operational efficiency.

Earlier, on 6th October 2025, the visiting CDS called on the Commander Kenya Navy, Major General Paul Otieno, at the Kenya Navy Headquarters in Mtongwe, Mombasa County, where they discussed maritime security cooperation and capacity building.

Lieutenant General Cham also visited the Uhuru Gardens National Monument and Museum (UGNM&M) to honour Kenya’s military heritage. He is scheduled to visit the Joint Command and Staff College (JCSC), National Defence College (NDC), National Defence University – Kenya (NDU-K) in Nairobi, and the Kenya Military Academy (KMA) in Nakuru County in the coming days.

The CDS was accompanied by Brigadier General Sait Njie, Commander Gambia National Army; Colonel Musa Trawally, Defence Attaché to Addis Ababa; Lieutenant Colonel Abdoulie Jobe, Military Assistant to the CDS; Major Momodou Bah, Aide-de-Camp to the CDS; and Major Abdoulie Secka, Commandant GAF Training School.