British Army expands UK-funded counter-IED training facility in Africa

The British Army is expanding the UK-funded counter improvised explosive device (IED) training facility in Africa.

Located at the Humanitarian Peace Support School (HPSS) in Nairobi, the training facility is being expanded and upgraded into a regional centre of excellence.

The British Army is currently working in close cooperation with its Kenyan partners to combat terrorism and safeguard the lives of the residents of East Africa.

The expanded facility will help train the Kenyan security forces and other African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) troop-contributing countries in the region to identify and effectively destroy the IEDs.

The UK will continue to offer support to Africa with a funding of £2.3m each year from the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) and mentoring from the British Army.

UK Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “From supporting counter-terrorist operations in Mali to improvised explosive device disposal training in Kenya, our Armed Forces are helping to build a more secure Africa.

“By tackling the terrorist threat abroad we are helping to keep our streets safe at home.”

By November 2020, the training facility is expected to have developed into a fully functioning, independent centre of excellence where instructors from East Africa will deliver specialised IED disposal training.

The current project is part of a new security agreement between the UK and Kenya, which enables both countries to address the ever-emerging threats, in addition to reinforcing their cooperation on counter-terrorism, child protection and regional security.