President Joe Biden of the United States of America (USA) has officially identified Kenya as a major non-NATO ally.
The designation was made by a presidential decision on Monday, June 24, 2024.
This means Kenya is the first sub-Saharan nation to be granted major non-NATO ally status, allowing it to obtain more sophisticated weaponry from the United States.
Kenya will also participate in closer security cooperationwith the US.
“By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 517 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (22 U.S.C. 2321k) (the “Act”),
“I hereby designate Kenya as a Major Non-NATO Ally of the United States for the purposes of the Act and the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.),” read the presidential determination.
What is NATO?
NATO or North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a military alliance of 32 member states from North America and Europe, formed in 1949 with the signing of the Washington Treaty.
Its fundamental goal is to safeguard the freedom and security of its members through political and military means.
The core principle of NATO is collective defense, as stated in Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, an attack against one Ally is considered an attack against all.
NATO has invoked Article 5 only once, in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States.
During the Cold War, NATO served as a check on the threat posed by the Soviet Union.
After the Cold War, NATO has adapted to new security challenges, conducting military operations in the Balkans, Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya.
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It has also expanded its membership, most recently welcoming Finland and Sweden in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
NATO’s military structure includes two strategic commands, Allied Command Operations (ACO) and Allied Command Transformation (ACT).
The alliance’s headquarters are located in Brussels, Belgium. As of 2022, NATO members account for around 55% of global military spending.
What does it mean when a country is designated as Major Non-NATO ally?
When a country is designated as a Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) by the United States, it signifies a deep strategic and security partnership, despite the country not being a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
The MNNA designation provides certain economic and military benefits to the partner country, including eligibility for loans of materials and equipment for research, development, or testing and the placement of US-owned War Reserve Stockpiles on their territory.
MNNAs can also enter formal agreements with the U.S. Department of Defense for research and development projects and bid on contracts to repair and maintain US Defense Department equipment outside the US.
However, the MNNA status does not guarantee new defense agreements or weapon sales between the designated country and the US.
As of 2024, the US has designated 18 countries as MNNAs, including countries in the Middle East, Asia and Latin America.
