President William Ruto has emphasized the importance of a stable and secure Africa as a cornerstone for the continent’s sustainable development, calling for deeper defence cooperation among African nations and international partners.
Speaking during the 2025 African Chiefs of Defence Conference held in Nairobi, President Ruto said the continent must build a “robust, credible and enduring” defence architecture to effectively address security threats and unlock its full economic potential.
“Africa’s stability is essential to our collective development,” said Ruto. “We will work with partners to build a defence framework that enables the continent to overcome the challenges that continue to slow its progress.”
The conference brought together defence chiefs from across the continent, as well as representatives from global security agencies, to discuss collective responses to transnational threats including terrorism, cyber warfare, and political instability.
President Ruto noted that insecurity in one part of Africa often has ripple effects across borders, highlighting the urgent need for coordinated military strategy, intelligence sharing, and joint training programs.
He also praised recent African Union-led peacekeeping efforts, stressing that African solutions to African problems must be backed by unified political will and adequate resources.
“We cannot speak of economic transformation, trade, and innovation in Africa if peace is not assured. Security must go hand in hand with development,” he added.
