President William Ruto's Cabinet has agreed to partner with an Israeli firm to tackle cyber threats in the country.
Through a Cabinet Despatch shared by State House spokesperson Hussein Mohamed, the Cabinet approved the cooperation deal between the Ministry of Information led by Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo and the Israeli National Cyber Directorate (INCD).
The Israel National Cyber Directorate is responsible for all aspects of cyber defence in the civilian sphere, from formulating policy and building technological power to operational defence in cyberspace.
"To bolster our national response to cyber threats, Cabinet has approved the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Information, Communications & the Digital Economy and the Israeli National Cyber Directorate (INCD)," the despatch read in part.
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"This approval signifies an intensified commitment to engage and collaborate with all stakeholders, fostering the development of effective mechanisms and policies. The implementation of these cybersecurity initiatives will play a pivotal role in fortifying a secure and resilient cyberspace, both at the national and international levels," it added
The move has been informed also by the massive movement of data to eCitizen and the centralisation of services. Israel experts are expected to come on board and help the government formulate ways to respond faster to any cyber threats.
Besides Israel, the Cabinet also approved the Memorandum of Understanding on Technical cooperation between Kenya Shipyards Limited (KSL) and GOA Shipyard Limited, India.
"The co-operation framework adds another arrow in Kenya's quiver as the nation readies for an economic boom driven by marine resources. The envisaged areas of co-operation include design and construction of maritime vessels and maritime civil and modular infrastructure, heavy engineering in ship building, rail works, and maritime civil and modular infrastructure," the Cabinet observed.
In keeping with Kenya's dynamic foreign policy stance the Cabinet considered and approved the establishment of a Kenyan Consulate in Bogota, Colombia.