Kenya and the United Kingdom have agreed to enhance air connectivity between Nairobi and London with the introduction of six additional Kenya Airways flights per week.

This decision, announced following a meeting between President William Ruto and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, aims to address ongoing challenges in cargo and passenger transport.

The renewed Kenya-UK strategic partnership, signed during the meeting, is expected to unlock significant investments, generate employment opportunities, and enhance Kenya's global competitiveness across various sectors including trade, climate initiatives, technology, and security.

State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed, in a statement released on Tuesday, highlighted that the expanded air services, scheduled to commence this week, underscore a deepening of commercial and tourism ties between the two nations.

Beyond aviation, both leaders committed to strengthening collaboration among their security and defense agencies through intelligence sharing, capacity building, and joint operations.

An upcoming Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) is set to formalize these efforts, grounded in mutual respect for each country's legal frameworks.

The statement further emphasized the shared commitment of Kenya and the UK to upholding democracy, the rule of law, and human rights.

It outlined their agreement on establishing robust legal, regulatory, and policy mechanisms to safeguard constitutional rights while ensuring societal harmony, justice, and mutual respect.

Addressing regional stability, the leaders pledged support for peace initiatives in South Sudan, endorsed a new framework to resolve Sudan's crisis, and pledged enhanced assistance to Somalia.

 They welcomed continued U.S. engagement in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and stressed the importance of coordinated regional responses through bodies like the East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC).

The meeting also reaffirmed Kenya's commitment to the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti, with both leaders pledging support for the mission's leadership.