Governor Hassan Joho engages with US team on slaying terrorism

Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho with US Bureau of Counter Terrorism and Countering Violent Extremism Director Irfan Saeed and his Colleague Mike Duffin. (Photo: Courtesy)

Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho engaged in high-profile talks with anti-terrorism stakeholders in the US. Joho, who is in the US to attend Strong Cities Network, met officials of the African Bureau of the US Department to discuss ways of combating radical extremism, devolution and public administration.

The Strong Cities Network is a forum that brings together leaders from top world cities combating violent extremism. The governor held a meeting with Eric P Whitaker, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau African Affairs yesterday in Washington DC to chart the way forward in the fight against extremism.

“I shared our progress of the various countering violent extremism initiatives and the importance of keeping the conversation a top priority on the policy agenda of the new administration,” said a statement from Joho’s office.

In a separate meeting with Directors Ifran Saeed and Mike Duffin of the Bureau of Counter-terrorism and Countering Violent Extremism, the governor discussed the progress of the Strong Cities Network.

“We shared the role of enhanced networks within Africa. Amplifying credible voices, the creation of a think and act tank based in Mombasa to consistently research messaging to counter violent extremists, were among some of the highlights discussed as we prepared for the Strong Cities Africa Summit in March,” the statement said.

The teams had also touched on the growing numbers of US tourists to Mombasa. Later during the day, the Governor met the Kenyan Diaspora in Washington, DC.?