Somali, Kenyan ministers in ‘cordial’ phone call amid diplomatic fallout
NAIROBI, Kenya – Relations between Mogadishu and Nairobi could improve dramatically following a rare phone call involving two high-ranking ministers, charged with settling diplomatic issues, who have typically taken Somalia and Kenya to a crossroads.
For almost a year now, Somalia and Kenya have been at loggerheads, their problems ranging from the political situation in Jubaland to the Indian Ocean maritime border, and the end result has been massive economic losses coupled with hardships. heated exchanges.
Kenyan Foreign Minister Raychelle Omamo and her Somali counterpart Abdirizak Mohamed had a phone conversation that lasted for hours on Wednesday, during which most of the topical issues surrounding the tense relations between the two nations were discussed. .
The call comes just days after Kenya opened up the airspace for planes bound for Somalia weeks after the shutdown. In addition, the two countries had previously pledged to restore diplomatic relations following interventions by Qatar, which has interests in the Horn of Africa.
In similar press releases, the two countries called the telephone conversation “warm and cordial” giving their citizens even more hope. It is not known which of the two made the call first, but they reportedly spoke for several hours.
The opening of diplomatic missions in Mogadishu and Nairobi respectively, which have been closed for months, is among the main agendas, the statement noted. The two countries have recalled their envoys on different occasions, further derailing bilateral relations.
“The two ministers reconfirmed the need to quickly reopen their respective missions from Kenya and Somalia in Nairobi and Mogadishu and underlined the importance of normalizing diplomatic relations between the two countries,” the statement said.
Kenya first closed its offices in Mogadishu in 2020 following the controversial maritime border, before shutting down the airspace for months. This sparked retaliation from Mogadishu, leading to the closure of its borders.
But even after a conversation between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, the situation worsened after Somalia pursued the maritime affair in The Hague in addition to banning the import of Khat [Miraa], of which Kenya is one of the main exporters.
Although the two ministers did not give the fate of Miraa’s ban in Somalia, they restored the need to strengthen trade ties, security and cultural relations. To avoid further fallout, the statement said, the two ministers agreed to keep diplomatic channels of communication open.
“The ministers expressed their strong desire to improve trade, security and cultural relations between Somalia and Kenya,” the statement read in part.
“Finally, they agreed to keep open the bilateral diplomatic channels of communication between the two capitals for all matters relating to future strategic diplomatic relations.”
Kenya is one of Somalia’s main security partners, with nearly 3,500 FDK troops in the Horn of Africa country. While the ministers did not discuss the controversial attacks in Gedo where the KDF are accused of targeting civilians, they nevertheless agreed to cooperate in security matters.
Kenyan troops expected to leave Somalia after full implementation of Somali transition plan [STP] which will be concluded by the end of 2021. But there are plans in Nairobi either to keep the soldiers in Somalia or to attract them near the common border.
AXADLETM
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