US welcomes renewed ties between Kenya and Somalia

US welcomes renewed ties between Kenya and Somalia

The United States has welcomed the renewed cooperation between the governments of Kenya and Somalia following the bilateral ties signed between the two sisterly nations almost a week ago.

Newly elected Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud visited Kenya last week after his trip to Eritrea and met outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta. The previous Somalia leadership under Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo struggled in relating with Kenya.

In a statement, the Bureau of African Affairs said the new cooperation will boost trade, security, and stability of the region which has been struggling to contain the Al-Shabaab menace. The Al-Qaida-linked group has repeatedly waged attacks in the two countries.

“Delighted by the news that Kenya and Somalia agreed on concrete measures to advance their bilateral relationship. Great effort to increase security, stability, and prosperity for the people of East Africa,” read the tweet from the department.

The US has been a close friend of both Kenya and Somalia which are strategic for trade and bolstering of security in the country. For over 15 years, the Al-Shabaab militants have been fighting to topple the fragile UN-backed Somalia administration which is dominant in rural central and southern Somalia.

On Friday, Somalia and Kenya signed an agreement that will see the former export fish to Kenya, and in return, Nairobi was given a green light to export Khat [Miraa] to Mogadishu. For months, Somalia had banned the exportation of Miraa after breaking ties with Kenya.

The Kenya airways flights to Mogadishu are now supposed to resume too under the existing air agreement which will be reviewed by relevant authorities, further ending the stalemate which forced Kenya to change routes by flying to Addis Ababa instead of Mogadishu.

Further, the agreement stipulates that holders of ordinary Somali passports will have their visas processed speedily, preferably within 10 working days; For holders of Somali Service Passports, Visas are free of charge/gratis on arrival within 48hrs after completion of the Online Visa Application accompanied by a Note Verbale MoFA.

The significant agreement comes just months after the change of leadership in Mogadishu which saw the return of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as the president of the Horn of Africa nation. He defeated former President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed better known as Farmajo.

During the reign of Farmajo, strained ties with Kenya rocked a bottom low, forcing at times Kenya to suspend flights to the country as Somalia retaliated by banning the importation of Khat to the country. The frosty relationship also saw Kenya recall her as an ambassador to Somalia.

Seemingly, the new dawn was triggered by the visit of President Uhuru Kenyatta to Somalia, his first official visit other than the trips as the Commander-in-Chief of Kenya Defense Forces, where he has often been motivating the over 3,500 soldiers fighting in Somalia.

GAROWE ONLINE