After Eritrea, Somalia’s president heads to Kenya

After Eritrea, Somalia’s president heads to Kenya

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is determined to streamline relationships with countries that the previous administration may have fallen out with, in what seems to be his strategic foreign policy, that would see the Horn of Africa nation preaching reconciliation.

After winning the May elections, Hassan Sheikh visited the United Arab Emirates [UAE] which was always in trouble with the administration of Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, where he cemented bilateral ties with the Middle East country. UAE has been supporting humanitarian missions in Somalia.

Later, the president visited Turkey, one of the development and security partner of the country. Turkey has been training the elite Gorgor soldiers and Haramacad police officers who are critical in the fight against Al-Shabaab. The country has also been supporting development activities in the country.

A few days ago, Hassan Sheikh was in Eritrea, a country implicated in committing genocide in the Tigray region, where he signed various agreements with his host Isaias Afwerki. The president returned to Somalia on Tuesday.

Multiple sources have intimated to Garowe Online that President Hassan Sheikh will be heading to Nairobi on Thursday, where he’s set for a two-day official visit. The president is set to meet his counterpart President Uhuru Kenyatta.

During his inauguration in June, Uhuru was one of the few head states and governments who graced the occasion in Mogadishu, where he called for the revival of relationships. Throughput Farmajo’s administration, Somalia was always at loggerheads with Kenya.

For instance, the two countries had to battle at the International Court of Justice over a controversial maritime boundary along the Indian Ocean whose ruling favoured Somalia. Also, Mogadishu accused Nairobi of interference in her internal politics particularly in Jubaland.

In return, with Kenya often closing her airspace for Somalia aircraft, the Horn of Africa country imposed Khat ban on Kenya, leading to losses to the farmers. When Uhuru visited Somalia in June, Hassan Sheikh lifted the ban, further normalizing the relationship

Also expected to feature upon Hassan Sheikh’s arrival is the security along the porous Kenya-Somalia border. Al-Shabaab militants have often crossed from Somalia to Kenya where they have launched small to large-scale sporadic attacks in the country.

GAROWE ONLINE