Kenya is Somalia’s true friend, says diplomat

Kenya hosts the largest Somali community in the region that has heavily invested in Nairobi with nearly half-million refugees had been living in Dadaab, the world’s biggest refugee camp in the world since 1992.

News Keydmedia Online
30 June 2022

NAIROBI, Kenya – Somalia’s ambassador in Nairobi Mohamud Ahmed Nur [Tarsan] said Kenya is a reliable and true friend of his country after he walked out of Uhuru meeting with diplomats on June 14.

“Kenya is at forefront of the Somalia’s international partners,” Tarsan told the Somali community in Nairobi during an event, where he announced that ties between the two East African countries are fully mended.

Farmajo, the former immediate president of Somalia has severed relations with Kenya in 2020 after Nairobi backed Ahmed Madobe, the leader of Jubaland state, who has been his fierce critic for years.

“Kenya is not similar to other neighboring countries in East Africa. The flow of the trade and people’s movement should be reopened at borders to boost the economy,” added the former Mogadishu mayor, now serving as ambassador. 

Kenya hosts the largest Somali community in the region that has heavily invested in Nairobi with nearly half-million refugees had been living in Dadaab, the world’s biggest refugee camp in the world since 1992.

During the conflict, the front-line countries, mainly Kenya and Ethiopia have extensively meddled in Somalia’s internal affairs by arming local warlords and violating the country’s territorial sovereignty.

On the 14th of this month, Uhuru invited the Somaliland envoy to Nairobi his meeting with foreign ambassadors in his country, in the latest move by Kenya to recognize the breakaway region as a “sovereign state”.

Kenya has at least 4,000 soldiers serving under AU mission [ATMIS – formerly AMISOM] who are accused of committing atrocities against Somali people and bombing continually civilians in Gedo.

On June 9, Uhuru attended the inauguration of new Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Mogadishu, a visit that pushed Mogadishu and Nairobi closer to a deal on Miraa's return to Somalia.

KEYDMEDIA English