This archive report was first published on 22 June 2021.
On June 22, 2021, Nairobi and Mogadishu announced a thaw in their frosty relations, with both countries agreeing to have their ambassadors return to their duty stations.
The move comes after six months of strained ties, which began in December 2020, when Somalia accused Kenya of interference in Mogadishu's internal political affairs.
According to a shared dispatch released by both governments, Kenya's Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Raychelle Omamo and her Somalia counterpart Abdirizak Mohamed spoke on the phone last week, emphasizing the importance of normalizing diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The two leaders agreed to keep bilateral diplomatic channels of communication open between the two capitals in all matters of future strategic diplomatic relations.
Respective ambassadors, Maj-Gen (Rtd) Lucas Tumbo of Kenya and Somalia's Mohamud Nur Tarzan, will be reporting to duty stations with a number of issues waiting to be tackled, including the ongoing dispute over miraa exports.
Kenya's farmers' lobbies claim they are losing between Ksh20 million ($20,000) and Ksh50 million ($50,000) a day following a ban on miraa exports, which was initially imposed under the cover of Covid-19.
With the improving of relations, Kenya now expects that Somalia's Finance Minister, Prof Abdulrahman Beileh, will authorize deliveries of miraa, which were initially banned.
The two countries also have a pending maritime dispute, which is awaiting a final verdict at the International Court of Justice.
Although ICJ decisions cannot be appealed, the feeling in Nairobi is that the maritime issue should be resolved through dialogue, rather than courts.
