This archive report was first published on 26 September 2019.
On Tuesday night, in a meeting brokered by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta and Somalia's Mohamed Farmaajo took the first step towards normalising relations between the two countries.
The meeting, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, was the first face-to-face encounter between the two leaders since March. The discussion focused on Nairobi-Mogadishu relations, which have recently cooled due to a maritime dispute.
According to Mohamed Abdinur, Mr Farmaajo's spokesman, Somalia and Kenya have agreed to work towards normalising relations without any implications for the maritime case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The case, currently pending at the ICJ, was initiated by Somalia seeking to redraw the sea boundary.
"Strong neighbourly relations are important for the stability, economic development and people to people relations. Somalia welcomes the opportunity to work towards normalising relations with Kenya, as neighbours and partners, for a better common future," Mr Abdinur said.
However, the two leaders fell short of a deal on the maritime dispute, which has recently generated tit-for-tat moves affecting direct flights and visa issuance at ports of entry. Regional experts have warned that further deterioration could allow Al-Shabaab militants to thrive in their terror strongholds, as the two countries collaborate on counter-terrorism measures.
