This archive report was first published on 4 October 2019.
Kenya remains committed to helping Somalia rebuild, despite an ongoing maritime boundary dispute between the two countries.
Foreign Affairs Cabinet Administrative Secretary Ababu Namwamba made the statement during his visit to Mogadishu, where he attended the Somalia Partnership Forum on Tuesday.
The forum, which brought together dozens of political leaders, business people, and diplomats, aimed to discuss Somalia's future and agree on priorities ahead.
Mr. Namwamba used the opportunity to clarify Kenya's stance on Somalia's rebuilding, saying, "Kenya has always supported reconstruction of Somalia, with the 1st Transitional Government of Abdullahi Yusuf (Ahmed) made and hosted in Nairobi in 2004. The commitment remains," he said referring to Somalia's first Transitional President who died in 2012.
He added, "Somalia ties are steeped in a history of shared destiny. We owe it to our people to keep the ties alive."
Mr. Namwamba's visit marked the first official visit by a senior government official to Somalia in nearly six months, amidst a tense bilateral relationship sparked by a maritime boundary row.
Somalia has sued Kenya at the International Court of Justice, seeking to have the borderline redrawn, with the case set for public hearing on November 4.
However, while Kenya disagreed with the case, arguing alternative means had not been exhausted, the row escalated with claims Somalia was already dealing in oil blocks in the contested area, claims Mogadishu denied.
Despite the tensions, Mr. Namwamba held bilateral talks with Somali Prime Minister Hassan Khaire on matters of mutual interest to the two countries, on the sidelines of the Forum on Tuesday evening.
The participants at the forum discussed the Mutual Accountability Framework, a document prepared in 2017 to list commitments on Somalia's political reforms, security, economic development, and recovery and humanitarian assistance.
Those commitments include supporting preparations for national elections and the constitutional review to be completed within the agreed timelines; targeting and degrading al-Shabaab and building Somalia's security agencies as well as strengthening its justice system.
Other steps include debt relief as well as financing needs for the country.
However, participants warned that the challenges, such as the recent resurgence of Shabaab attacks and continuing political tensions between the federal government and the federal state authorities, could undermine plans for universal suffrage elections in 2021.
"We are under no illusion to underestimate the myriad of challenges ahead for the country's road to full recovery, which demands concerted political and financial commitments from both local stakeholders and international partners," James Swan, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative to Somalia said.
Mr. Francisco Madeira, the AU Special Representative to Somalia said there had been a slow support for AU forces battling al-Shabaab.
