This archive report was first published on 14 October 2019.
On Saturday, a high-profile delegation from Kenya arrived in Kismayo, the administrative capital of Jubbaland state in Somalia. The delegation, led by Aden Bare Duale, the majority leader of the Kenyan parliament, included members of parliament from the North Eastern region, who are predominantly Kenyan-Somalis.
According to reports, the delegation was welcomed by Ahmed Mohamed Islam, the regional leader of Jubbaland, upon their arrival at Sayyid Mohamed Abdulle Hassan International Airport in Kismayo.
The visit comes at a time when relations between Kenya and Somalia are strained. The two countries have been engaged in a maritime dispute since 2014, which is currently being heard at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Kenya's attempts to convince Somalia to settle the case out of court have been unsuccessful. The dispute has led to a deterioration in diplomatic relations between the two countries.
On Friday, the Somali government filed a complaint against Kenya with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) following a violation of its airspace by a Kenyan-registered Fokker aircraft. The plane had landed in Kismayo directly from Nairobi without a stopover in Mogadishu, as per the requirements of the Somali civil aviation authority.
