Somalia restores diplomatic relations with Kenya

By Benjamin Muriuki For Citizen Digital

 

File image of Somalia's President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo and Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta during a past function. PHOTO | COURTESY

The Federal Government of Somalia says it has restored diplomatic ties with Kenya.

This comes nearly five months after Somalia cut off the relations in December last year accusing Kenya of meddling in her  politics.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Somalia’s Ministry of Information said the diplomatic ties had been restored following intervention by Qatar.

“The Federal Government of Somalia, announces that in keeping with the interests of good neighborliness, it has resumed diplomatic relations with the Republic of Kenya,” reads the statement.

The statement further indicated that the two countries have agreed to maintain friendly relations guided by principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity and that there will be no interference in the internal affairs of either of the two countries.

“The two governments agree to keep friendly relations between the two countries on the basis of principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-interference in each other internal affairs, equality, mutual benefit and peaceful co-existence. The Presidents of both countries are grateful and thankful to the Emir of State of Qatar for his good offices in this regard,” concluded the statement.

The Kenyan government was yet to issue a statement on the resumption of ties by the time of publishing.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, State House, Nairobi said President Uhuru Kenyatta had received a special message from the Amir of the State of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani.

“The Amir’s message was delivered to the President by Dr Mutlaq bin Majed Al-Qahtani, who is the Special Envoy of the Foreign Minister of the State of Qatar for Counterterrorism and Mediation of Conflict Resolution,” said State House.