MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somalia said on Thursday it is restoring ties with Kenya after nearly 6 months of frosty relations since the government of outgoing Somali president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo severed diplomatic ties with Nairobi.
The resumption of diplomatic relations has come after a Qatari envoy met with Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta in Nairobi on Thursday.
Somalia has long accused Kenya of meddling its internal affairs and relations between the countries have been tense over the ownership of oil and gas deposits, some of which lie off the coast of Jubaland, one of Somalia’s five regional states.
“The federal government of Somalia announces that in keeping with the interests of good neighborliness, it has restored diplomatic relations with the Republic of Kenya,” the Ministry of Information said in a statement on Thursday.
“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’s internal affairs, equality, mutual benefit and peaceful co-existence.”
Nairobi said it took note of the statement and was looking forward “to further normalization of relations by the Somali authorities”.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs looks forward to further normalization of relations by the Somali authorities including with regard to trade, communication, transportation, people-to-people relations and cultural exchanges,” it said in a statement, also acknowledging Qatar’s support in efforts to thaw frosty relations.
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