Leaders of Somalia and Kenya are expected to meet in the capital city of Uganda amid an escalating diplomatic row between the two East African nations.
According to Ugandan online portal, KLM, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta will hold talks with his Somali counterpart over the diplomatic spat.
Officials at Kenya’s State House said Kenyan government will use the opportunity of Kenyatta and Farmajo being in Kampala to organize talks between the two that will see them address the recent maritime boundary dispute.
Two leaders have received official invitations to attend inaugural Africa Now Conference which will be hosted by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.
The event which is scheduled to kick off on 12-13 March 2019 was organized by Africa Strategic Leadership Centre, a Kampala-based Pan-African think tank.
Mr. Awel Uwihanganye, the Associate Director of the Think Tank, confirmed that President Farmajo accepted to attend the summit.
According to the source, the Kampala Summit will offer the leaders of the two countries an opportunity to talk and show the world that all is well at sea for the two countries who are so tied economically and socially that they stand to lose a lot in a diplomatic dispute.
The development comes barely three days after Kenya urged the UN to intervene in worsening diplomatic relations between the two countries over the Indian ocean boundary dispute.
Last month, Kenya expelled Somali envoy and summoned its ambassador to Somalia to protest allegations that Somalia had auctioned offshore oil blocks in the disputed areas.
Kenya cited that the horn of African nation auctioned blocks 230, 231, 232 and 233 and offered the oil blocks to bidders, a claim dismissed by the Somali government.
In other related development, Government of Kenya has urged the international community to support Kenya and Somalia in the fight against al-Shabaab.
In a statement, Kenyan foreign ministry said acts of terror pose a common threat of community of nations.
The ministry underscored the need to work closely strategic partners in an international fight against terrorism.
According to the statement, Kenya condemned Thursday evening attack on Maka al-mukarama hotel on one of the busiest street in Mogadishu.
The ministry’s parmanent secretary, Macharia Kamau said his condoles with victims of the heinous attack executed by armed Al-Shabaab fighters.
” As our brotherly neighbour, we express our solidarity and compassion and join families of the people of Somalia including our own in condoling their loved ones who lost their innocent lives following this heinous attack,” the statement reads in part.
Last Thursday, unknown gunmen stormed the hotel prompting hours of the siege.
The attack killed over 30 people and injured more than 60 people.
Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the latest attack.
The group aim is to remove the current government and establish its administration despite being dislodged from many towns in southern Somalia by Somali military backed by continental forces.
By admin
March 3, 2019
