gulf involvement

Kenya/Somalia: Is thawing of relations a major win for Qatar?

By Morris Kiruga

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Posted on May 10, 2021 21:58

Kenya Somalia © Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, right, speaks during a joint news conference with Somalia President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed at State House in Nairobi, Kenya, Thursday, March 23, 2017. (AP Photo/Khalil Senosi)
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, right, speaks during a joint news conference with Somalia President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed at State House in Nairobi, Kenya, Thursday, March 23, 2017. (AP Photo/Khalil Senosi)

Somalia has announced it will be restoring diplomatic ties with Kenya, five months after it cut ties citing “interference” from Nairobi. Could this be the beginning of both countries turning the page on their simmering feud?

In separate statements on Thursday 6 May, both Mogadishu and Nairobi confirmed that they would be restoring ties “in keeping with the interests of good neighbourliness”.

Tit for tat

In 2019, Kenya recalled its ambassador to Somalia after the latter started the process to auction off oil and gas blocks in a disputed maritime zone.

Nairobi accused Mogadishu of “betrayal” over the maritime dispute, and “inciting hostility” to its citizens and troops in the country.

Since then, Somalia has continuously pointed a finger to Nairobi on accusations of interference in its internal affairs. Its beef with Kenya culminated in December 2020 when it recalled its ambassador to Nairobi and expelled Kenya’s, in what was the culmination of a feud that has been growing for years.

Gulf involvement

But in the statements by both Kenya and Somalia, specifically thanked the Emir of Qatar, Tamim Al-Thani, for

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