MOGADISHU – Somalia and Kenya agreed to normalize relations after meeting was held in Kenya’s capital Nairobi.
The official meeting was held by the two state’s foreign ministers – Ahmed Isse Awad and Amb Monica Juma, discussing on nations’ differences and ways to normalize relations between Mogadishu and Nairobi.
Awad and Juma also agreed their ambassadors get back to their work after Wednesday’s meeting in Nairobi.
Kenya has recalled the ambassador to Somalia Lt. General (Rtd) Lucas Tumbo to Nairobi for ‘urgent’ consultations after Nairobi claims Somalia unilaterally auctioned off oil and gas blocks in a contested maritime area.
Nairobi has also at the same time sent Ambassador’s Tumbo counterpart in Nairobi back to Mogadishu in what appears to be a quickly escalating diplomatic spat between the two neighbors.
Kenya claimed the auction took place in London, United Kingdom, on 7th February, 2019.
But, Somalia has denied it had auctioned the contentious blocks to the “highest predatory” bidders from the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland and Norway during London conference.
Kenya has troops serving under African Union mission known as AMISOM and stood to support Somalia’s army to fight Al Shabaab.
