Nation Africa
Tuesday November 10, 2020
Kenya has cemented its diplomatic presence in Mogadishu with a new
embassy building, as it seeks to improve formal trade relations with
Somalia.
The new building means Nairobi will no longer be renting space for
its diplomatic mission, allowing officials to conduct business better.
The revelation came after a delegation of top Foreign Affairs
officials from Nairobi toured Mogadishu on Saturday to discuss
co-operation in the face of what they called political and security
problems both sides have faced.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Macharia Kamau said Kenya sees
business ties as a better way to improve the overall relations between
the countries.
PS Kamau said that despite the current problems facing Somalia and
Kenya for the last 10 years, both sides can benefit more if they open
trading links.
“These should not be allowed to stand in the way of what would be
enormous benefits that would accrue to both nations should cooperation
and business be nurtured between the two states,” he said after his
delegation met with Somalia’s Foreign Affairs PS Mohamed Ali-Nur Haji.
Terror attacks
Both Somalia and Kenya have faced continual attacks from Somali militant group al-Shabaab.
Kenya has troops fighting as the African Union Mission in Somalia
forces, which is due to exit Somalia from next year according to an
announced plan. Yet political relations between the two sides have at
times led to public altercations and accusations.
Somalia also sued Kenya at the International Court of Justice, seeking to redraw a maritime boundary between them.
Nairobi, however, thinks political and security challenges facing
Somalia can be resolved gradually as both sides focus on boosting
business ties.
“The promise of trade and business exchanges between the two peoples
of Kenya and Somalia is phenomenal. It could be transformational for
both economies and societies if what we have seen of the offshoots of
development in Nairobi’s Eastleigh and other suburbs, as well as in
Mombasa and even in the refugee camp area of Dadaab is anything to go
by,” he said referring to areas in Kenya most populated by Somalis.
About 1.5 million migrants from Somalia live in Kenya, although a
third of them could be in refugee camps, a result of years of insecurity
and climate change.
On the other hand, Somalia hosts about 35,000 Kenyans, working mostly in the hospitality and humanitarian sectors.
Shared prosperity
PS Kamau led a delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to
assess the working conditions of diplomats posted to Mogadishu.
The officials routinely tour embassies abroad but the focus on
Mogadishu may indicate a turning point in the countries’ relations.
Previously, the embassy had a lean team, mostly focused on security
cooperation. Last month, President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed Maj-Gen
(rtd) Thomas Chepkuto to deputise Maj-Gen (rtd) Lucas Tumbo, the current
Ambassador to Somalia.
Maj-Gen Tumbo clarified that the construction of the embassy was
completed in 2019. It is due to be fully occupied from next month
following installation of workspace equipment etc.
Officials in Nairobi say the new improvements in personnel and
working environment will add to ways both countries can find “common
prosperity” for the people.
“To assume that the challenges must be fully resolved first before we
can engage in business and cooperation is to be naïve and not to
understand the fundamentals of development,” PS Kamau told the Nation.
Somalia's potential
Kenya and Somalia, he said, have been working behind-the-scenes under
a mechanism called Joint Commission of Cooperation (JCC). However, the
proposals the Commission fronted have not yet been implemented.
Kenya says it will continue to open training opportunities for
Somalis, as Somalia’s opening economy provides business opportunities
for Kenyans.
“The reality is that other countries have seen the potential of Somalia,” PS Kamau said.
“Somalia is on the cusp of a turnaround that could position it as an important country for business, trade and cooperation.”
Major national carriers in the region already fly to Somalia,
including Uganda Airlines, Djibouti Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines,
Turkish Airlines. Kenya Airways is yet to start flying to Mogadishu
despite showing intent.