Thursday July 27, 2017
Foreign Affairs CS Amina Mohamed and her Somalia counterpart Yusuf-Garaad Omar during the midterm review of the 1st Session of the Kenya-Somalia Joint Commission for Cooperation in Nairobi, Wednesday, July 26, 2017. /COURTESY
The first batch of 50 Somali students will be admitted to the Mandera Medical Training College as from September 2017.
The lot forms part of the 200 agreed by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Somalia counterpart Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed in March.
This was revealed during a meeting between Foreign Affairs CS Amina Mohamed and Somalia's Yusuf-Garaad Omar in Nairobi on Wednesday.
The leaders converged for a midterm review of the 1st Session of the Kenya-Somalia Joint Commission for Cooperation.
"In this regard, the government of the Federal Republic of Somalia has been requested to submit the names of the 50 students who meet the Nursing Council of Kenya requirements," a communique from the meeting states.
The leaders agreed that the second batch of 50 students will be admitted in March 2018, and the third batch of 100 students will be admitted in September 2018.
The meeting also resolved that Kenya will offer training of Foreign Service Officers and Protocol Department Officers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
Amina and Yusuf-Garaad at the same time hailed the progress made in entrenching bilateral relations between the two countries adding that the gains will boost trade and investments in the two states.
They emphasized on the need to deepen and enhance the excellent cooperation to boost sectors including trade, agriculture, security, refugees, immigration, economic and political affairs among others.
The two ministers appreciated the progress made so far in implementing the agreement President Kenyatta and Somalia's Mohamed reached during their meeting.
The actions include the resumption of direct flights between Mogadishu and Nairobi which has already commenced.
"The two ministers noted that resumption of direct flights between Nairobi and Mogadishu has been effected and is operating smoothly," the communique reads in part.
The two ministers further agreed that the two governments will share comprehensive details regarding the regulations on the issuance and use of diplomatic and service passports for consideration of waiver of visa.
"The two ministers agreed to work on the modalities of developing user-friendly customs and immigration documents for communities along the border in order to facilitate ease of movement for people, goods, and services."
Amina and Yusuf-Garaad further agreed to have a full fledged Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC) in Mogadishu at a date to be mutually agreed upon through diplomatic channels.