15″ July”2022″ Daily Nation
The two countries “agreed to facilitate, diversify and promote trade and economic cooperation… and directed the immediate market access of fish and fish products from Somalia to Kenya and vice versa and the resumption of trade in khat (miraa) from Kenya to Somalia, to resume with immediate effect.”
The dispatch also said Kenya Airways flight schedules “will resume immediately based on existing bilateral air services agreement (BASA). The BASA will be reviewed by relevant authoritie
President Mohamud’s trip is significant since he was the leader in power when Somalia sued Kenya at the International Court of Justice back in 2014. That case was determined last year, largely in favour of Somalia. Kenya had said it will not obey the decision.
But the two countries have now reactivated their diplomatic channels and it was expected they will discuss how to implement the decision which is likely to be the first foreign policy task of whoever replaces President Kenyatta after the August 9 elections.
On Friday, the two sides agreed to start giving courtesy visas to holders of diplomatic passports, as well as letters from their respective ministries of foreign affairs. The visas will be issued free of charge on arrival.
Other holders of service passports will also receive free visas but must apply online before arrival alongside letters from the ministries of foreign affairs.
However, ordinary passport holders will apply for visas and have them processed within 10 working days.
Nonetheless, Somalia and Kenya agreed to iron out their diplomatic issues through a common organ known as the Joint Commission on Cooperation.
President Uhuru Kenyatta had earlier hosted Bissau-Guinean leader Umaro Sissoco Embaló at State House, Nairobi.
According to State House, President Embaló, the current chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is visiting and will have “bilateral talks” on a number of issues.
The details were not divulged but President Kenyatta also chairs the east African bloc, the East African Community whose mantle he is supposed to hand over at the end of July.
