Djibouti: Mission on Kenya-Somalia tiff 'professional'

By Magdalene Mukami

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) - Djibouti said Thursday that it carried out a professional and impartial fact-finding regarding the situation between Kenya and Somalia.

“With regards to the way the mission was fulfilled, there is no doubt that it was carried out with professionalism and impartiality, while remaining strictly neutral,” Djibouti said in a statement on findings by a fact-finding team Jan. 3 - 13.

“Djibouti was only driven by the sole purpose to help the two sisterly nations ease tensions between them and has adopted an unbiased approach based on strict objectivity.”

Somalia accused Djibouti of “being biased” in its findings after the Horn of Africa country released findings that showed no evidence that Kenya was interfering in Somalia’s affairs.

A complaint was lodged by Somalia to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an eight-country trade bloc in Africa, to have Kenya reprimanded.

Djibouti said that it is now up to the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of IGAD to determine the way forward and decide on the best way to achieve reconciliation between Somalia and Kenya.