Somalia urges Kenya to reopen embassy in Mogadishu

By Mohammed Dhaysane

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) - Somali urged Kenya late Saturday to reopen its embassy in Mogadishu.

"The Foreign Affairs Ministry presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kenya and has the honor to reiterate that the Federal Government of Somalia has announced to normalize the diplomatic relations between the two countries" according to a Somali Foreign Ministry statement. "The resumption of full diplomatic relations will be a positive start to the commencement of bilateral discussions between the two nations.”

Somalia issued a statement announcing that it will also reciprocally reopen its embassy in Nairobi.

Somalia cut off diplomatic ties with Kenya last December, accusing Nairobi of interfering in Mogadishu’s internal affairs.

Security, education, and trade relations between the two neighbors were severed for some five months, until Mogadishu announced in May that it was ready to restore ties with Nairobi, citing the interest of both countries.

But just days later, Kenya decided to halt air traffic with Somalia, without giving a reason for the move.

Kenya, however, later reversed that decision and announced it will reopen its airspace for flights to and from Somalia, a move welcomed by Mogadishu.