Kenya suspends Somalia flights for three months

Kenya on Monday suspended flights from Somalia, showing that relations between the two countries have not softened as announced last week.
Flights departing for or arriving from Somalia will not be allowed for three months from May 11 to August 9 this year.
Only humanitarian deliveries and medical evacuation flights will be allowed into the country, according to a notice by the aviation regulator, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA).
The Authority did not elaborate on reasons but suggested there had been a security directive from the government to restrict air traffic between the two countries. The decision means all chartered and scheduled flights to Somalia will not be allowed.
However, flights from Somalia passing through the Kenyan airspace to another destination will be exempted.
The announcement was made just as Somalia’s President Mohamed Farmaajo was flying over Kenya to Uganda for the inauguration of President Yoweri Museveni for the fifth term.
Also exempted are military flights which are not within the jurisdiction of the KCAA.
The move, however, dents any latest efforts to revive relations between the two countries.
Last week, Qatari special envoy Mutlaq bin Majed al-Qahtani helped broker resumption of relations and Mogadishu announced it was reopening its diplomatic ties with Nairobi that it had severed in December 2020, protesting against Kenya’s alleged interference in Somalia’s internal matters.
However, Somali officials clarified that the resumed relations will not involve lifting the ban on miraa trade or discussions about the maritime boundary dispute that is awaiting a verdict at the International Court of Justice.
Somalia has not indicated when its ambassador will resume his post in Kenya. Mr Mohamud Nur Tarsan was recalled to Mogadishu and Kenya’s Lucas Tumbo asked to return to Nairobi after Mogadishu cut ties in December.
Nairobi, however, did not sever the ties.

Edited by Olajumoke Adeleke