MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somalia’s Foreign Minister Mohamed Abdirisak said the US government wants to mediate talks over ending long-standing dispute between the governments of Kenya and Somalia.
During a visit to New York, Somali FM noted that the US wants both Kenya and Somalia to deescalate tensions and bring an end to the row over “Kenyan government’s interference” in Somalia’s internal affairs.
Somalia had severed diplomatic ties with Kenya last year after the government of Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta continued meddling in the neighboring country’s internal affairs and summoned back staff at its embassy in Nairobi while ordering Kenyan diplomats in Somalia to return home within 7 days.
Mr Abdirisak confirmed that the US government intervened in the dispute between Kenya and Somalia, pressing their leaders to resolve tensions through dialogue as standoff escalates on the border between the two countries.
It is the first time US has meddled in the standoff since it sparked a war of words and unprecedented low in diplomatic relations late last year.
Kenya has thousands of troops in Somalia fighting Al-Shabaab, but presence of its troops hands more power to Jubaland administration which has been in a heightened dispute with the federal government based in Mogadishu over the last two years.
Somali Foreign Minister confirmed that his visit in New York aims to forge relations with the new US administration under president-elect Joe Biden, who is due to assume office on Wednesday.
Contact us: info@somaliguardian.com
