As Protest to Somaliland Invite, Somali Envoy in Kenya Rushes out Kenyatta’s Forum
An envoy representing the Republic of Somalia in Kenya on Tuesday, June 14, stormed out of a meeting convened by President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House.
Somali media outlets reported that Mohamud Ahmed Nur Tarsan was displeased when the Kenyan Head of State invited officials from Somaliland.
Somaliland is an autonomous regional government that Kenya recognizes but which Somalia has refused to recognize for three decades.
According to Radio Dalsan, a media outlet located in Somalia, Kenya had invited the officials in the capacity of ambassadors and “placed the two flags – Somalia and Somaliland together in the venue.”
Tarsan reportedly informed Villa Somalia – the equivalent of State House in Kenya – and was given the go-ahead to walk out of the event.
This comes just days after President Uhuru and his Somalia counterpart Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met in Mogadishu during the latter’s inauguration ceremony.
During the trip, Uhuru promised to work towards reopening the borders between the two countries as well as increasing flights to Mogadishu.
The Head of State noted that the move would improve trade between the two countries and boost the country’s economy.
Mohamud, on the other hand, promised to boost relations between Somalia and her neighbors including Kenya in his first speech since taking the mantle from Farmajo.
The forum was attended by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and foreign ambassadors in Kenya.
The head of Somaliland Mission Office to Nairobi – Dr. Mohamed Ahmed Mohamoud ‘Barawani’ – addressed the ambassadors in the meeting with a speech highlighting that the independence of Somaliland is the will of the people of the Republic of Somaliland, and they are merely representing that self-determination of the same.
The current reality in the Horn of Africa that Somaliland is a sovereign state with viable democratic principles cannot be swallowed up by Somali politicians to this day. When they react in this manner for the most part, is it possible to start again talks in a good faith with Somalia?