Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed of Somalia are en route to Nairobi, Kenya for diplomacy talks with President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Prime Minister Abiy has been holding a marathon of diplomatic shuttle this week which started with President Uhuru Kenyatta two days visit to Ethiopia On March 01 and 02 March, where both have attended, among others, the Ethiopia-Kenya trade and investment forum and the inauguration of Debre Birhan Industrial Park.
President Uhuru Kenyatta visit was followed by a visit today of Somalia’s President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed to Addis Ababa during which he held discussions “focused on four key issues, including: the strengthening of regional peace & security per the agreements signed previously; mechanisms to ensure Kenya-Somali relations are strengthened; continuation of joint port development; and ensuring that relations between the administration of Somaliland & Somalia is in support of regional peace,” according to a statement from the office of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
border dispute between Kenya and Somalia came to a full fledged diplomatic spat resulting in both countries recalling their respective envoys. The latest dispute follows Kenya’s accusations that Somalia has signed deals in off shore oil blocks within disputed territories with European companies. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has since stepped up efforts to resolve the diplomatic deadlock between Kenya and Somalia during the visit of President Uhuru Kenyatta, “which resulted in a positive development.” President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed visit to Ethiopia today is part of the talks which started with President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Clearly, Somalia seems the more confident of the two about its prospects at the court, which is expected to hand down a verdict sometime this year. Somalia has already won the first round after the court in 2017 dismissed Kenya’s challenge, Somalia territory is not negotiable. Kenya’s demands for restoring diplomatic ties was that Somalia withdraws its case at the ICJ. Kenya has fabricated a diplomatic incident to pre-empt that judgment and force Somalia to agree to a negotiated solution.