Kenya–Somalia relations

Kenya–Somalia relations (Somali: Xiriirka Kiinya-Soomaaliya) (Swahili: Ushirika wa Kenya-Somalia) are bilateral relations between Kenya and Somalia.

Kenya–Somalia relations

Kenya	Somalia

Diplomatic missions

The Federal Government of Somalia maintains an embassy in Nairobi. The diplomatic mission is led by Ambassador Jamal Mohamed Hassan.[1] on December 2020, Somalia severed diplomatic ties with Kenya.[2]

Jubbaland

On June 26, 1960, four days before granting British Somaliland independence, the British government declared that all Somali-inhabited areas of East Africa should be unified in one administrative region. However, after the dissolution of the former British colonies in the region, Britain granted administration of the Northern Frontier District to Kenyan nationalists despite an informal plebiscite demonstrating the overwhelming desire of the region's population to join the newly formed Somali Republic.[3]

On the eve of Kenyan independence in August 1963, British officials belatedly realized that the new Kenyan administration was not willing to give up the Somali-inhabited areas it had just been granted administration of. Led by the Northern Province People's Progressive Party (NPPPP), Somalis in the NFD vigorously sought union with their kin in the Somali Republic to the north.[4] In response, the Kenyan government enacted a number of repressive measures designed to frustrate their efforts in what came to be known as the Shifta War.[5] Although the conflict ended in a cease-fire, Somalis in the region still identify and maintain close ties with their kin in Somalia, and see themselves as one people.[6]

Somalis in Kenya have historically inhabited the Northern Frontier District (NFD), which was later renamed the North Eastern Province. The NFD came into being in 1925, when it was carved out of the Jubaland region in present-day southern Somalia.[7] At the time under British colonial administration, the northern half of Jubaland was ceded to Italy as a reward for the Italians' support of the Allies during World War I.[8] Britain retained control of the southern half of the territory, which was later called the Northern Frontier District.[7] From the 2010s onwards, during the administration of Ahmed Madobe, ties between Kenya and Jubaland have deepened, particularly in the form of economic and military cooperation.[9]

Maritime Boundary Dispute

In August 2014, the Federal Government of Somalia formally asked the International Court of Justice "to determine, on the basis of international law, the complete course of the single maritime boundary dividing all the maritime areas appertaining to Somalia and to Kenya in the Indian Ocean."[10]

In February 2019, Kenya summoned its ambassador to Somalia back home and asked his Somalia counterpart Mohammed Muhamud Nur to return to Mogadishu for consultation with his government after the Somali government's decision to auction oil and gas exploration blocks at the center of the two countries' maritime territorial dispute in the Indian Ocean.[11] In July 2019, Somalia lodged a protest to the Kenyan government for referring to the self-proclaimed Somaliland as a country.[12]

Operation Linda Nchi

In October 2011, a coordinated operation between the Somali military and the Kenyan military, Operation Linda Nchi, began against the Al-Shabaab group of insurgents in southern Somalia.[13][14] The mission was officially led by the Somali army, with the Kenyan forces providing a support role.[14] In early June 2012, Kenyan troops were formally integrated into AMISOM.[15] By September 2012, the Somali National Army and allied Kenyan African Union forces and Raskamboni militia had managed to capture Al-Shabaab's last major stronghold, the southern port of Kismayo, during the Battle of Kismayo.[16]

Dadaab Refugee Camp

In 2013, UNHCR, the governments of Kenya and Somalia signed a tripartite agreement facilitating the repatriation of Somali refugees at the Dadaab camp.

Diplomatic row with President Mohamed

In December 2020 President Mohamed accused Kenya of interference in Somalia's internal affairs in a diplomatic row which resulted in Somalia cutting diplomatic ties with neighbouring Kenya, giving Kenyan diplomats seven days to leave Mogadishu. The Kenyan government denied the allegations, saying that the Somali government is ungrateful to Kenya for the support her country has provided to Somali refugees and it's efforts to bring peace to Somalia.[17]

An IGAD fact finding commission report found no evidence that Kenya was interfering in Somalia afairs. [18]

See also

• Somali and Kenyan conflict

References

1. "Former Senior politician named new Ambassador to Kenya". Halganka. 3 April 2015. Archived from the original on 9 April 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
2. Dahir, Abdi Latif (2020-12-15). "Somalia Severs Diplomatic Ties With Kenya". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-12-15.
3. David D. Laitin, Politics, Language, and Thought: The Somali Experience, (University Of Chicago Press: 1977), p.75
4. Bruce Baker, Escape from Domination in Africa: Political Disengagement & Its Consequences, (Africa World Press: 2003), p.83
5. Rhoda E. Howard, Human Rights in Commonwealth Africa, (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.: 1986), p.95
6. Godfrey Mwakikagile, Kenya: identity of a nation, (Godfrey Mwakikagile: 2007), p.79.
7. Osman, Mohamed Amin AH (1993). Somalia, proposals for the future. SPM. pp. 1–10.
8. Oliver, Roland Anthony (1976). History of East Africa, Volume 2. Clarendon Press. p. 7.
9. Anderson, David M., and Jacob McKnight. "Kenya at war: Al-Shabaab and its enemies in Eastern Africa." African Affairs 114.454 (2014): 1-27.
10. "Somalia sues Kenya at top UN court over maritime border". AFP. 28 August 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
11. Duncan Miriri and Abdi Sheikh (February 17, 2019), Kenya summons its ambassador to Somalia as territorial row escalates Reuters.
12. "Somalia lodges protest after Kenya calls Somaliland a country". Arab News. 1 July 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
13. "Somalia government supports Kenyan forces' mission". Standardmedia.co.ke. Archived from the original on 2012-03-14.
14. Joint Communique – Operation Linda Nchi
15. "Kenya: Defense Minister appointed as acting Internal Security Minister". Garowe Online. 19 June 2012. Archived from the original on 30 November 2012. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
16. Chonghaile, Clar Ni (28 September 2012). "Kenyan troops launch beach assault on Somali city of Kismayo". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
17. "Somalia-Kenya diplomatic row deepens". deutsche welle. 17 December 2020.
18. Template:Cite webs