Somalia and Kenya have agreed to strengthen their diplomatic relations following talks between the leaders of the two countries, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Uhuru Kenyatta respectively.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and his delegation reached Nairobi on Saturday to hold talks with his counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta.
In a joint communique between Kenya and Somali delegations, the two leaders agreed to give courtesy visas to holders of diplomatic passports, as well as letters from their respective ministries of Foreign Affairs.
According to the deal, the holders of diplomatic passports will be issued free of charge on arrival.
The agreement also noted that the holders of service passports will receive free visas but must apply online before arrival alongside letters from the ministries of Foreign Affairs.
The ordinary passport holders will apply for visas and have them processed within 10 working days.
The pact also stated Kenya Airways flight schedules will resume immediately based on existing bilateral air services agreement (Basa).
The Basa will be reviewed by relevant authorities.”
The Kenyan national carrier’s approval to fly Mogadishu has been pending for years, and Somalia initially pulled a plug in protest to Nairobi’s strict aviation rules that required stopovers in Wajir, in northeastern Kenya, for security checks.
They also agreed to iron out all their diplomatic issues through a common organ known as the Joint Commission on Cooperation.
