ADDIS ABABA (SD) – African Union Commission (AUC) has called on Somalia and Kenya authorities to iron out their diplomatic raw at the negotiating table, saying peace on the Somalia-Kenya border is vital to regional stability.
The Chairperson of AUC, Moussa Faki on Tuesday morning, said that he is following the tensions on the two neighbouring countries with concern.
“I’m following the tensions on the Kenya-Somalia border with concern, and urge the two neighbours to exercise restraint and engage in dialogue in conformity with the IGAD-led process,” Faki said.
The remarks of the chairperson come barely aday after Somalia accused Kenya of aiding and supporting forces led by fugitive Jubbaland security Minister Abdirashid Janan who attacked Belet-Hawa town on Monday.
“The Federal Government of Somalia strongly condemns this illegal aggression orchestrated and planned within Kenya. These actions are an affront to the peaceful coexistence of international norms of mutual respect, territorial integrity and national sovereignty,” the Somalia government said in a statement.
Kenya hosts Janan
Kenya Interior Minister Fred Matiang’i has dismissed accusations by Somalia saying there is no need to raise alarm.
A Kenyan lawmaker hailing from Mandera county accused Nairobi government of hosting Jubbaland forces in Mandera town which is not far from Beled-Hawa town.
“Jubbaland forces had crossed border from Somalia to Kenya ten months ago, they have established a camp and this is known by Kenyan government, the forces have a camp in Barwako location, township word in Mandera East Constituency,” Mandera East Member of Parliament Omar Maalim.
Kenya government on Sunday wrote letter to African Union over the renewed war in Beled-Hawo saying the fighting increasingly generates large numbers of refugees and asylum seekers to Kenya, therefore aggravating the already dire humanitarian situation in Somalia and in the refugee camps in Kenya.
“Kenya’s primary concern is that the renewed fighting engenders large scale displacement of civilians inside Somalia and increasingly generates large numbers of refugees and asylum seekers to Kenya, therefore aggravating the already dire humanitarian situation in Somalia and in the refugee camps in Kenya,” said a statement from Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Kenya is concerned that if the fighting continues unabated, the situation could further destabilise the region, complicate the security situation and reverse gains made in the fight against terrorism.”
Categories: Latest News