Mogadishu (SD) – Somali Foreign Affairs Minister Mohamed Abdirizak held a press conference at Villa Somalia this afternoon, upon the delegation led by President Farmajo returned from Djibouti to attend the IGAD Summit.

Minister Mohamed Abdirizak’s press conference reported on the conference and private meetings of IGAD Heads of State.

Speaking on issues between Somalia and Kenya, he said IGAD leaders were pressuring Somalia to resolve the issue within IGAD.

“IGAD leaders have been pressing Somalia to resolve the Kenyan issue within IGAD, through dialogue and consensus, resolve our issues there. The first step is to stabilize the situation and the crisis,” he said.

Adding “Somalia has agreed to this, but we have a condition that a commission be appointed to address the issues that Somalia is complaining about,”

He said Somalia’s concern was that Kenya was organizing rebels along the border and that the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) had decided to set up a fact-finding mission.

Speaking about the resumption of relations between the two countries, he said that Kenya and Somalia used to have relations and will continue to do so.

“A lot of people may be worried that the Somalia and Kenya relationship is ruined, but know that Kenya and Somalia are two neighboring countries that have lengthy relationship and many Somalis and Kenyans benefit, it will be reestablished at the right time, in the best possible way. ” said minister Mohamed Abdirizak.

President Farmajo did not achieve a political victory from IGAD summit, as he wished the conflict between Somalia and Kenya be part of the meeting agenda, However, the issue was resolved at a side joint conference mediated by the leaders of Djibouti and Ethiopia.