by STAR REPORTER

President Uhuru Kenyatta arrived back in Nairobi after a visit to Djibouti to discuss the ongoing political standoff with Somalia and Kenya. 

President Uhuru Kenyatta flew to the  Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) leaders’ meeting in Djibouti with hopes of solving regional troubles that are pulling them back amid COVID-19 pandemic. 

Among the issues the leaders discussed included Ethiopia internal conflict, border conflict between Ethiopia and Sudan and Kenya’s diplomatic spat with Somalia. 

Somalia’s Mohamed Farmajo arrived there on Saturday alongside Sudan Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok who is the IGAD chairman and African Union Commission chairman Mousa Faki.

Faki said he is concerned with the standoff and called for further dialogue to solve it. 

While citing Kenya’s contribution of troops to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and its hosting of a large population of Somali refugees as key reference points, Faki called for dialogue in de-escalating the tension saying the two countries share a long history of good neighbourliness.

With regards to Ethiopia, Faki urged IGAD member states to assist the country in dealing with the humanitarian crisis arising out of the conflict in its Tigray region.

IGAD is a body comprising seven countries in the Horn of Africa. The regional organisation based in Djibouti supports its member states in their manifold development efforts, especially in the areas of peace processes and food security.

Members include Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda.

Source: Reuters