DF announces reason for resuming contact with Kenya

 The Somali government has spoken out about the resumption of diplomatic relations with Kenya that have been strained for nearly six months, which resumed last Thursday.

Somalia's Deputy Minister of Information, Abdirahman Yusuf Al-Adala, told the BBC that the main reason for Somalia's decision to restore ties was that no other country had intervened.

"The agreement was based on the principle that no country should interfere, that respect should be respected, that each country should not take any action that would jeopardize its independence, and that all internal affairs of Somalia belong to it and will not be compromised. "She knew it would not happen," al-Adala said.

Relations between the two countries have also deteriorated following a renewed dispute over ownership of parts of Somalia's maritime border, which is said to contain valuable natural resources.

Restoring relations between the two countries was facilitated by Qatar, which owns a stake in the Italian company ENI, which bought parts of Somalia's claimed oil fields in Kenya, raising serious doubts about the two countries' plans for an agreement. out of court.

But al-Adala said restoring relations would not affect the maritime case.

"It will not affect it, because it is not a matter of diplomatic relations between the two countries, it was a matter that existed before the suspension of diplomatic relations, and now that relations have returned, it will continue. It is a matter for the court and not for political reasons, ”he said.

Somalia has since cut ties with Kenya and accused Kenya of meddling in the country's internal affairs, and it is unclear whether Kenya has made any changes since then.