Somalia and Kenya are working on the implementation of an aviation deal signed in July this year between President Hassan Sheikh and Uhuru Kenyatta in Nairobi before his term ended in August, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation has confirmed.
Minister of Transport and Aviation of Somalia, Fardowsa Osman Igaa and the Kenyan Ambassador to Somalia, Thomas Chepkoto, discussed the strengthening of aviation cooperation between the two sides, the approval of transport and flight agreements and the resumption of Kenya Airways flights.
This discussion has come at a time when the Kenyan government has made it difficult for people in Somalia to get visas in their country, which has caused great concern.
´´It was an honour to receive Hon.Amb. Thomas Chepkuto, Kenyan Ambassador to Somalia today in my office.Our talks focused on strengthening our bilateral aviation partnership, ratifying our respective transport and aviation agreements and resuming KenyaAirways’operations in Somalia´´the minister said in a brief statement.
In the last two months, Somali citizens who wanted to travel to Kenya have faced obstacles in obtaining entry.
Normally, before the restrictions were imposed on Somali citizens, the number of days to get a Kenyan visa was 5 to 7 days, however, it can now take more than a month without any guarantee that you will get a visa.Â
The reason behind this is not yet known.
In July of this year, the governments of Somalia and Kenya agreed that as soon as possible people with Somali passports will get visas to enter Kenya.
And the ministries of foreign affairs of the two countries proposed to implement this article within two weeks.