Somalia, Kenya re-start Mogadishu-Nairobi direct flight

[Deeq A.]

The first direct flight from the Somali capital, Mogadishu to Kenyan city of Nairobi commenced on Friday after six months’ halt.

Kenyan airways flight from Mogadishu landed at Jomo Kenyatta International airport, aviation officials confirmed.

The move follows last week’s agreement between President, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo and his counterpart, Uhuru Kenyatta to end Wajir airport stopover and restore direct flights between the two neighboring cities.

Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAMA) informed local operators that they can fly direct to Nairobi effective November 22.

The direct flight was suspended by the Kenyan government for security reasons in May just after it was resumed in 2016.

The bilateral ties between the two countries went all-time low over the dispute on the maritime case that is already at the international court of justice.

President Farmajo and President Kenyatta said the relations between two states will not be affected by the ongoing case at the International Court of Justice.

The international community has welcomed the new diplomatic engagement between Mogadishu and Nairobi that cooperate on key areas including security that is a fight on armed group al-Shabab.

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