Kenya and Somalia have talked about complex plans to take down Al-Shabaab terrorists, who have created severe unrest in East Africa for the past 20 years.
Presidents of Somalia and Kenya, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and William Ruto, observed the unease brought about by the extremists, who have frequently disrupted trade between the two countries, at President Paul Kagame’s inauguration in Kigali.
They stated that maintaining regional peace and stability is still essential to keeping the militants at bay, as they have recently lost a number of important towns and villages. The Al-Shabab terrorists are having difficulty toppling the tenuous federal government of Somalia, which is supported by the UN.
“In Kigali. H.E. President Williams Ruto and His Excellency President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met. Their conversations focused on the urgent issues confronting the area, like as counterterrorism initiatives and potential future areas of collaboration, according to Villa Somalia.
“Both presidents promoted the solid people-to-people contacts and reiterated the long-standing alliance between Kenya and Somalia. Under the direction of common principles, they declared their shared commitment to promoting peace, stability, and development in the region.”
Kenya has sent more than 3,500 soldiers to serve in the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), making it a significant security and development partner of Somalia.
In the last stages, the mission will become the African Union Support Mission in Somalia, or AUSSOM.
Egypt and Djibouti are expected to lead the operation whenever it is established, with Ethiopia being questioned by Somalia. Ethiopia and the Somali government are at odds over a recent agreement that Somaliland signed about maritime access.
After years of closure owing to the threat posed by Al-Shabaab, Kenya is likewise planning to open crossings with Somalia. There are now measures in place to stop the extremists from creating more unrest among the East African populace.