Our airspace still locked for Somalia, Kenya insists

NAIROBI, Kenya - It will take a little longer before Kenya finally opens airspace for Somalia, Nairobi has said, in the latest directive that could further strain the relationship between the two countries which have been at loggerheads for months now.

Even after the restoration of diplomatic ties between the two nations barely a month ago, Kenya suspended direct flights to Somalia but did not give reasons behind the move. Qatar had united the two nations which were embroiled in the deep diplomatic spat.

And on Monday, Kenya issued a notice to all diplomatic missions reiterating that the suspension still exists, adding that nobody should go against the existing order, contrary to set regulations and directives. The letter was issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Further, Nairobi said only medivac and humanitarian flights are allowed to fly to and fro Nairobi to Mogadishu. The suspension of chattered and passenger flights had been issued in early May in what is linked to Somalia's failure to lift the ban imposed on Miraa.

"For humanitarian flights, the ministry must be furnished with the list of passengers and goods to be transported to Somalia before clearance is issued," it further noted. The letter was addressed to all diplomatic missions in Kenya.

The ministry said despite the leeway given to humanitarian flights, they were reportedly violating them blatantly without putting into consideration possible consequences. The ministry warns that such actions would lead to the cancellation of all fights.

"The ministry, however, regrets to inform that it has noticed misuse of humanitarian flights for bilateral and political matters contrary to NOTAM and public notice to missions that air communication between Kenya and Somalia had been stood down," the ministry warned. "The ministry restates that humanitarian flights must be used for humanitarian purposes to avoid full lockdown of all flights."

For a long time, Somalia has been accusing Kenya of meddling in her internal affairs, a claim which Nairobi dismisses as propaganda. The two countries are also at loggerheads over the controversial Indian Ocean maritime border, and the case is currently at the International Court of Justice [ICJ].

GAROWE ONLINE