Kenya Re-Opens Airspace for Flights to and from Somalia

Kenya, on June 10 announced that it was reopening its airspace for flights to and from Somalia following closure in May.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs termed the move as a goodwill measure made in the mutual interest of the two countries. It is geared at causing the full normalization of bilateral relations between Kenya and Somalia, including diplomatic, trade, and people-to-people linkages that have undergone undue strain.

“The Government of Kenya has taken due consideration of intercessions made and has decided to re-open Kenya’s airspace to all flights originating from Somalia and emanating from Kenya to Somalia,” the Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

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The Ministry, however, added that the COVID-19 protocols will remain in place for all passengers using the flights, as is the case to other countries.

Passengers shall be required to have a valid COVID-19 certificate conducted within 96 hours before travel indicating that they are negative.

“All travelers below the age of 5 years will be exempted from COVID-19 negative PCR test to enter Kenya,” the Ministry added.

Flights from Nairobi to Mogadishu were suspended on May 11 just days after Somalia said diplomatic ties with its neighbor had been normalized following months of tension.

At the time, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) stated that all commercial flights to and from Somalia would be suspended for three months, without giving a reason.

“All flights between Kenya and Somalia are suspended except medevac flights and United Nations flights on humanitarian missions only,” said KCAA in a statement.

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Meanwhile, Somalia announced last week that bilateral ties with Kenya had been restored, citing “the interests of good neighborliness” as motivating its decision.

The country had cut off diplomatic relations with Kenya after Nairobi hosted the political leadership of Somaliland, a breakaway state not recognized by Somalia‘s central government.

The country has, for a long time, remained uncomfortable due to Kenya‘s “meddling” in regions over its border. Kenya, on the other hand, said Mogadishu was using it as an excuse for its own political turmoil.

The two have also been in a tug of a territorial dispute over a stretch of the Indian Ocean claimed by both nations – something that led them to seek international arbitration.