The African Union (AU) has urged talks to identify solutions for the ongoing diplomatic spat between Somalia and Kenya.
Over the last 12 months, the two neighboring East African nations have engaged in numerous diplomatic clashes.
On Sunday, December 20, AU Commission said that the increasing antagonism against Kenya by Somalia remains “a genuine threat to the region’s security and stability.”
Moussa Faki Mahamat, the Chairperson of the AU Commission, made this statement during the Extra Ordinary Session of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
The Extra Ordinary Session was held in Djibouti.
Somalia sent a letter of protest to IGAD last week calling for the meeting to discuss what it terms “Kenya’s interference in its internal affairs.”
Mahamat requested Somalia and Kenya to engage in dialogue to avoid giving the impetus to Al-Shabaab and other militia groups in the region.
He reminded leaders from both countries of the “great history of excellent neighborliness” that they have enjoyed over the decades.