Somalia's activities that have raised tension with KenyaA flurry of activities by Somalia leaders in the last two months has escalated tensions between the Horn of Africa nation and Kenya over a simmering maritime boundary dispute. On Monday, Kenya blocked three top Somalia officials - Osman Liban (deputy minister of Water and Energy) and senators Ilyas Ali Hassan and Zamzam Dahir - from entry into Jomo Kenyatta International Airport citing lack of visas. This raised further suspicions in Kenya, taking into consideration the interest in the recently auctioned gas exploration blocks belonging to Kenya in the Indian Ocean. Kenya’s suspicions about the new relationship between Somalia and the US is also drawn from US opposition for the United Nations to declare Al Shabaab a terror group. Last year, when the United Nations sought to include and list Al Shabaab as a terrorist group under UNSC Resolution 1267, China, Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Uganda and Burundi voted with Kenya while the US and UK vehemently opposed the listing.

Source: Standard Digital May 23, 2019 05:14 UTC