Somalia Says Kenya’s Decision to Ban Flights could endanger recently restored Diplomatic Relations

The Federal Government of Somalia has broken its silence on Kenya’s flights ban to and from Somalia. They warned that the decision by the Kenya government to suspend commercial flights will damage the recently restored diplomatic relations between the two neighboring countries.

Somalia Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Duran Farah has described the move as regrettable saying that there was no direct communication between Mogadishu and Nairobi on the latter’s decision to suspend all chartered and scheduled flights to and from Somalia.

He also noted that the government will state its position on Kenya’s suspension of all commercial flights at an appropriate time. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority has suspended all flights to and from Somalia in a notice to airmen on Tuesday, a move that depicts a new diplomatic row.

Kenyan government did not give any reasons for the action. A notice issued from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority said only medical emergency evacuation flights and those on United Nations Humanitarian missions will be allowed into the Kenyan airspace.