Somali Officials Blocked at JKIA

Senior officials of the Government of Somalia have been denied entry at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, Kenya.

Junior Minister of Water and Energy Osman Libah and MPs Ilyas Ali Hassan and Zamzam Dahirhad travelled as part of an official delegation expected to attend the launch of a cross-border conflict management programme. However, they were refused entry on the grounds that they did not have the necessary visas for travel despite holding diplomatic passports.

Tensions between Kenya and Somalia have been running high for some time now, fuelled by a maritime dispute over the ownership of oil and gas exploration blocks located in the Indian Ocean. The dispute is currently before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Earlier this year Kenya recalled its ambassador to Somalia following reports that Somalia had moved to auction the contested blocks to investors.