On Wednesday, the Ethiopian PM mediated a less-than-colourful meeting in Nairobi between presidents Uhuru Kenyatta and his Somali counterpart Mohammed Farmajo over the simmering maritime dispute.
Dr Abiy, who arrived in Nairobi on Tuesday night accompanied by Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, had hoped he would convince the two countries to iron out the dispute.
A Somali diplomat told the Business Daily, that Mogadishu will wait for the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to decide on the dispute as opposed to Kenya’s demand for an out-of-court settlement and reversion to a map agreeable to both sides.
Nairobi has largely kept mum on the details of the meeting and the low-key form of it was amplified by the fact that there was no joint communique issued after the discussions held during a closed-door meeting at State House, Nairobi.
It was not all for nothing though, Dr Abiy managed to convince the two countries to restore a bit of diplomatic normalcy until the case was concluded.
Mr Farmaajo’s spokesman Abdinur Mohamed Ahmed said the leaders had agreed to allow back their respective envoys as a way of “restoring relations”.
“Their Excellencies (sic) President (Mohammed Farmaajo) and President Uhuru Kenyatta agreed on strengthening diplomatic ties between the two countries.
“They also agreed to have their respective ambassadors return to each country's mission to resume their important duties. Co-operation and partnership,” he said Wednesday.
Kenya had on February 16 summoned ambassador, Lucas Tumbo, and asked his Somalia counterpart Mohammed Muhamud Nur to return to Mogadishu for consultation with his government.
The two countries are both claiming a 100,000 square kilometre stretch maritime boundary line at the Indian Ocean.
