Abiy Ahmed set for Kenyan trip amid tensions in Horn of Africa

NAIROBI, Kenya - Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed will be visiting Kenya later this week for talks with President William Ruto, multiple sources have confirmed, amid simmering tensions in the Horn of Africa, which could potentially affect relations.

The government of Somalia has accused Ethiopia of annexation plans of the Red Sea, through an unholy alliance with the breakaway region of Somaliland, leading to tensions in the Horn of Africa. Abiy Ahmed signed a deal with Somaliland leader Muse Bihi Abdi.

Recently, Somalia joined the East Africa Community (EAC) where Kenya is a senior and ranking member. The outcry within Somalia has received backing from several countries, including Kenya, which supports the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Abiy Ahmed’s Nairobi trip will be the first since 2018, and the first under the administration of William Ruto, who assumed office in 2022, during Ethiopia’s civil war in the northern region of Tigray.

Sources indicate a significant improvement in relations between Nairobi and Addis Ababa. While Abiy had previously refrained from direct engagements, Ruto's visit to Addis Abeba, where he launched the Safaricom Ethiopia, signaled a thaw in relations, Nation Africa reports.

There were tensions between Addis Ababa and Nairobi when Ruto took over, with the US piling pressure on him to mitigate the conflict in Tigray. Ruto entrusted his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta with the task of bringing order in Ethiopia.

This visit holds strategic significance, addressing security concerns and fostering economic cooperation, notably Ethiopia's interest in accessing the sea via Lamu Port. Recent agreements focus on overcoming Non-Tariff Barriers and enhancing infrastructure to bolster trade relations.

Ethiopia is fighting to establish a port in the region despite being a landlocked nation. With a drift from the Port of Djibouti, there have been evaluations to use Lamu or the Port of Sudan but in recent weeks, the country wants a share of the Red Sea in Somalia for a port and military base, triggering outrage from Mogadishu.

GAROWE ONLINE