Kenya suspends flights to and from Somalia

Kenya has suspended flights to and from Somalia, just days after the countries restored diplomatic ties after a five-month break. In a Notice to Airmen sent out on Tuesday, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority stated that all flights between the two countries are suspended except medical evacuation flights and United Nations humanitarian flights.

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority did not elaborate on the reasons of the suspension but suggested there had been a security directive from the government to restrict air traffic between the two countries. The three-month ban is expected to last from Tuesday until Aug 9.

However, flights from Somalia passing through the Kenyan airspace to another destination will be exempted. Also exempted are military flights which are not within the jurisdiction of the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.

The frosty relations between the two neighboring countries worsened in December after Somalia cut diplomatic ties with Kenya, alleging constant violations of Somalia's sovereignty and interference in internal affairs. The East African countries also have an ongoing maritime boundary dispute over who controls Indian Ocean waters believed to contain large deposits of oil and natural gas.

However, Somalia announced it was restoring diplomatic ties with Kenya last week after mediation by Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar. Abdirashid Hashi, the spokesperson to Mohamed Farmaajo, Somalia's president, said the move was in the interest of the two countries and based on mutual benefit and respect.

"In the interest of good neighborliness, the Federal Government of Somalia resumes diplomatic ties with Kenya based on mutual benefit and respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, nonexternal interference, peaceful co-existence and equality," Hashi said.

After Somalia announced the restoration of ties with Kenya, Kenya's Foreign Affairs Ministry issued a statement saying that it had taken note of the development.

"In taking note of these developments, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs looks forward to further normalization of relations by the Somali authorities including with regard to trade, communication, transportation, people-to-people relations and cultural exchanges," the ministry said in the statement released on May 6.

However, on Sunday, Somalia issued a notice reaffirming an earlier ban on flights carrying khat, a narcotic stimulant plant, from Kenya. Khat is one of the major exports from Kenya to Somalia.

"Carrying khat to Somalia is still prohibited and the policy of the Federal Government of Somalia did not change regarding the transportation of khat to Somalia airports. Transporting khat without clearance from Somali Civil Aviation Authority will be considered an unlawful act and violation of Somali airspace," read a statement sent to airline operators by the Somali Civil Aviation Authority.

Before the suspension, as many as 15 Kenyan flights carrying the narcotic stimulant used to make deliveries in several regions in Somalia per day. The continued suspension therefore denies Kenya farmers millions of dollars in earnings from business with Somalia.

So far, Somali authorities have not issued any statement regarding the recent ban of flights to and from Somalia by Kenya.