Following diplomatic negotiations between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Somalia’s new president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Thursday, the Somalia government overturned a two-year restriction on miraa export from Kenya.
CS Agriculture Peter Munya said that exports of the crop, which is mostly farmed on Meru, will begin in two weeks when the two chiefs of state sign an official trade deal.
Mr Munya also stated that direct flights between the two nations will begin on Tuesday, allowing the crop to be carried straight from Isiolo airport.
A bilateral aviation service agreement (BASA) will be signed on the margins of an IGAD conference in Kenya on Tuesday, easing visa requirements.
Mr Munya, the new Somalia government, pledged enhanced diplomatic ties to the press outside Kaliati clinic in Tigania West, Meru County, as he began a two-day regional visit to meet with local farmers.
He said that the trade discussions were solidified after a Kenyan team headed by President Kenyatta attended Mr. Sheikh’s inauguration in Mogadishu on Thursday.
“We wish to congratulate President Uhuru Kenyatta for the discreet diplomatic discussions he has been conducting.” “The restriction has had a significant impact on Mt Kenya East’s economy and farmers’ incomes,” he added.
Mr Munya said that discussions had concluded and that all that remained was the signing of an agreement in a partnership that would see Somalia export fish and other commodities to Kenya.
He blamed the prohibition on former President Mohamed Farmajo, who he said was engaged in the purchase of miraa from other countries, thereby sidelining Kenya.
Mr Munya emphasized the significance of the Somalia market, stating that it was the most profitable and provided as a launching pad for freight transit to the Horn of Africa, the Middle East, and other nations.
He said that the prohibition has had a significant impact on the economy of Mt Kenya East, particularly Meru, and expressed hope that the opening would increase farmers’ purchasing power and create a ripple effect across the area.
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