Kenya will not reopen its border posts with Somalia anytime soon because of the security implications of doing so at a time when the African Union peacekeeping mission in the neighbouring country is winding down.
Nairobi, Kenya —
But with Somalia being the newest member of the East African Community , Dr Omollo said the troubled country was entitled to benefit from the seamless trade and movement enjoyed by other member states of the community. In addition, the sheer terrain of the stretch shared by the two countries is very rough and will require very heavy investment to seal the loopholes in controlling movement in and out of Kenya.
"We need to open the border points, which will go a long way in increasing the volume of trade. It will also help us deal with illicit trade as the reopening will help us address the issues that are pushing many to the porous points at the borders," he said. Currently, Kenya shares borders with five countries including Somalia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania, necessitating efficient operations at border points in terms of movement of people and goods to facilitate trade.
In 2023, fake documents and identification accounted for 40 percent of all crimes recorded at Kenya's border points, and the government hopes to curb this menace through the country's new visa-free regime, which has significantly reduced such incidents.
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