Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Kheyre has launched direct flights between Mogadishu and Nairobi.
The ceremony was held Wednesday March 29, at Mogadishu’s Aden Abdulle International Airport. Government officials witnessed the African Express Airways plane take off from the seafront runway to the Kenyan capital.
The resumption of direct flights follows an agreement between the leaders of the two countries last week.
Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta agreed to revive collaborations in areas of mutual interests last weekend in Nairobi .
In 2006, Kenya introduced a stopover at Wajir International Airport in northeastern Kenya for all flights coming from Somalia and destined for Nairobi.
“The stopover at Wajir will be removed within a couple of weeks,” announced President Kenyatta while hosting his Somali counterpart at State House Nairobi.
Kenya has always insisted that the stopover was needed for security reasons despite travellers from Somalia complaining about inconveniences.
According to reports, flights from other towns in Somalia such as Hargeisa, Bossaso and Galkayo will have to transit in Mogadishu before proceeding to Nairobi.
©Alleastafrica and The Eastafrican
