Kenya: Kenyan khat producers relieved by the resumption of exports to Somalia

Exports of khat from Kenya to Somalia are resuming.

TONY KARUMBA / AFP

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

It is a visit that marks the end of a climate of tension, that of the Somali president.

Hassan Cheikh Mohamoud met his Kenyan counterpart, Uhuru Kenyatta, in Nairobi on Friday July 15.

While recent years have been marked by conflicting relations between the two countries, the two heads of state announced that they had agreed on several points.

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With our correspondent in Nairobi,

From now on, Somali fishermen will be able to export their fish to Kenya and, in exchange, Khat imports into Somalia will resume.

This euphoric plant, also called Miraa, is considered a drug by many countries, but in Kenya, Friday's announcement was greeted with relief by the entire industry.

Exports of khat from Kenya to Somalia were halted in March 2020 due to the closure of air links due to Covid-19.

However, they never resumed, due to diplomatic tensions between the two countries, to the chagrin of Kenyan producers.

Somalia is their first export market.

Kimathi Munjuri is the president of a Kenyan producers' association.

According to him, 50 tons of khat can leave each day for the neighboring country, representing a loss of earnings of 130,000 euros per day.

He had been waiting for this resumption of exports for more than two years.

Finally we are there and we are very excited.

The time it took really hit us hard.

A large number of producers harvested the khat and then had to throw it away.

Other farms have been abandoned.

Many of us no longer have enough money to buy food.

And then there are all the other players in the sector.

There are the transporters, there are the women who provide us with the packaging with banana leaves and there are those who do the harvesting.

All these people remained unemployed.

We are therefore preparing for the awakening of an entire economy, ”he explains.

The agreement signed by the two heads of state includes the resumption of the Nairobi-Mogadishu air link, a crucial axis for khat exporters, because the plant is chewed fresh.

After harvest, it must reach the consumer in less than twelve hours.

In addition to this trade agreement, the two heads of state also pledged to strengthen their bilateral relations, including fighting terrorism together and making joint efforts on drought.

I had a meeting with my Kenyan counterpart President Uhuru Kenyatta today as part of my state visit to Kenya.

We discussed strengthening our two sides security, cultural, economic & trade cooperation going forward.

#Somalia is determined to be at peace with itself & the world.

pic.twitter.com/fDMhpF9Y76

— Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (@HassanSMohamud) July 15, 2022

Read also: Kenya: the visit of the Somali head of state normalizes relations between the two countries

The reopening of the border has been recorded and visa facilities have also been negotiated.

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• Kenya

• Somalia

• Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud

• Uhuru Kenyatta