Eastleigh Business District Association hosts welcome reception for Somalia's Ambassador to Kenya

In an event organised by the Eastleigh Business District Association (EBDA) in Nairobi on Saturday, the newly appointed Somalia's Ambassador to Kenya, Jabril Ibrahim Abdulle, was accorded a warm welcome.

The ceremony witnessed a gathering of political and cultural leaders from both Somalia and Kenya.

Prominent figures from Kenya attending the event included Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan, Eldas MP Adan Keynan, Garissa County Women Rep Udgoon Siyad, Garissa Township MP Major Dekow, Wajir East MP Adan Abdulle, and several Members of the County Assembly.

The occasion was also attended by Hodan Osman Hussein, a House representative from Minnesota, US who served as one of the chief guests.

From Somalia, notable figures present included former Prime Minister Mohamed Ali Gedi, former Deputy Prime Minister Abdiwahab Ali Ugas, Somalia's Ambassador to Djibouti Salad Ali Jele, and Members of Parliament Rawda Arab Abdi and Yusuf Kamale, among others.

Thirty-six officials of EBDA were also in attendance.

Strong bond

The association emphasised the strong bond between the people of Eastleigh and Somalia as the driving force behind the ceremony.

They said they believe that fostering a positive relationship between Somalia and Kenya is in the best interest of Eastleigh residents.

Haji Ahmed Yare, the Chairman of EBDA, highlighted the historical ties between Kenya and Somalia, noting that one of Somalia's governments was once formed in Naivasha, Kenya.

Haji also mentioned the support EBDA extends to Somalia during calamities, citing examples like the Zobe explosion, the Hargeysa market fire and the Jowhar floods that happened in 2021.

Somalia's Ambassador to Kenya, Jabril Ibrahim Abdulle during the reception on January 13, 2024. (Photo: EV)

Expressing gratitude for the warm reception, Hodan Osman thanked the Somalis in Kenya and EBDA for hosting the event. She extended well wishes to Ambassador Jabril in his diplomatic responsibilities.

During his speech, MP Yusuf Hassan urged the Somali community to unite and eliminate factors causing divisions. He welcomed Ambassador Jabril to Nairobi and wished him success in his duties.

Garissa Township MP Major Dekow assured support from the Kenyan government for Somalia against Ethiopia's Memorandum of Understanding with Somaliland.

Eldas MP Adan Keynan lauded Somalia's achievements, including joining the East African Community and having debts forgiven by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Adan also celebrated the success stories of the Somali community in Kenyan universities.

Ambassador Jabril expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome and praised the efficiency of Somalia's embassy in Kenya.

Immensely thankful to the Somali community, Somali #Kenyan MPs & our Kenyan #Somalia friends 4 warm reception last night. A special thanks to Eastleigh Business (EBDA), its leadership & MP Yusuf Hassan for hosting remarkable event. Your generosity & support is deeply appreciated pic.twitter.com/xFLY7RgIOI

— Jabril Ibrahim Abdulle (@Ijabril) January 14, 2024

He thanked the Kenyan government and President William Ruto, expressing confidence in Kenya's unwavering support for Somalia.

Jabril announced the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre in early February, which aims at strengthening ties between the two nations.

Collaboration

Highlighting the extensive collaboration between Kenya and Somalia, Ambassador Jabril said some 20,000 Kenyans work in Somalia across various industries and that Somalia would like to raise that number to 100,000.

He emphasised the positive impact of Kenyan professors teaching in Somali universities and the role of Kenyan professionals in the Aden Abdule Airport's security sectors.

"There are over 20,000 Kenyans in Somalia working in different industries, this strengthens our relationship with Kenya" said the Ambassador

In a significant revelation, Ambassador Jabril disclosed plans to streamline passport issuance for Somalis, reducing the processing time to 24 hours.

He also announced the establishment of a hotline for Somalis to submit requests and the embassy's assistance for diaspora Somalis in obtaining necessary documentation for businesses in Kenya.

As the event concluded, the prevailing sentiment was one of optimism, with Ambassador Jabril pledging to strengthen the ties between Kenya and Somalia in the coming months.