Kenya to back Somalia on security matters, says Uhuru

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday evening said Kenya will support Somalia in ensuring that peace prevails for the sake of regional development.

President Kenyatta also said that repatriation of Somali refugees will be conducted after the two nations convene a meeting at an appropriate time.

In a meeting with Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud that was attended by Deputy President William Ruto, President Kenyatta said the two countries will engage politically on regular basis to deal with emerging issues of mutual interest.

“The Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC) will soon be launched and implemented for the mutual benefit of the two countries,” he said.

Mr Kenyatta said that the decision by Kenya to move into Somalia and be part of the Amisom peace keeping force of the African Union was born out of the realisation that a stable Somalia was good for the entire region.

Somalia's President Sheikh Mahmoud noted that his country will work tirelessly to restore peace, which is a matter of both national and regional interest.