Africa-Press. Kenyan President William Ruto announced that his country will reopen the land border with Somalia in April, after it has remained closed since 2011 following a series of attacks carried out by Al-Shabaab fighters. In a post on X, Ruto said: “It is unacceptable for Kenyans to remain cut off from their relatives and neighbors in Somalia because of the prolonged closure of the border crossing.”
The border was officially closed in October 2011 after an escalation of attacks by the al-Qaeda–linked group inside Kenya. Since then, the Mandera border crossing has remained shut despite repeated attempts to reopen it, most recently in May 2023 when the two countries agreed on a gradual plan to resume operations at border posts—before Nairobi later reversed course following attacks that killed civilians and police officers.
In 2022, former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced a similar plan, but it was not implemented. The new decision comes as Kenya continues to contribute large forces to the African Union mission fighting Al-Shabaab in Somalia.
Dimensions of the dispute
Beyond security challenges, the maritime dispute between the two countries remains a key factor shaping bilateral relations. Their Indian Ocean maritime boundary includes an area believed to be rich in oil and gas. In October 2021, the International Court of Justice awarded most of the area to Somalia—a ruling Kenya rejected.
Reopening the border is a symbolic step toward normalizing relations between Nairobi and Mogadishu, but it also raises questions about the two countries’ ability to confront renewed security threats and ensure that border crossings do not become a new gateway for armed attacks.
