NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 24 — Kenya is set to export the first batch of miraa to Somalia on Sunday, the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) has said.
The authority said the resumption of exports followed efforts by the Ministry of Agriculture.
According to the agency mandated to promote exports from Kenya, 22 of the traders that have been approved are set to receive their export licenses.
The move follows reopening of the Kenya-Somalia border after talks between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Somalian counterpart Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on July 16.
The two leaders agreed on the resumption of Kenya Airways flights to Mogadishu under an existing bilateral framework pending review.
“The two Presidents further agreed that the Kenya Airways (KQ) scheduled flights to Mogadishu will resume immediately based on the existing Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA). The BASA will be reviewed by the relevant Authorities,” a communique released following the talks in Nairobi noted.
The Joint Commission for Co-operations talks were held in Mogadishu and Uhuru had agreed with Hassan on the resumption of Kenya Airways flights to Somalia’s capital under an existing bilateral framework as well as the resumption of the miraa trade.
Former Somali President Mohammed Farmaajo suspended Miraa imports from Kenya two years ago citing COVID-19 restrictions but the suspension was never lifted as diplomatic issues kicked in.
The ban led to a loss of more than 50 tonnes of Kenyan khat valued at more than Sh20 million a day.
According to the Ministry of Finance, in 2021, the import of Miraa contributed Sh1.3 billion in tax to the country’s revenue.
