New Somaliland envoy to Kenya Dr. Mohamed Ahmed Mohamoud ‘Barawani’ officially started his mission in Nairobi this week with a promise to build on the already strong ties existing between the two countries.
Mohamoud who replaces Ambassador Bashe Awil who quit in September to pursue other personal interests after serving for three years will be tasked to ensure the memorandum of understanding between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Somaliland leader Muse Bihi last December is implemented fully.
Already there has been meetings between the Kenya government officials and those from Somaliland to fast track the implementation of the MOU whose deadline has already passed.
Mohamoud comes in at a time when Kenya is at advanced stages of opening up a consulate office in Hargeisa after the appointment of representatives.
The new Somaliland envoy is known to Kenya having been part of the presidential and ministerial delegations that have visited Kenya for bilateral talks previously.
Prior to his appointment, Dr. Barawani, a political analyst who prolifically wrote academic discourses on regional political and security dynamics was one of the chief advisors in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Dr. Barawani was the longest-running executive director of the Somaliland Non-state Actors Forum (SONSAF) before joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.