Jubbaland State President Ahmed Mohamed Islam Ahmed Madoobe has praised Kenya for being the foundation of the current Somali state, saying that Kenya owes a lot to Somalis.
President Ahmed Madoobe said that Kenya is expected to always stand by Somalia, which he said is still in a state of flux.
“We are Kenya’s neighbors, we are close to the people. President Ruto has changed a lot since he was given the position in Kenya. I hope that our Somalis who are today’s established state, Kenya is their origin and Mbagathi was built on it,” said President Ahmed Madoobe.
Ahmed Madoobe made this statement at a wedding ceremony in Garissa, which was attended by Kenyan President William Ruto and officials from the governments of Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia.
The Jubaland President and the Kenyan Government have a great relationship. Kenya has facilitated President Ahmed Madoobe’s official visits and meetings on several occasions, and has also mediated in disputes between Jubaland and the central government of Somalia.
Kenya, for its part, views the neighboring Jubbaland administration as of great importance to its own security, as well as Kenya’s role in stabilizing the region, especially in the fight against Al-Shabaab.
Ahmed Madobe’s statement came as Somalia and Djibouti recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of the peace and reconstruction conference held in the city of Arta, which established the Third Republic of Somalia, after the collapse of the country.
Although the Somali president and other leaders attended the conference, the Jubbaland president was not among those who attended the conference.
