On February 24, 2025, Ambassador Iringo met with Mr. Hamza Hadow, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Somalia. The meeting was a follow-up to the 3rd Session of the Kenya–Somalia Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC), which had been convened in Nairobi in May 2024. This landmark session had produced several agreements across a broad spectrum of cooperation: trade, security, infrastructure, health, education, and immigration.
The February review meeting focused on operationalizing these agreements. Both parties acknowledged that while progress had been made, greater coordination and political will were required to move from policy formulation to implementation. Plans were also initiated for a Mid-Term Review, which will serve as a preparatory platform for the upcoming 4th JCC Session.
The JCC process, rooted in mutual respect and shared strategic interests, is Kenya and Somalia’s most structured bilateral forum. It presents an opportunity to manage differences diplomatically, harness complementarities, and elevate bilateral ties from transactional to transformational.
