NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenyan President William Ruto has held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron on several issues, including “Kenya’s participation in peace initiatives in Somalia,” according to a statement from the Kenyan presidency.
President Macron pledged France’s support for Kenya’s involvement in the new African Union operation aimed at stabilizing Somalia and in efforts to end the ongoing civil war in Sudan.
The two leaders spoke at a time when Kenya is hosting an emergency meeting of East African Community (EAC) heads of state on Friday, focusing on the escalating conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with Somalia also on the agenda.
Kenya has thousands of troops stationed in Somalia, particularly in Jubaland, a region bordering Kenya. The Kenyan government maintains close ties with Jubaland President Ahmed Madobe, who recently sent a special flight to Nairobi.
This move has angered the Somali government, which summoned Kenya’s ambassador in Mogadishu to file a formal complaint, although it remains unclear whether President Ruto’s government has responded.
