Iranian president arrives in Kenya as he kicks off African tour
GOOBJOOG NEWS | NAIROBI: Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi has arrived in Nairobi, Kenya as kicks off his African tour.
The Three-day trip, which also includes a visit to Uganda and Zimbabwe will be the first by an Iranian president to Africa in 11 years and is part of Tehran’s diplomatic efforts to reduce the Islamic republic’s isolation by forging new alliances.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani on Monday described the visit as “a new turning point” which could bolster economic and trade ties with African nations.
Over the past months, Tehran has stepped up its diplomacy in a bid to reduce its isolation and try to mitigate the impact of crippling sanctions reimposed since the 2018 withdrawal of the United States from a negotiated nuclear deal.
However, the visit comes amidst tense relations between Iran and Somalia which it accuses of interfering in the country’s affairs.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud accused Iran of pushing “Shiite ideologies” during his first term that ended in 2017 and implementing a “Subversive agenda” through relief efforts pointing.
President Mohamud then decided took a step to prohibit any Iranian presence in Somali by closing the Iranian Embassy and banning the activities of the Iranian Red Crescent and the Khomeni Charitable Foundation.
Pundits however argue that the decision by Mogadishu to severe diplomatic ties was influenced by its rival Saudi Arabia, which has been a key partner for Somalia in its efforts to stabilize the country.
Last Saturday, president raisi welcomed Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf in a bid to boost relations with Algiers, a few days after the Islamic republic became a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation which includes Russia, China, and India.
In March, Iran agreed to restore ties with its regional rival Saudi Arabia under a China-mediated deal and has since been looking to reestablish ties with other countries in the region including Egypt and Morocco.
Iran has also sought to foster diplomatic ties with Latin America through visits to Venezuela, Nicaragua, Cuba before and Indonesia.
- By Fauxile Kibet