Trending 
After a 15-year closure, the border between Kenya and Somalia is set to reopen this April.
Kenyan President William Ruto announced the decision on Thursday, emphasising the need to reconnect communities that have been divided for over a decade.
The Mandera Border Post was originally shut down in an effort to curb cross-border violence and incursions by the Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab.
President Ruto characterised the long-term closure as “unacceptable,” noting that it has unfairly isolated residents in Mandera from their relatives and trading partners in Somalia.
The reopening is expected to boost local economies and restore social ties, though it will require a heightened focus on security to prevent the resurgence of militant activity in the region.
