- Djibouti’s Trade minister is expected to lead a delegation to Nairobi to explore import possibilities of khat (miraa).
- The khat is a flowering plant which acts as a stimulant.
- In countries like Djibouti, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Yemen, the production, sale, and consumption are legal as its use is traditional and part of their cultures.
Djibouti’s Trade minister is expected to lead a delegation to Nairobi to explore import possibilities of khat (miraa).The khat is a flowering plant which acts as a stimulant. In countries like Djibouti, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Yemen, the production, sale, and consumption are legal as its use is traditional and part of their cultures. After Somalia closed its market for the stimulant, after the standoff between Kenya and Somalia escalated, Kenya has been eyeing Djibouti, which is big consumer of the product. Kenya has set an export target of at least 20 tonnes of miraa to Djibouti daily, which is half of what was being sold to the Somali market every day.
The closure of the Somali market three years ago, led to huge losses for the farmers of Miraa. Somalia currently imports khat from Ethiopia technically blocking Kenya out of this crucial market. A Djibouti delegation was expected in Kenya last August, but did not materilaise allegedly due to the lobbying of Ethiopia.. Djibouti is a key market for Ethiopia, which is also a major producer of Miraa but is not able to meet the demand fully.
