The meeting between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Somalia counterpart Mohammed Farmaajo in New York may have after all come as a surprise.
For the last one year, the two countries have been battling with weakening diplomatic ties, with Kenya recently blocking top government officials from Mogadishu from visiting.
At one point, Kenya recalled her ambassador to Somalia, sending the Somalia envoy back home after fallout over Indian Ocean maritime dispute.
But African Union chairman Abdel Fattah, who is also Egyptian leader, on Tuesday brokered the meeting between the two in a bid to salvage dwindling relationship.
The former Intelligence chief and Defense minister is not a stranger to mending diplomatic ties given his role during the government of Hosni Mubarak.
Somalia media said that Fattah organized the meeting between the two despite the fact that no formal agreement was reached over maritime dispute.
"Somalia and Kenya have agreed to work towards normalising relations without any implications for the maritime case at the ICJ, which will take its full course after Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi convened a tripartite meeting on the margins of UNGA," Mohamed Abdinur, Mr Farmaajo's spokesman said.
So frightening have been the ties that Somalia has suspended direct flights to Kismayo Airport, where KDF choppers always land during military operations.
The maritime case at International Court of Justice is set to commence on November 6th. Kenya is said to be pushing for another postponment.
"H.E. President Uhuru Kenyatta met with H.E. President Mohamed Faarmajo, in a tripartite meeting facilitated by the AU Chair, H.E. President Al Sisi, on the sidelines of the 74th Session of UNGA," said Monica Juma.
"Kenya welcomes this first meeting, which is a step in the right direction. Kenya has always believed in, and continues to call for negotiations as the best framework for finding African solutions for African problems," she added.