Somalia’s president skips IGAD summit in Kenya

Diplomatic ties between Somalia and Kenya have been at low point for the past five years, with former PM Roble pushed for a return to normalcy, and Mohamud and Uhuru pledged open new page after meeting in Mogadishu last May.

News Keydmedia Online
5 July 2022

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The Somali government announced that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud will not take part in the extraordinary summit of Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) kicked off today in Nairobi.

The outgoing deputy PM Mahdi Guled is attending the 39th extraordinary meeting on “matters of mutual concern in the Horn of Africa region” on behalf of the president.

The president is in Turkey for two-day official visit after receiving an invitation from Erdogan as Ankara seeks a closer and strong relations with new Somali leadership.

The summit seeks an end to escalating tensions between Sudan and Ethiopia after a border skirmish that left dozens dead and forced thousands to flee El-Fashaga area.

President Hassan Sheikh delivered a speech at SETA Foundation in Ankara on the Benefits of Türkiye-Somalia Partnership that began during 2011 famine in Somalia.

Multiple sources revealed to Keydmedia Online that Mohamud will visit Kenya after returning from Turkey for talks with Uhuru on ways to mend the strained relations.

Diplomatic ties between Somalia and Kenya have been at low point for the past five years, with former PM Roble pushed for a return to normalcy, and Mohamud and Uhuru pledged open new page after meeting in Mogadishu last May.

Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, has made history in May 15 presidential election after becoming the first Somali leader to win a never-seen second chance to return to power.

The new president is expected to travel to Washington in the coming weeks as U.S. redeploys special operations forces to Somalia after one year to resume war on Al-Shabaab.

KEYDMEDIA English