On Wednesday, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) named a new ambassador to Somalia.
Ahmad Juma Al Rumaithi will succeed Mohamed Ahmed Al-Othman as the UAE’s top representative in Somalia, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation announced in a statement.
The UAE claims that the appointment is part of a larger diplomatic reorganisation in “friendly countries” that is required to handle the emirate’s new challenges.
India, Germany, Bangladesh, Finland, Nepal, Poland, Costa Rica, Ireland, Georgia, Jordan, and Yemen all received new ambassadors from the UAE.
The UAE and Somalia have long had diplomatic relations. However, the UAE’s 2016 signing of a contract to operate and further develop the Port of Berbera in Somaliland, which led to the 2018 seizure of almost $10 million from an Emirati plane in Mogadishu, soured relations.
Outgoing Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble flew to Dubai to personally deliver the money and offer his apologies for the seizure after the closely watched presidential election in May.
In June, UAE President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud paid a visit there.