Mogadishu, Somalia – UN Secretary-General António Guterres called Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmajo on Monday to address the drought, the upcoming election, and the new African Union mission in Somalia.
In the midst of rising Al-Shabab attacks and the country’s drought, the Secretary-General emphasized his sympathy with Somalia. He also stated his support for the African Union Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and voiced his hope that Somalia will be able to secure its own security as soon as possible.
As the country’s elections drag on, the al-Qaeda-linked armed group al-Shabab has upped its attacks. In Beledweyne, the group’s most recent twin suicide bombings killed 48 people, including female lawmaker Amina Mohamed Abdi.
The UN Security Council unanimously approved the new African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia on March 31. ATMIS will assist the Federal Government of Somalia in implementing the Somali Transition Plan and transferring security duties to Somali security forces and institutions, which will begin operations on April 1, 2022.
The Secretary-General and the President also spoke about Somalia’s electoral process. He hoped that the electoral process would be completed quickly and that any unresolved difficulties would be resolved via dialogue.
The long-delayed parliamentary election in Somalia appears to be far from over, with the Federal Electoral Implementation Team (FEIT) recently suspending the results of four Lower House seats, sparking a new political crisis. The Southwest state government has halted collaboration with the federal administration.