11 Somali foreign embassies need urgent diplomatic appointments

Eleven Somali foreign embassies located in Europe and Africa require immediate ambassadorial representatives portraying a national deficiency where most of them were recalled back by the federal foreign ministry.

The 8 recalled ambassadors include Kuwait, Qatar, and UAE in the Middle East while China is in the Far East. In Africa, countries among them Zambia, North Sudan, Uganda and Djibouti are diplomatically shut from Somalia.

The 3 others who vacated their embassies due to different circumstance are Kenyan ambassador appointed federal planning minister, Washington representative also appointed federal foreign minister while UK diplomat resigned from his post.

Among the recalled ambassadors included 2 diplomats that have been holding their positions since the government of the late Siad Barre who lost their positions in reference to a law article stipulating that a foreign emissary cannot hold their position for more than 8 years.

The number of Somali foreign ambassadors are 30 in total which means only 19 are currently operational in their respective embassies.

Mostly ambassadors are appointed for countries that Somali has some considerable Somali citizens, strong relationship, allies or economic interests.

The reaming 11 vacant embassies are urgently required for national interests which are crucial countries for Somalia especially neighbouring Kenya which has no Somali ambassador for nearly a year. Likewise USA, UK, UAE, Djibouti, Uganda, north Sudan.

Somalia has political interests with most of these countries where some of them are more crucial than the others.

Historically Somalia has never had high level embassy representative in countries like Iran, Uganda (except Idi Amin era) and Tanzania among others where only a Somali consulate operated.

Pertinent to mention is the appointment of Somali president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo in June 2017 of 3 ambassadors namely Jama Abdullahi Mohamed (Turkey), Abdirahman Yussuf Ali (UK) and Abukar Dahir Osman (UN).

Goobjoog News