Foreign Minister Abdi Ali Defends Diplomatic Postings After Auditor General Raises Concerns

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Somalia’s Foreign Minister Abdisalam Abdi Ali has defended the ministry’s decision to send diplomats and other staff to the country’s embassies and consulates abroad, following concerns raised by the Auditor General over the procedures used for overseas postings.

The minister said those appointed to diplomatic missions were employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and rejected suggestions that people with no previous connection to the ministry had been sent abroad.

His comments came after the Office of the Auditor General raised concerns about the process in a recent report.

The audit said 14 diplomats had been posted abroad without completing all the required procedures, while 19 ministry employees had not received the required diplomatic training before being assigned to overseas missions.

The Auditor General called on the Foreign Ministry to strengthen its procedures for recruitment, training and deployment of diplomatic personnel.

It also warned that assigning staff to diplomatic duties without adequate preparation could create risks for Somalia’s representation abroad.

Responding to the findings, Mr Abdisalam said the issue was being discussed between the Foreign Ministry and the Auditor General’s Office.

He said the talks were aimed at clarifying areas where the two institutions disagree and correcting any shortcomings that may have occurred.

The minister did not, however, indicate that the government had decided to recall any of the officials identified in the audit.

The disagreement has put the procedures governing Somalia’s diplomatic service under increased scrutiny.

Somalia has expanded its diplomatic engagement in recent years as it seeks stronger political, economic and security partnerships with countries in Africa, the Middle East, Europe and elsewhere.

Its embassies and consulates are responsible for representing the government, supporting Somali citizens overseas and promoting the country’s political and economic interests.

The quality and preparation of diplomatic staff can therefore have a direct impact on how Somalia is represented abroad.

The Auditor General’s findings also come amid wider efforts by Somalia’s federal government to improve public-sector accountability and ensure that government institutions follow established recruitment and administrative procedures.

The current dispute does not by itself establish wrongdoing by the diplomats or ministry employees mentioned in the audit. The Foreign Ministry’s position is that the concerns need to be clarified through discussions with the Auditor General.

The outcome of those discussions is expected to determine whether changes are made to the way Somalia selects, trains and deploys officials to its diplomatic missions.

For now, the issue remains a matter of disagreement between two government institutions, with further clarification expected after their consultations.