Somali foreign minister axed amid fall-out with African Union

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: Immediate former Foreign Affairs Minister Mohamed Abdirizak has claimed he had resigned a week before his sacking this evening.

Abdirizak however noted he was ‘surprised by the sacking which came exactly a year after he took up the position from his predecessor Ahmed Isse Awad who was kicked out in a similar version last year.

“The story of my replacement is a surprise to me, as much as everyone else but follows my offer of resignation a week ago,” the minister said in a reaction on Twitter.

Villa Somalia chief of staff Abdisaid Muse Ali who has been in office barely two months has been picked to succeed Abdirizak. The sacking of Abdirizak comes in the wake of a fallout between the Somali government and the African Union following the expulsion of AMISOM deputy head Simon Mulongo.

The Foreign Affairs Minister had notified the African Union Commission early this month that Mulongo had seven days to leave the country. It is not however clear if the AMISOM official has departed Somalia.

A full council of the African Union Peace and Security Council was in Somalia last week.

Mohamud Abdi Hassan aka Bekoss was appointed deputy foreign affairs minister while Mohamed Aden Maalim now becomes minister of Livestock as Hussein Mohamed Sheikh Hussein takes charge at the Public Works, Housing and Reconstruction docket.