Galkayo (AX) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud received a warm welcome in Galkayo on Monday as his ongoing Galmudug tour focused on peacebuilding, reconciliation and development.
The president and his delegation arrived at the Abdullahi Isse Football Stadium, where he thanked residents for their reception and commended their efforts to protect unity and social cohesion in the divided city.
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Hassan Sheikh urged Galkayo’s communities to cooperate in consolidating peace, advancing reconciliation and strengthening Somalia’s state institutions.
He portrayed Galkayo as a city with the power to bring Somalis together, while calling on residents to oppose actions and forces that could worsen existing divisions.
“Galkayo is a city that unites the Somali people,” the president said, urging residents to combine their efforts and safeguard the peace.
Before reaching Galkayo, Hassan Sheikh visited Bandiiradley as part of the same regional tour. He has also traveled to other key towns, including Adado and Dhusamareeb, where he inaugurated development projects and held meetings with residents and local officials.
The broader visit across Galmudug has taken the president through districts and communities to review security, living conditions and local development priorities.
His tour comes as political tensions remain high between the federal government and Puntland State, with Galkayo at the center of the dispute because the city is divided between Puntland State and Galmudug.
Puntland State had earlier cautioned against Hassan Sheikh’s visit to southern Galkayo and placed its security forces on alert, alleging that the president’s trip could fuel tensions in the city.
Galmudug dismissed the allegations, maintaining that Somalia’s president has a constitutional right to travel anywhere in the country and calling on political leaders to settle their disagreements through dialogue.
The president’s arrival in Galkayo passed without reports of major security incidents. During the visit, Hassan Sheikh used the occasion to underscore the importance of reconciliation and unity among communities on both sides of the city.
