Mogadishu (AX) — The Somali government is under fire for naming 17 diplomats recently, with just a single one boasting prior experience at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to the Foreign Service Act, diplomats are required to have clocked in at least two years at the Somali Foreign Ministry before snagging foreign postings.
The Upper House Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs threw a few tough questions this week at the Ministry leaders. They wanted answers about how these new diplomat choices were made and the country’s current foreign policy landscape.
Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi fessed up to some irregularities but stuck up for the appointments. He pointed out that while top guns in the government play a hefty role in nominating diplomats, the Ministry is hustling to overhaul appointment methods. Minister Fiqi also mentioned a fresh batch of 20 young diplomats, armed with the right credentials and experience, will be dispatched abroad.
Recently, the Foreign Affairs Ministry shuffled the deck by appointing directors to some departments and roping in advisors for Somalia’s embassies across Turkey, the United States, Uganda, Kuwait, Syria, Kenya, South Africa, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Belgium, and Italy.
Despite the government snagging back 48 diplomats as of March 20, 2024, Senator Marian Farah Kahiye, the committee chair, voiced her worry that these homecoming diplomats were left out of the running for the new gig.
Minister Fiqi admitted many recent picks were swayed by politics but gave his word that tribal factors weren’t part of the equation. He underscored the Ministry’s vow to spruce up its process and align future selections with the Foreign Service Act while dealing with the tricky world of government roles.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
