Somalia denies reports it expelled UAE ambassador, calls them false

Tuesday May 5, 2026

Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia on Tuesday flatly denied reports that it had expelled the United Arab Emirates ambassador, calling the claims false and misleading.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said it was alarmed by the spread of what it described as baseless allegations across several media outlets and social media platforms.

“The Ministry firmly rejects these claims and urges all media institutions and social media users to exercise accuracy, professionalism, and responsibility, and to rely on official sources for information,” the statement said. It also cautioned that misinformation could damage diplomatic ties.

The ministry did not say where the reports originated, but it stressed that no decision had been made to expel the UAE envoy.

The denial comes after Somalia announced in January that it was suspending a number of agreements with the United Arab Emirates, including deals involving port management, security cooperation and defense. That move followed a cabinet meeting and, according to officials, was prompted by actions they said threatened Somalia’s unity and sovereignty.

At the time, Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi said the suspension was grounded in credible evidence of practices tied to the UAE that, he said, affected Somalia’s independence and political stability.

Even so, the Somali government said diplomatic relations had not been broken off and that the two countries’ embassies would continue operating as usual.