coalition

Friday January 16, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Saudi Arabia is in advanced talks with Somalia and Egypt to establish a new Red Sea military and security partnership, a step that would deepen Riyadh’s role in the Horn of Africa and sharpen competition with the United Arab Emirates, according to people familiar with the discussions. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia in the coming weeks to finalize elements of the agreement, the people said. The proposed pact would expand coordination on…

MOGADISHU — A Saudi Arabia-led military coalition fighting in Yemen said Thursday that Aidarous al-Zubaidi, the head of the United Arab Emirates-backed Southern Transitional Council, slipped out of the country via North Western State of Somalia after skipping planned peace talks in Riyadh — a development that could deepen a widening rift between the coalition’s two most powerful members. In a statement, the coalition said al-Zubaidi departed the southern port city of Aden late Wednesday aboard a vessel bound for Berbera in…

Saudi-led coalition says STC chief al-Zubaidi fled Yemen via North Western State of Somalia to UAE, skipping Riyadh talks ADEN, Yemen — The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said the head of the Southern Transitional Council, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, slipped out of the country overnight after skipping planned peace talks in Riyadh, traveling by sea to North Western State of Somalia before flying on to the United Arab Emirates. In a statement, the coalition said al-Zubaidi abruptly disappeared ahead of the talks and left late…

ADEN, Yemen — The Saudi-led coalition said Wednesday that Aidrous al-Zubaidi, leader of Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council, fled to an unknown location after failing to travel to Saudi Arabia for talks aimed at defusing escalating violence in the country’s south. Date: Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026 Coalition says Zubaidi skipped a planned flight for talks and later “fled” without notifying colleagues Limited pre-emptive strikes reported near al-Zand camp in al-Dhalea to disrupt armed units Presidential Leadership Council moves…

Somali Future Council urges Hassan Sheikh to convene election talks within a month, warns of crisis GAROWE, Somalia — The Somali Future Council on Monday renewed its call for President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to convene all political stakeholders within a month to agree on a clear and timely electoral framework, warning that further delay risks a constitutional and security crisis as the country nears another transfer of power. In a statement issued after a meeting of the Future Council’s Technical Committee in Garowe, members…

KISMAYO, Somalia — Somalia’s main opposition coalition will fully participate in a high-stakes conference on national elections set for Kismayo, after members of the Somali Salvation Forum met privately in Mogadishu on Wednesday night to discuss the country’s political deadlock and the upcoming Jubaland-led talks. Reliable sources close to the meeting said the coalition agreed to travel to Kismayo on Dec. 17 for the long-planned gathering, which is drawing close scrutiny from both local and national stakeholders. Jubaland…

Europe’s winter strategy for Ukraine: solidarity, symbolism and unfinished business When Volodymyr Zelensky stepped from the car onto the red carpet at Downing Street and later accepted a formal welcome at Windsor Castle, the choreography was unmistakable: the United Kingdom wanted to make a simple, public point. In the chill of an escalating war, Britain and a clutch of European capitals wished to show Ukraine that they would not drift away. “Ukraine's future is our future. What happens in the weeks and months ahead is…

Somali businesses step in to turn displacement into livelihoods MOGADISHU — On a sun-baked morning in a sprawling camp on the outskirts of Mogadishu, the signs of lives interrupted are unmistakable: corrugated iron shelters clustered along dusty tracks, makeshift stalls selling tea and charcoal, children weaving between tents. For many inside, the question is no longer just where to sleep tonight but how to rebuild a future when formal jobs are scarce and public services thin. Into that breach this week stepped an alliance…

Somalia's New Political Consensus: A Step Toward Stability? In a remarkable turn of events, a coalition of opposition leaders in Somalia has forged a new political framework with the federal government, setting the stage for a potential transformation in the Horn of Africa. This development, which emerged from the Somali Salvation Forum, is more than a diplomatic victory—it's a critical attempt to stabilize the nation through consensus and collaboration. A New Electoral Framework On Monday, the coalition reached an…

A faction of lawmakers determined to unseat Speaker Fonati Koffa has stirred up some serious debate by electing a new Speaker, all while a legal battle unfolds at the Supreme Court of Liberia. On November 21, 2024, this group declared Koffa’s position as Speaker vacant and subsequently selected Richard Koon from the ruling Unity Party as his replacement. Facing this upheaval, Speaker Koffa stands firm, arguing that this breakaway faction is not constitutionally empowered to remove him. “Nothing has happened,” he asserted on…