consolidate

BAIDOA, Somalia — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has wrapped up a several-day visit to Baidoa, a trip aimed at solidifying his political base and steering a tense leadership transition after federal forces seized the capital of South West State. Mohamud’s visit came after the March 29 resignation of regional leader Abdiasis Laftagareen, who fled to Kenya following the takeover of the city by heavily armed Somali National Army (SNA) troops backed by allied clan militias. The power shift has set off a fierce scramble…

AU commander tours recaptured Somali town of Mubarak after joint offensive against al-Shabab MOGADISHU — The commander of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) on Friday visited the newly secured town of Mubarak in Lower Shabelle to assess troop readiness after a joint operation that pushed al-Shabab fighters from key positions south of Mogadishu. Lt. Gen. Sam Kavuma toured security positions in and around Mubarak with senior Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF) commanders, meeting soldiers…

A joint delegation led by ECOWAS, but also including the African Union and the United Nations, is in Abidjan on Monday 5 and Tuesday 6 October. as reported from Abidjan, To ECOWAS, we designate this visit as Ivory Coast mission "preventive diplomacy" for the presidential election on 31 October. A mission designed to "consolidate and reinforce" results, according to the regional organization. Under the leadership of the Ghanaian Foreign Minister, it will meet with the ministers and institutions responsible for…