Deputy

MOGADISHU, Somalia — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has named Zakariye Yusuf Hussein deputy director general of the Presidential Palace, a senior Villa Somalia post the government cast as part of a wider push to modernize public administration and elevate youth participation in decision-making. The appointment was announced Thursday in a presidential decree. The move follows a recent reshuffle at the presidency after Mohamed Amin Sheikh Osman, who previously held the deputy director general role, was appointed Somalia’s…

Somalia’s Hassan Sheikh Mohamud appoints Zakariye Yusuf Hussein deputy director general at Villa Somalia in youth-focused reform move MOGADISHU — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Thursday appointed Zakariye Yusuf Hussein as deputy director general of the Presidential Palace, known as Villa Somalia, in a decree presented by the presidency as part of efforts to promote youth participation in governance and modernize public administration. The leadership change follows the reassignment of Mohamed Amin Sheikh Osman,…

Somalia’s government swats down ‘New Jubaland’ talk — but the rumor reveals deeper strains Somalia’s federal government has moved to tamp down rising chatter about a breakaway “New Jubaland” in the country’s southwest, a rumor that ricocheted through community meetings and WhatsApp groups long before officials stepped in. The denial is clear. The politics behind it are anything but. What the deputy minister said In an interview with the Somali outlet Arlaadi Media, Deputy Interior Minister Sadad Aliyow dismissed claims…

Somalia’s Quiet Test of Federalism: A New State’s Speaker Knocks on Mogadishu’s Door In the thick summer heat of Mogadishu, a meeting that might have gone unnoticed told a larger story about where Somalia’s fragile federal experiment may be heading. On Tuesday, Abdullahi Ali Hirsi Timacadde, the Second Deputy Speaker of Somalia’s Upper House, hosted Dr. Adan Abdullahi Aw-Hassan, the Speaker of the North Eastern State Parliament, for talks that were part ceremony, part signal, and all politics. The official readout was…

Somalia’s Deputy Foreign Minister meets Sen. Ted Cruz as North Western State of Somalia recognition debate intensifies On a quiet Saturday in Washington, a meeting that might have passed as routine diplomacy was anything but. Somalia’s deputy foreign minister, Ali Omar Ali—widely known by his nickname, Balcad—sat down with Sen. Ted Cruz, the Texas Republican who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa and has emerged as one of the most vocal advocates in Washington for recognizing North Western State of…

Rayner’s resignation shakes Starmer’s reset — and hands David Lammy a testing new brief Angela Rayner’s abrupt resignation on Thursday over a stamp duty dispute has reopened a raw political wound for Britain’s Labour government — one that Keir Starmer had hoped was healing as he sought to rebrand his premiership as steady, sober and scandal-free. The immediate, consequential result was the promotion of David Lammy to deputy prime minister and justice secretary, and a reshuffle that put veteran Yvette Cooper back in charge…

North Western State of Somalia's Upcoming Election: Muse Bihi Grapples with Defections and Sovereignty Struggle HARGEISA, Somalia - Muse Bihi Abdi, the leader of North Western State of Somalia, faces considerable challenges in the upcoming election as over a million voters prepare to choose their new leader. This vote is poised to be a pivotal moment for the self-declared autonomous region, which is pushing hard for global recognition. Bihi, who once piloted jets in the Air Force, now witnesses the departure of his deputy,…

In a surprising twist in North Western State of Somalia's political scene, Vice President Abdirahman Abdillahi Ismail Saylici threw his weight behind the Waddani Party, a move that could stir up quite the ripple in the upcoming elections slated for November 13. After being in the vice-presidential saddle for what feels like a solid 14 years, Saylici stepped into the limelight in Hargeisa, where he took a shot at President Muse Bihi's regime during a news conference with Waddani's president wannabe, Abdirahman Mohamed…

In a recent encounter that brought together minds from opposite ends of the global spectrum, Somalia's Prime Minister, Hamza Abdi Barre, sat down with Mathieu Briens, the European Union's Deputy Managing Director for Africa. This wasn't just a meeting of suits and ties but a convergence of ideas and aspirations aimed at putting Somalia on a robust path to a brighter future. The Somali national news agency, SONNA, was right on the scene, painting a picture of diplomatic engagement. Amidst the backdrop of this high-profile…

Hamza Abdi Barre, the Prime Minister of Somalia, recently welcomed Tanja Fajon, Slovenia's Deputy Prime Minister, for an important dialogue. During their meeting, they delved into strengthening ties between Somalia and Slovenia, with a keen focus on pivotal issues such as climate change, social welfare, security, and human rights. This dialogue gains significance as Somalia embarks on its new role within the UN Security Council, as highlighted by the Somali National News Agency (SONNA). Prime Minister Hamza took the…