government

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s federal government has canceled an arrest warrant for Jubaland President Ahmed Madoobe, clearing the way for him to attend high-level talks in Mogadishu on Feb. 1 and potentially easing a long-running standoff between federal and regional authorities. The Banadir Regional Court issued the warrant in November 2024 after Madoobe secured a third-term victory in Kismayo, a re-election the federal government deemed illegal under the country’s shift toward a one-person, one-vote electoral system. The order…

MOGADISHU — The United States will resume World Food Programme food distributions in Somalia after the federal government accepted responsibility for actions that disrupted humanitarian operations at the Port of Mogadishu earlier this month, clearing the way for life-saving aid to reach millions facing acute food insecurity. U.S. officials said Somalia’s acknowledgment of accountability satisfied conditions set after Washington halted certain assistance on Jan. 7, when it accused Somali officials of demolishing a U.S.-funded…

Somalia resolves rare public spat between embassies in Kenya and Tanzania MOGADISHU — Somalia’s federal government says it has resolved a rare and public dispute between its embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, closing ranks after an internal review and new guidance meant to prevent a repeat. The rift surfaced in September after Somalia’s embassy in Tanzania criticized a visit by the Somali ambassador to Kenya to Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. In a statement at the time, the Tanzanian mission said the…

Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s federal government says it has resolved a rare public dispute between its embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, closing a rift that raised concerns about internal coordination across the country’s diplomatic network. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ali Omar Balcad said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs concluded an internal review and implemented recommendations to prevent a repeat of the episode, which centered on overlapping roles and communication lapses among missions in East Africa. The dispute…

Syria’s government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces have extended their truce by 15 days to support a U.S.-led effort to transfer Islamic State group detainees from northeastern Syria to Iraq, both sides said Saturday. “The extension of the cease-fire comes in support of the American operation to transfer Islamic State detainees from SDF prisons to Iraq,” the Syrian defense ministry said in a statement. The SDF confirmed the extension, saying it was reached through international mediation and that dialogue with…

Somalia foils suspected al-Shabab plot in Mogadishu: Five arrested, explosives seized MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali security forces arrested five suspected militants and seized explosives, weapons and vehicles in a Friday operation aimed at disrupting planned attacks on the capital, Mogadishu, the National Intelligence and Security Agency said. NISA said the group was preparing to enter the city to carry out attacks “threatening the security and stability of the capital,” and credited months of surveillance and close…

Somalia’s Federal Government has not issued an official response to remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who used a World Economic Forum appearance in Davos, Switzerland, to question Somalia’s statehood and accuse Somalis of large-scale financial crimes. In his address, Trump alleged that “Somali thieves” had taken billions of dollars in the United States and described Somalis as “low in intelligence.” He also claimed the U.S. had waged military action against Somali pirates, drawing a comparison to operations against…

Former President Lazarus Chakwera accused his successor, Peter Mutharika, on Thursday of overseeing a campaign of intimidation and “unlawful arrests, and the abuse of due process” aimed at silencing opposition figures, calling the pattern a “dangerous collapse” of the rule of law. In a formal statement, Chakwera said he has notified President Mutharika of what he described as politically motivated actions against leaders of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP). “This includes individuals whose only crime is exercising their…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s federal government has invited the Somali Future Council, a leading opposition alliance, to a multi-day national conference in Mogadishu beginning Feb. 1, aiming to speed up talks on the country’s political direction with a particular focus on the electoral roadmap. The invitation, issued late Monday by the Office of Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, signals a tentative step toward dialogue amid rising tensions over electoral rules and the broader governance framework. The move follows President…

Somalia moves to form federal-aligned administration in Awdal, escalating rift with North Western State of Somalia MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s federal government is advancing plans to establish a new administration in the northwestern Awdal region under direct central authority, a step that has sharpened political tensions with North Western State of Somalia and stirred concern among regional leaders. Defense Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi said the proposal remains in development and is being shaped through consultations…