Mohamud

Sunday April 5, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met Sunday with traditional elders in Baidoa, stepping into the center of a delicate push to calm tensions and reinforce governance in Southwest State after recent political unrest. According to Villa Somalia, the talks centered on community reconciliation, support for Somalia’s democratization drive, the worsening drought and wider state-building efforts. The meeting comes days after federal authorities assumed control of Baidoa and installed an…

Friday April 3, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud landed in Baidoa on Friday for his first trip to the Southwest regional capital since the installation of an interim administration and the latest political turmoil in the state. In a statement, Villa Somalia said the visit is intended to speed up the delivery of social services, push forward peace and reconciliation efforts, reinforce governance and support preparations for Somalia’s planned one-person, one-vote elections. The president is expected…

In 2026, Somalia's political debate is increasingly focused on how President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is managing three linked challenges: a major constitutional transition, preparations for elections in the run-up to 2026, and the pressure of fighting al-Shabaab while maintaining governance in Mogadishu. Much of the year's attention has turned to talks between the presidency, opposition figures, and the National Consultative Council, as well as disputes in parliament over proposed constitutional amendments and the timing of…

Monday March 30, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s national security adviser, Awes Haji Yusuf Ahmed, has rejected accusations from Southwest State that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud backs the al-Qaida-linked Al-Shabab militant group, branding the claims unfounded and reckless. In a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Ahmed said the president’s government has spearheaded major counterterrorism offensives that have weakened the insurgency and recaptured strategic areas. “Claims that President Hassan Sheikh…

Sunday March 29, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Saturday cut the ribbon on a newly rebuilt stretch of road connecting Mogadishu’s Dabka and Bakaara intersections, a flagship project carried out by the Benadir Regional Administration. Speaking at the ceremony, Mohamud cast the project as a visible sign of the capital’s recovery and of broader gains in security, governance, and economic life. “The reconstruction of this road reflects the revival and visible progress of the capital,…

Friday March 20, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Confronting soaring prices and a deepening hunger crisis, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Thursday urged business leaders, religious scholars and charitable organizations to rally support for drought-stricken families, with a special emphasis on orphans and other vulnerable groups. Delivering an Eid address to the nation, the president called for solidarity as nearly 6.5 million people in Somalia are projected to face crisis-level or worse food insecurity by the end of March,…

Thursday March 19, 2026 - Baidoa (AX) — Southwest State President Abdiasis Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen on Wednesday accused Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of stalling regional elections since 2022, sharpening an increasingly public split between Baidoa and Mogadishu. At a press conference in Baidoa, Laftagareen said leaders of federal member states had made repeated attempts to organize their own ballots but were blocked by the federal leadership. “In September 2022, all the regional state leaders were present…

DJIBOUTI — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Djibouti on Wednesday for talks with President Ismail Omar Guelleh, a visit framed by rising tensions across the Horn of Africa and the wider Middle East and coming as the United States warns of heightened security risks in the region. Villa Somalia said the trip reflects the longstanding ties between the two neighbors and a shared vision for regional cooperation, solidarity and stability. The two leaders are expected to hold discussions aimed at reinforcing…

Farmaajo warns Somalia risks instability over unilateral constitutional changes as term nears end MOGADISHU — Former Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmaajo warned that unilateral constitutional changes and disputed election plans could push Somalia toward political instability as the current presidential term nears its end, urging President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to pull back from what he called one-sided decisions. Farmaajo says rushing constitutional amendments without consensus could destabilize Somalia…

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…