President

Burundi’s Ndayishimiye takes AU chair as bloc warns of geopolitical turbulence ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — The African Union on Saturday elected Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye as its chairperson for 2026, closing a high-level summit in Addis Ababa where leaders elevated water security, institutional reform and regional stability as urgent priorities. Ndayishimiye assumes the rotating leadership from Angolan President João Lourenço at the conclusion of the AU’s 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State…

ADDIS ABABA — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Saturday praised African leaders for a unified rejection of Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia, calling the continent’s stance a clear affirmation that Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are nonnegotiable. Addressing heads of state at the African Union (AU) summit, Mohamud thanked member states for what he described as a firm, collective defense of Somalia’s borders and a recommitment to the principles of sovereignty and noninterference…

Saturday, February 14, 2026 MOGADISHU — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud accused unnamed neighboring states of trying to leverage Israel’s December recognition of North Western State of Somalia for “short-term interests,” warning that Somalia’s territorial integrity is a nonnegotiable red line. In an interview with the London-based Arabic daily Asharq al-Awsat, Hassan Sheikh said the fallout from Israel’s move had tempted some regional actors to test Somalia’s unity and the wider region’s stability. “Some countries in…

Somalia’s president condemns Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia, urges AU to reject external interference ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Friday urged African Union member states to “firmly reject” external meddling in the continent’s affairs, denouncing Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia as a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and international law during the second Italy-Africa Summit in Addis Ababa. Hassan Sheikh said Africa’s progress must be…

Thursday February 12, 2026 MOGADISHU (AX) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is set to travel to Addis Ababa for the 39th African Union Summit of Heads of State and Government, where he will spotlight Somalia’s recent security gains and restate the country’s position on sovereignty and foreign interference. The summit brings together leaders from 55 African nations for the continent’s top political forum. Officials said the president is scheduled to address Somalia’s progress on security sector reform, the effects of…

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud unveiled a three-pronged diplomatic and legal campaign to overturn Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia, warning the move threatens Somalia’s sovereignty and the security of the Red Sea corridor. He said Mogadishu is acting in close coordination with partners led by Saudi Arabia to contain what he called a reckless escalation. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Mohamud said any recognition of the self-declared Republic of North Western State of Somalia as an independent…

CAIRO — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Egypt’s defense minister, Gen. Abdel Mageed Saqr, on Wednesday attended a military formation ceremony for Egyptian troops preparing to deploy to Somalia under the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM). The event, held in Egypt, was also attended by Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Ahmed Khalifa and senior commanders, according to a statement from the Egyptian military spokesman. During the visit, officials received a detailed briefing on the preparation…

MOGADISHU — Somalia has won a seat on the African Union Peace and Security Council for the 2026–2028 term, a diplomatic milestone that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Wednesday cast as proof of the country’s renewed standing on the continent and beyond. In a national address, Hassan Sheikh said the election reflects Somalia’s growing credibility and the reemergence of its voice in regional affairs after years of rebuilding state institutions. “This victory demonstrates the significant progress of Somalia’s diplomacy and…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said he will seek a third term, asserting Somalia’s provisional constitution permits him to run again because his two previous mandates were not consecutive, a move that deepens political tensions over contentious constitutional changes. Mohamud, first elected in 2012 and returned to office in 2022 after five years out of power, framed his bid as consistent with the law’s limit on back-to-back presidencies. “The constitution does not prohibit me from running again,” he…

KABALE, Uganda — President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has awarded his son, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Kabalega Star Medal, Uganda’s second-highest military decoration, citing his leadership in operations in Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. Museveni conferred the honor Friday during the 45th Tarehe Sita anniversary celebrations at Kabale National Teachers’ College in southwestern Uganda, held under the theme “Defending the Gains of the Revolution and Honouring the Sacrifice.” The Kabalega Star,…