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President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud spoke to Parliament, highlighting the pressing need to implement essential election laws as Somalia gears up for its forthcoming elections. His comments coincide with lawmakers voting to extend their legislative session. CREDIT/ SONNA Mogadishu (AX) — This month, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud successfully persuaded Somalia's parliament to remain in session, thus postponing their planned recess to address vital legislative issues, particularly those related to the upcoming elections. A…

Ethiopia is eyeing more Somali territory, President claims MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somalia's President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, sharply criticized Ethiopia, accusing it of being fixated on Somalia. He argued that the Ethiopian leadership is bent on annexing more Somali land, despite its historical claims. Without specifying the disputed territory, President Mohamud suggested that, since colonial times, Ethiopia has seized Somali land and now seeks further expansion, which defies international boundaries. "From colonial days,…

Mogadishu (AX) — Former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed did not hold back on Saturday, sharply critiquing President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. He raised serious doubts about the viability of the planned one-person, one-vote elections given the persistent security threats and condemned the government's harsh evictions in Mogadishu. Ahmed asserted that the dire security situation in Somalia renders individual voting unfeasible. He accused President Hassan Sheikh of pushing this electoral plan more for personal advantage…

On Friday, CIA Director William Burns engaged in discussions with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in the capital city of Mogadishu. They delved into various significant topics, particularly focusing on security and the pressing issue of terrorism. A report from the Somali presidency described their meeting as a "high-level conversation aimed at reinforcing the longstanding strategic alliance between Somalia and the United States." The dialogue, according to the official statement, "addressed several mutually…

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud recently voiced stern disapproval of Ethiopia’s actions, accusing it of double-dealing by hosting the African Union (AU) quarters while allegedly flouting its tenets in its engagements with North Western State of Somalia. As he stood before Somalia’s parliament on Saturday, Mohamud spotlighted a hotly debated Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) penned by Ethiopia with North Western State of Somalia, a matter that’s been whipping up quite the storm far and wide.…

On November 1, 2024, in a ceremonial event brimming with significance, President William Ruto entrusted the Kenyan constitution to Deputy President Kithure Kindiki following Kindiki's oath of office. Nairobi — Kithure Kindiki stepped into his role as Kenya’s deputy president on a Friday, mere hours after a judicial verdict lifted restrictions that had been preventing his nomination. He was chosen to succeed the impeached Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua, who is currently pursuing legal avenues to reclaim his former…

Somalia: CIA Director's Chat with President Hassan Sheikh — What's the Skinny? MOGADISHU, Somalia — CIA boss William Burns swung by East Africa for the first time, making a pit stop in Somalia. He sat down with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who’s kinda feeling the squeeze from upcoming tweaks to the constitution. Their powwow gave prime stage lighting to Somalia's security woes and the omnipresent threat of terrorism. Uncle Sam’s got a gig as a security buddy in this corner of the world, trying to lend a hand to a…

Mogadishu (AX) — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia has reiterated his administration’s dedication to implementing universal suffrage elections by 2026, despite resistance from two regional leaders and several notable politicians. During a speech in Mogadishu on Thursday, President Mohamud emphasized the necessity for Somalia to evolve towards direct elections, departing from a long history of indirect voting methods. “Having participated in indirect elections myself, both as a parliament member and as president on…

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Facing a potential political turmoil in Somalia, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud expresses his willingness to mend fences with Northeastern State and Jubaland's leaders, emphasizing that building the nation is a collective responsibility for all Somalis, not just those in governance. Hassan Sheikh finds himself at odds with Jubaland's President Ahmed Madobe and Northeastern State's leader Said Abdullahi Deni. Both have criticized the proposed extensions of terms for federal states' leaders and the…

On a Monday rendezvous in Nairobi, Kenya's President William Ruto held discussions with William Burns, the CIA Director, while joined by Noordin Haji, Ruto's African counterpart. Fast-forward two years since the Ethiopian Tigray conflict reached a resolution on October 28, 2022. Although the peace pact supposedly ended hostilities, experts contend that thorny issues still linger unresolved. Tune into today's VOA 60 for more updates on developments across Africa.