Sheikh

Somalia’s Seat at East Africa’s Table: Why Mogadishu’s New EALA Delegation Matters A quiet milestone in Mogadishu In a bright room at the presidential palace in Mogadishu, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud welcomed Somalia’s first full slate of lawmakers to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA). The ceremony, following a parliamentary vote that selected nine representatives, was deliberately understated — no brass bands, no triumphal headlines. Yet the significance should not be missed. Less than a year after its…

Why Hassan Sheikh’s Addis visit matters: a recalibration in the Horn At a glance When Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Addis Ababa this week for talks with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the official line was familiar: friendly neighbours discussing “bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest.” Behind the diplomatic language, however, lay a fraught effort by Mogadishu to reshape the political map of southern Somalia — and to pull a wary Ethiopia into the middle of a struggle that has implications for…

Somalia’s opposition takes the fight to the courts — and the country risks paying the price Somalia’s fragile political equilibrium rattled further this week when a coalition of opposition figures lodged a formal legal complaint accusing President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and senior officials of corruption, human-rights violations and unconstitutional power grabs. What began as a paper filing in Mogadishu is best read not merely as another courtroom drama, but as a symptom of a deeper crisis in a state still stitching itself…

New Strategies in Somalia: A Collaborative Fight Against Al-Shabaab MOGADISHU, Somalia — In the sunlit corridors of Mogadishu's presidential palace, a significant conversation unfolded this week. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met with General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, the new commander of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), to initiate a new chapter in the ongoing battle against the al-Qaida affiliate, al-Shabaab. Their discussions were more than just diplomatic niceties; they were rooted in the everyday struggles of the…

Somalia: Hassan Sheikh Turns Down PM Barre's Resignation Amid Electoral Disputes MOGADISHU, Somalia - Ambling through a political maze, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia has declined Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre’s offer to resign, according to insiders conversing with Axadle. The two political bigwigs are experiencing difficulties syncing efforts with regional states, especially those severing ties with the central government in Mogadishu. Jubaland, the latest state to distance itself from the federal…

Somalia: Hassan Sheikh Reverses His Stance on Jubaland's Election Framework MOGADISHU, Somalia - A political showdown brews in the Horn of Africa nation as Jubaland's leader, Ahmed Islam Mohamed Madobe, turns his back on President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's direct election vision. Instead, Jubaland is veering towards holding indirect elections. Recently, Madobe made a dramatic exit from Mogadishu, declaring that implementing nationwide voting rights would undoubtedly lead to extending presidential terms—a notion that, he…

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…

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) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud touched down in Bujumbura, the heart of Burundi, for a diplomatic shuffle around the neighborhood, aiming to bolster ties and teamwork on security issues. Cozying up at the Presidential Palace, President Hassan Sheikh and President Évariste Ndayishimiye swapped thoughts on safeguarding their nations and boosting economic bonds. While there, Hassan Sheikh tipped his hat to Burundi for stepping up in the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). President…

In Asmara, Eritrea, on October 9, 2024, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki held bilateral meetings to discuss enhancing military cooperation and strengthening their relationship amidst regional shifts. Credit: Villa Somalia Somalia's leader, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, touched down in Asmara, Eritrea, this past Wednesday for a formal visit. Since taking the helm in 2022, this marks his fourth voyage. It's likely geared toward boosting a developing alliance among Somalia,…