welcomes

EU hails Somali opposition joining national dialogue as positive step MOGADISHU, Somalia — The European Union’s envoy to Somalia has welcomed the decision by the country’s main opposition alliance to join a government-led consultation, calling it a constructive step toward national stability. The Somali Future Council — a coalition of regional leaders and former officials — confirmed it will attend the consultations scheduled for Feb. 1, 2026, in Mogadishu. The invitation was extended by the Federal Government of Somalia. EU…

MOGADISHU — The Intergovernmental Authority on Development on Wednesday welcomed Somalia’s ratification of the new IGAD Treaty, calling it a significant step toward stronger regional cooperation and integration across the Horn of Africa. Somalia’s House of the People approved the treaty by show of hands after the agreement was presented by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ali Omar Balcad, who urged lawmakers to endorse it as essential to the country’s regional engagement and political stability. According to Speaker…

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has welcomed an appellate ruling that clears the way for the country’s elected representatives to take their seats in the East African Legislative Assembly, ending months of legal uncertainty over Somalia’s participation in the regional body. In a statement issued Tuesday, the ministry congratulated the nine lawmakers chosen by Somalia’s Federal Parliament to represent the country in EALA, calling the court’s decision a key step toward…

KIUNGA, Kenya — On a sliver of Kenya’s northern coast, just 15 kilometers from the Somalia border and within sight of the turquoise shallows of the Kiunga Marine National Reserve, a different kind of refugee story has been unfolding for more than three decades. It’s a story without tents or barbed wire, without aid convoys or registration queues. In Kiunga, families opened their doors to Somali neighbors fleeing conflict and drought — and kept them open. A new media release by the Office of the Director Public Service…

Kenya and the United States advanced a new partnership framework to support Universal Health Coverage after Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale held bilateral talks with U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C. In a statement posted on X on Saturday, Dec. 6, Duale said the discussions reaffirmed the two countries’ long-standing collaboration in public health and aligned with Kenya’s drive to strengthen primary care and expand access…

Pope Leo XIV and the State of Cinema: A Vatican Appeal Pope Leo XIV used a rare audience at the Vatican with leading actors and filmmakers to cast cinema as a cultural bulwark at risk. He warned that theatres are dwindling and urged creative communities to defend the shared experience of film against digital homogenization. Addressed a gathering of prominent actors and directors, including Cate Blanchett, Monica Bellucci, Chris Pine and Spike Lee. Framed cinema as a “workshop of hope” and a space where imagination and…

London ceremony spotlights a rising British‑Somali generation and a new model of diaspora engagement On a crisp autumn evening in Kensington and Chelsea, hundreds of family members, politicians and community leaders gathered to celebrate what felt like more than individual degrees: the growing influence of a British‑Somali community staking its claim in Britain’s civic and professional life. The 5th British‑Somali Global Graduation Ceremony, held on 26 October, brought together graduates from leading UK universities and a…

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…

The Complex Journey of Migrants: Navigating New Challenges in Ghana In an era marked by heightened migration and shifting geopolitical alliances, the arrival of a recent group of migrants at Kotoka International Airport in Accra underscores the complexities facing both the deportees and the welcoming nation. A Boeing 767-200 from Baltimore touched down, bringing with it 14 West African nationals, a somber reminder of the struggles many endure in pursuit of safety and stability. While the specific nationalities of these…

Somalia hails Sharm el-Sheikh ceasefire framework, calls it a ‘genuine step’ toward peace Somalia has welcomed a ceasefire framework announced in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, saying the effort to halt the war between Israel and Hamas could open a narrow but crucial window for humanitarian relief and political talks long seen as out of reach. In a statement late Thursday, Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs voiced support for the regional and international mediation that produced the agreement, which aims to secure a…