Somalia: Southwest sides with Saudi-led bloc against Qatar

BAIDOA, Somalia - Somalia's southern semi-autonomous region of Southwest announced on Monday that it is siding with Saudi-led bloc on Gulf crises against Qatar, Garowe Online reports.

In statement released by the Office of Southwest President, said the neutral decision that the Federal government took on the Gulf Crises was made without much consideration and consultation with the Federal member states and the citizens.

"We expressed in the leadership forum held in Mogadishu in July, 2017, that Somalia can not take a neutral position on the Gulf Crises, because of out historical relationship as well as the strategic partnership we have with Saudi Arabia and the UAE,"  the statement added.

Southwest State President, Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden has recently paid a visit to UAE before his administration announced the decision its supports the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia-led bloc on the Gulf row began in June 5, 2017.

Last August, the Semi autonomous government of Puntland in northeastern Somalia sided with the Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates against Qatar and called on the Federal Government of Somalia to reconsider its neutral position.

Read below the statement from Southwest regional administration;

GAROWEONLINE