Somalia: Prime Minister meets Saudi’s FM in Ethiopia

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA- The Prime Minister of Somali Federal government, Hasan Ali Khayre held meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir in Addis Ababa in the sideline of AU summit in Ethiopia, Garowe Online reports.

Close sources in the talks said the meeting between the two sides focused on Somalia’s stand on the recent Gulf crisis between Saudi-bloc and Qatar.

Earlier, Saudi Arabia, U.A.E., Egypt and Bahrain have cut relation with Qatar over supporting terrorist organizations and drafted list of grievance to be met by Qatar to lift the sanction imposed against it.

The Somalia Federal government led by Somali President Mohamed Abdulahi Mohamed Farmajo urged the Arab countries to end the deadlock through dialogue and offered help to facilitate reconciliation between the countries.  

Saudi-bloc was reported to have asked the Somali Federal government to sever relation with Qatar but Somali Federal government insisted to stand neutral in the matter.

However, senior political figures in the country have warned the Federal government against its stand and called the government to reconsider siding with Saudi-bloc to avoid worsening relations with Saudi Arabia and U.A.E.

A recent report released by Chatham House in UK has revealed that Gulf crisis could have far reach influence in East African countries. The report highlighted about Qatar support to the past Federal government led by former President Hasan Shaikh Mahmoud and its current relationship with Villa Somalia’s Chief of Staff Fahad Yasin, a former Al Jazeerea Network reporter.

The report also shed light on the political Islamic parties that ruled the Somali Federal government in the past decade, and the influence of external forces to back candidates to win the race for the presidency in the previous elections.

Turkey and Qatar have exerted great influence in Somalia’s political affairs which raised concerns among other Gulf states that experienced long political and economical relations with Somalia.

Leaders from Somali Federal government and regional administration are scheduled to hold meetings in the capital Mogadishu on Wednesday, as leaders expected to discuss security and Gulf crisis.

GAROWEONLINE