Somalia’s President to Visit Saudi Arabia Amid Shifting Alliances

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is expected to make an official visit to Saudi Arabia later this week, officials said, as Somalia navigates changes in its regional alliances.

The trip comes after Mogadishu and Riyadh exchanged messages of solidarity following a diplomatic spat linked to the relationship between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Somalia has publicly backed Saudi Arabia’s call for the UAE to end what Riyadh described as “interference in Yemen’s sovereignty.”

Officials said the visit will focus on strengthening bilateral ties, regional cooperation, and security, while reinforcing the new understanding reached between the two governments.

The visit also comes as the Horn of Africa and the Middle East face political shifts affecting Arab regional relations and Somalia’s strategic positioning in the region.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud previously visited Djibouti and Turkey, seeking diplomatic support to defend Somalia’s sovereignty following Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, a move widely condemned internationally.

GAROWE ONLINE