Somalia gets new AU envoy after expulsion of Madeira

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - The African Union Commission [AUC] has appointed a new envoy to Somalia, almost over four months after the expulsion of Ambassador Francisco Madeira, who was accused of interfering with the country's domestic politics during the administration of Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo.

Madeira, who comes from Mozambique, was declared "persona non grata" by former Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble, who raised issues about the operation of the envoy, a common denominator in Somalia's domestic politics throughout the period Farmajo was president.

On Sunday, it emerged that AUC chairman Moussa Faki appointed Mohammed El-Amine Souef of Comoros to take over the responsibilities, just about four months after Somalia witnessed the change of regime.

In May, Somali lawmakers elected Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as the president, ending his five years of political coldness. Hassan Sheikh served as president of Somalia from 2012-17 and is known to be a fierce promotor of federalism.

Madeira had major hiccups throughout his time as AUC special representative to Somalia with audio of him discussing Somalia's elections leaking. The opposition then led by Hassan Sheikh Mohamud demanded his immediate expulsion from the Horn of Africa nation.

So divisive was his presence in the country that the opposition severally protested to the African Union, demanding his removal. He was accused of plotting for the victory of Farmajo, with most of his reports favouring the former administration.

Until his appointment as Special Representative of the Chairperson of the Commission [SRCC], the AUC said in a statement, Ambassador Souef served as the Head of the Regional Office in Gao of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali [MINUSMA].

A former Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Union of Comoros, Ambassador Souef also worked as the Head of Regional Office with the Head African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur [UNAMID], the commission further said.

"In pursuit of his mandate as SRCC to Somalia and Head of ATMIS, Ambassador Souef will maintain close and constant interaction with the Federal Government of Somalia [FGS] and other Somali stakeholders in supporting the implementation of the Somali Transition Plan and broader state-building processes in Somalia," read the statement.

"He will also work closely with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development [IGAD] and its Member States, as well as with relevant bilateral and multilateral partners, including the United Nations [UN] and the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia [UNSOM] and the European Union [EU]."

Mohammed El-Amine Souef's major task will be to help the country stabilize and his appointment comes at the time the country is witnessing a wave of Al-Shabaab attacks. Last week, the militants killed over 22 people in the Hiiraan region mostly innocent civilians who were travelling on food trucks.

Last month, Al-Shabaab also killed 21 people at Hayaat Hotel within Mogadishu, despite strict surveillance of security forces within the capital of Somalia. The AU is a major security stakeholder in Somalia, having deployed over 22,000 soldiers in the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS].

He will also have a major task of ensuring the country gets adequate humanitarian support as drought ravages Somalia. Over 7 million people risk dying due to a lack of food and water, even as Al-Shabaab militants continue to destroy water wells across the country.

GAROWE ONLINE