Wednesday 10 September , 2025 {HMC}  Guba, Ethiopia, SONNA – The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, H.E. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, held a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, H.E. Abiy Ahmed Ali, on the sidelines of regional engagements in Guba.

The two leaders engaged in discussions aimed at further strengthening the longstanding ties between Somalia and Ethiopia, with a focus on advancing regional stability and enhancing cooperation across key areas of mutual interest.

Both sides reaffirmed their shared vision and unwavering commitment to deepening a forward-looking partnership that serves not only the interests of their two nations but also contributes to peace, security, and prosperity in the wider Horn of Africa region.

Wednesday 10 September , 2025 {HMC} Kenya aims to carry out a pioneering $1 billion debt-for-food security swap by March next year, a finance ministry document showed on Tuesday, as the country looks to novel solutions to ease its hefty debt burden.

The plan is expected to work in a similar way as so-called debt-for-nature swaps carried out by several countries in recent years that offered lower interest rates in exchange for nature protection.

A debt-for-food swap would likely allow a country to replace costly existing debt with lower-cost financing on condition it channelled the savings towards programmes to boost food security, finance experts say.

Officials at the Finance Ministry could not be reached for comment, but Finance Minister John Mbadi told a local television station earlier this year the government was in advanced discussions on a swap involving the World Food Programme’s participation.

President William Ruto’s government spends roughly one-third of its revenue on interest payments – one of the highest ratios in the world – and is eager to bring debt spending down.

Debt swap agreements with a focus on social or environmental benefits are becoming an increasingly popular financing tool in poorer parts of the world. Countries including Ecuador, Belize and Gabon have undertaken debt-for-nature deals in recent years.

Ivory Coast completed the first major evolution of the model last December with a debt-for-education swap with the help of a World Bank “credit guarantee”. Guarantees are included to persuade creditors to lower borrowing costs.

Kenya, which is East Africa’s biggest economy, had a total public debt equivalent to 67.8% of its GDP at the end of June this year, the Finance Ministry said in the document, which is called an annual borrowing plan.

The government also plans to borrow $500 million using sustainability-linked bonds by March 2026, a World Bank loan of $757 million by March next year and another loan of $457 million in June, the document showed.

It is also looking to cut its debt costs by turning to securitised debt and converting a $5 billion rail loan into the Chinese currency, it has said recently.

Additional reporting by Marc Jones in London; Editing by Kirsten Donovan and Helen Popper

Source Hiiraan Online

Wednesday 10 September , 2025 {HMC}Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), working with international partners, killed a senior AS commander accused of orchestrating an assassination attempt on President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud earlier this year.

The militant, identified as Mohamed Abdi Dhiblaawe Afrah, was killed in a joint operation in Ugunji, Lower Shabelle region. Authorities said Afrah — who used multiple aliases including Khalid Dheere, Khalid Dacas, Macallin Siciid, Timo-jilac, and Mohamed Sahal — was the mastermind of the March 18 bombing at Mogadishu’s Ceel-gaabta junction that targeted the president’s convoy.

“He was directly linked to improvised explosive devices and ambushes that targeted both government officials and ordinary citizens. Since the March attack, he has been closely tracked until he was eliminated today,” NISA said in a statement.

The March attack was the first to directly target President Mohamud since 2014, during his first term in office, when  AS militants bombed a hotel where he was speaking.

In March, the president was en route to Mogadishu’s airport to travel to Adan Yabal district in Middle Shabelle, where government forces were engaged in heavy fighting against the extremist group.

AS, which has waged a violent insurgency for over 15 years, continues to carry out frequent bombings and ambushes across Somalia in its bid to topple the federal government.

Source Hiiraan Online

Wednesday 10 September , 2025 {HMC}  Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Wednesday attended a high-level meeting in Guba, Ethiopia, focused on securing sustainable funding for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), which has replaced the previous ATMIS mission.

The discussions centered on sustaining support for the Somali National Army and the new African Union Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) to consolidate gains against AS and strengthen peace and stability in the Horn of Africa.

Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh, Kenyan President William Ruto, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission attended the meeting.

The leaders emphasized the importance of long-term financial commitments to help Somalia build its security capacity, while commending progress made in recent offensives against extremist groups.

President Mohamud reaffirmed Somalia’s commitment to developing a capable national army, underscoring that AUSSOM would play a key role during the transition period as security responsibilities gradually shift to Somali forces.

Source Hiiraan Online