Tuesday 27,May 2025 {HMC} Kenya said on Monday it supports Morocco’s plan to give the disputed region of Western Sahara autonomy under the North African kingdom’s sovereignty, joining a growing number of African, Arab and Western countries that have tilted towards backing Rabat in the five-decade conflict.

The long-frozen conflict, dating back to 1975, pits Morocco, which considers the territory as its own, against the Algeria-backed Polisario front, which seeks an independent state in the desert territory.

In a joint statement issued after talks between the two countries’ foreign ministers in Rabat, Kenya said it views the Moroccan plan as the only credible and realistic solution and the sole sustainable approach.
Kenya, after 60 years of bilateral diplomatic ties with Morocco, also opened an embassy in Rabat on Monday.

Morocco, a leading phosphates and fertilizer producer, has agreed to immediately accelerate exports of soil nutrients to Kenya, as the two countries plan to cooperate on renewable energies, tourism, fisheries, security and cultural and religious affairs, the joint statement said.

Morocco’s foreign minister Nasser Bourita told reporters that Kenya’s position on Western Sahara, which he called “the national cause”, helped add a new impetus to bilateral relations.

Kenya is looking to export more tea, coffee and fresh produce to Morocco to balance its trade, Kenyan foreign minister Musalia Mudavadi said on his X account.

Kenya also backed a Moroccan initiative offering landlocked Sahel states access to global trade through Morocco’s Atlantic ports, the joint statement said.

Reporting by Ahmed Eljechtimi in Rabat; Editing by Nia Williams

Source REUTERS

Tuesday 27,May 2025 {HMC}  The Himilo Qaran Political Party, led by former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, has accused Somalia’s electoral commission of exerting pressure on students and educational institutions in Mogadishu to participate in an election process it describes as unilateral and non-consensual.

In a statement issued Monday, the party said it supports Somali citizens’ right to participate in free, fair, and inclusive elections, emphasizing that voter registration must not be forced or manipulated.

“Citizens cannot be forced to participate in a one-sided election process. Pressuring students and institutions contradicts democratic principles,” the statement read.

Himilo Qaran warned the Federal Electoral Commission against continuing what it described as “political coercion” of the educational community and urged independent universities and schools to resist participating in the commission’s disputed process.

The party further argued that the term of the current constitutional institutions is coming to an end and called on federal leaders to prioritize an inclusive and consensual election process to avoid escalating political tensions and uncertainty.

These accusations come amid a broader boycott by opposition parties, including similar criticism last week by MP Abdirahman Abdishakuur, who accused the government of attempting to force through a one-sided election without broader national agreement.

The Federal Electoral Commission has not responded to the allegations as of Tuesday.

The controversy underscores the growing rift between opposition parties and the federal government ahead of Somalia’s next electoral cycle, raising concerns about transparency, legitimacy, and national cohesion.

Source Hiiraan online

Tuesday 27,May 2025 {HMC} The Supreme Traditional Leader of SSC-Khaatumo, Garaad Jama Garaad Ali, called the Somaliland administration to choose between accepting peace or engaging in renewed conflict, insisting that Somaliland will never govern the SSC-Khaatumo territories.

Speaking on Monday, Garaad Jama emphasized that no genuine peace has been achieved between SSC and Somaliland, despite recent reconciliatory gestures from some Somaliland elders, notably Sultan Da’uud Sultan Abdiqadir, whom he praised for showing clarity and goodwill.

“I am not coming to your homes, and I will not allow you to invade mine,” said Garaad Jama, stressing his commitment to defending SSC territory.

“Somaliland must choose either accept a peaceful settlement and step back from SSC-Khaatumo or prepare for confrontation. There is no middle ground where they rule us.”

Garaad Jama dismissed Somaliland’s claims of pursuing peace in Eastern Sool as disingenuous, stating that true peace can only be achieved by respecting the independence of the SSC-Khaatumo administration, which declared its interim self-rule in 2023.

His comments follow a recent peace initiative led by SSC intellectuals and Sultan Da’uud, which sought to end the protracted and deadly conflict between the two sides. While that move was welcomed locally, tensions remain high due to Somaliland’s rejection of SSC’s self-declared status and Puntland’s competing claims over the territory.

The Federal Government of Somalia has recognized SSC-Khaatumo as part of its federal structure, a move vehemently opposed by both Somaliland and Puntland, who claim sovereignty over the region.

Source Hiiraan online 

Tuesday 27,May 2025 {HMC} Kenya has reaffirmed her unwavering respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of Somalia, even as it maintains diplomatic and commercial engagements with Somalia’s sub-national regions – Jubaland and Somaliland.

In a statement on Monday, the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs underscored Kenya’s recognition of the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) in Mogadishu as “the sole and legitimate body responsible for administering the affairs of Somalia, including those pertaining to its regions.”

The reaffirmation is significant given the historical tensions between Nairobi and Mogadishu over issues such as border security, maritime boundaries and the status of Somalia’s federal member states.

Tension has particularly arisen over the maritime boundary dispute, which was adjudicated by the International Court of Justice in 2021, and over Kenya’s role in supporting regional administrations within Somalia.

Kenya’s engagement with Jubaland, a semi-autonomous region bordering Kenya, and Somaliland, a self-declared independent republic in northern Somalia, has occasionally drawn criticism from Mogadishu, which views such contacts as infringing on Somalia’s sovereignty.

The ministry, however, said Kenya is “firmly grounded in adherence to the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, the Constitutive Act of the African Union, the Treaty and Protocols of the East African Community as well as Kenya’s Foreign Policy.”

These instruments, the ministry notesd, “uphold the values of non-interference in the internal affairs of States and the peaceful resolution of disputes”.

The statement highlighted the longstanding relationship between Kenya and Somalia, describing it as “anchored on deep historical ties, shared cultural heritage, and enduring bonds of kinship.”

These foundations, it said, “continue to inform our collective aspirations for peace, security, and sustainable development in the region.”

In regarding Somalia as a strategic ally in advancing their shared objectives, Kenya reaffirmed her commitment to fostering bilateral relations “based on mutual trust, respect for sovereignty, and recognition of territorial integrity”.

Support for Somalia’s state-building agenda

As Somalia continues its state-building journey, the Foreign Affairs Ministry emphasised Kenya’s role as a neighbour, partner and regional power will remain crucial.

Kenya’s support to Somalia has included development aid, training, and diplomatic backing for Somalia’s federal institutions.

Besides, the country hosts a large Somali diaspora and has played a pivotal role in regional security, including contributing troops to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), formerly AMISOM, to combat al-Shabaab militants.

However, Nairobi’s contacts with Jubaland and Somaliland have sometimes been a source of friction.

Jubaland’s leader, Ahmed Madobe, has enjoyed close ties with Kenyan authorities, while Somaliland, though not internationally recognised, has sought to expand its diplomatic footprint in East Africa.

Kenya, however, sought to reaffirm its committment to supporting Somalia’s sovereignty.

“As Somalia continues to advance its state-building and institutional development agenda, the Government of Kenya stands ready to support these efforts through sustained dialogue, enhanced regional cooperation, and mutually beneficial partnerships,” the statement reads.

Continued engagement with Jubaland, Somaliland

The statement, however, added that Kenya will maintain contact and relations with sub-national governments in Jubaland and Somaliland to advance the partnership.

It statement said such engagement will be done in consultation with the Federal Government of Somalia “in line with the principles of mutual respect and good neighbourliness”.

The aim? “To establish contact and as well as diplomatic presence as may be agreed from time to time with the aim of supporting security cooperation and commercial interests and in line with the principles of mutual respect and good neighbourliness,” the ministry stated.

This nuanced approach reflects Kenya’s balancing act: supporting Somalia’s federal government while engaging with influential regional administrations to address security, trade, and humanitarian concerns.

The ministry concluded its statement by reaffirming Kenya’s readiness to “support these efforts through sustained dialogue, enhanced regional cooperation, and mutually beneficial partnerships”.

Source the Star

Tuesday 27, May 2025 {HMC} The Minister of Defense of the Federal Government of Somalia, H.E. Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, held a high-level meeting with James Swan, Head of the United Nations Transitional Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS), to discuss enhanced collaboration between the Ministry and UN agencies operating in the country.

The meeting focused on reinforcing joint efforts, particularly with agencies working closely with the Ministry of Defense, and supporting the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).

Both sides praised the recent successful operations carried out jointly by the Somali National Army, the patriotic local fighters, and international partners, which dealt significant blows to the al-Shabaab militants in recent weeks.