MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – African Union chair Moussa Faki Mahamat on Saturday rejected the expulsion of his special envoy to Somalia Francisco Madeira over alleged interference in the Horn of Africa country’s political affairs.
“The Chairperson reaffirms his full trust and confidence in SRCC Ambassador Madeira and reiterates the African Union’s continued commitment to support the sisterly nation of the Federal Republic of Somalia in its pursuit to restore lasting peace, security and stability,” the Chairperson of the African Union said in a statement.
“In this regard, the Chairperson notes with appreciation, the official letter dated 7 April 2022 from H.E. President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed that regretted the issuance of the aforementioned press release, while reaffirming the commitment of the Federal Government of Somalia to continue its working relationship with Ambassador Madeira in particular, and the new AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) in general.”
On Thursday, Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble declared the AU envoy persona non grata for “engaging in acts that are incompatible with his status” and ordered him to leave the country within 48 hours, triggering a rebuke from the President who called the decision “reckless” and “illegitimate”. read more
Mr Faki expressed “concern at the Press Statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister of Somalia regarding the status of the Special Representative of the AU Chairperson of the Commission (SRCC) for Somalia”.
In an undated leaked audio, Madeira – a Mozambican who had been named to the office in 2015 – appeared to launch a stinging attack on Somali Prime Minister, two former presidents and some of the regional states against the incumbent President, in what some of the country’s political stakeholders labeled a violation of the AU peacekeeping mission. read more
Somalia’s opposition leaders and Hawiye traditional elders hailed the Premier’s decision to expel Madeira and urged the African Union mission in Somalia not to cross the boundaries of its operations.
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