Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Mogadishu (Agenzia Fides) - "The election of Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, which took place on Monday, May 16, 2022, opens up new possibilities for peace and cooperation in the Horn of Africa and in particular with Ethiopia". This is what Professor Sonkor Geyre, president of the Institute for Federalism and Security Analysis (IFSA), told Agenzia Fides. After 15 months of procrastination, Somalia has a new president. Mohamud, who ruled the country from 2012-201, was elected by MPs and senators who voted in a tent pitched near Mogadishu airport, which is under curfew, and is the first president to be re-elected. In the interview given to Agenzia Fides, Professor Geyre, who is also one of the most prominent figures in Somalia for the construction of peace processes and a deep connoisseur of Ethiopia, underlined the need for countries in the Horn of Africa to seek a policy that brings common benefits. "The Horn of Africa needs to develop. The region has enough resources, a huge market, we have very good human resources, what we need is leadership that turns into the future and unifies the common development agenda". "Ethiopia is a very important country for Somalia. We have been working on a common vision for the Horn of Africa for a long time, and the new Somali president has the skills and experience to continue to strengthen these relations, both in the field of security and in that of trade and development". It should be mentioned that Ethiopia is one of the African countries that has most supported peacebuilding efforts in Somalia. The peacekeeping force currently has 4,000 Ethiopian soldiers, who are helping to fight Al-Shabaab terrorists, who control large areas of central and southern Somalia. (GF/AP) (Agenzia Fides, 20/5/2022)
