Monday, November 19, 2012
MOGADISHU, Somalia, November 19, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The out-going Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia, Ambassador Boubacar Gaoussou Diarra paid a one day visit to Mogadishu where he took the opportunity to officially introduce the in-coming SRCC Ambassador Mahamat Saleh Annadif to the Prime Minister of the Federal Government, H.E. Abdi Farah Shirdon and Speaker of the Federal Parliament, H.E. Mohamed Osman Jawari.
Ambassador Diarra said the incoming AU Special Representative has rich experience in international relations which he said will be very helpful to the Somali peace process especially at this critical point that the country is making tremendous progress both on political and security fronts with support from the international community.
“Ambassador Annadif has held the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chief of Staff for the President of Chad as well as Permanent Representative of the African Union Commission to the European Union in Brussels.” Said ambassador Diarra.
Ambassador Boubacar Gaoussou Diarra who has held the position of AU Special Representative for Somalia (SRCC) since January 2010 is scheduled to leave towards the end of this month for Burundi where he is expected to take up another appointment as the Special Representative of the AU Commission for the Great Lakes Region. He leaves the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) having played a key role in the country's political process which culminated into the ending of the transitional period and the withdrawal of Al-Shabaab terrorist group from strategic areas thereby creating the longest period of relative peace and security in two decades.
The Somali Prime Minister, H.E. Abdi Farah Shirdon and Speaker, H.E. Mohamed Osman Jawari expressed their appreciation for AMISOM's continued support to peace and security in the country and pledged their commitment to working with the incoming AU Special Representative, Ambassador Mahamat Saleh Annadif as the country consolidates the current gains and as it embarks on the process of rebuilding its state institutions and infrastructure.