Sunday June 15, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) –
Former Somali Foreign Minister Ambassador Ahmed Isse Awad has strongly
criticized a recent letter from the Somali government that called for the
dissolution of the C6+ international coordination framework, describing it as
diplomatically improper and damaging to the country's international standing.
Speaking during a televised debate program on Universal
Somali TV Saturday night, Ambassador Awad described the letter as “shameful”
and said it reflected a deeper disregard for Somalia’s diplomatic norms and the
integrity of state institutions.
“A minister of state cannot write and sign a letter
declaring that the C6+ no longer exists. He did not create C6+. These are
foreign embassies operating in the country — and they are the ones managing us.
A minister who says such a thing would not even be allowed into Halane without
being checked by a Ugandan soldier,” said Awad.
The C6+ framework includes representatives from the UN, AU,
EU, US, UK, Turkey, and IGAD, and was established during Somalia’s transitional
period to coordinate political engagement and international support for
state-building and security. It has been central to Somalia’s recovery over the
past decade.
Awad also pointed out that the government's frustration
appeared to stem from the C6+ group’s outreach to the opposition and its calls
for political reconciliation.
“What angered them is that the C6+ met with the opposition.
The ambassadors advised the president: ‘Reconcile with your people. Talk to
Jubbaland, talk to Puntland. Don’t change the constitution unilaterally. Unite
as Somalis,’” Awad explained.
He further criticized Somalia’s current leadership for
prioritizing personal interests over national unity and inclusive governance.
On June 12, Somalia’s Office of the State Minister for
Foreign Affairs sent a letter to UN Special Representative James Swan, formally
calling for the dissolution of the C6+. The letter argued that Somalia is no
longer in a transitional phase, but a sovereign state with stable institutions,
and that the continuation of such a framework was “outdated and
counterproductive.”
The letter has sparked backlash from opposition leaders and
former officials, who say the move risks isolating Somalia from its
international partners and could reverse progress made on security, governance,
and diplomacy.