Saturday May 3, 2025
Baidoa (HOL) — The UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, James Swan, met with South West State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed ‘Laftagareen’ and his cabinet in Baidoa on Wednesday, focusing on national political dialogue, security operations, electoral planning, and humanitarian assistance.
Speaking at a joint press conference following the meeting, Swan emphasized the need for unity and inclusive dialogue among Somalia’s political stakeholders to strengthen state-building and counter the ongoing threat from Al-Shabaab.
“I underscored the importance of unity and inclusive dialogue among Somalia’s political and community leaders,” said Swan. “We welcome the initiative announced by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud during his Eid-al-Fitr message to arrange a platform that brings together the full range of Somali voices to advance the country’s state-building priorities and respond effectively to the Al-Shabaab threat.”
The visit follows a similar meeting last week with Galmudug President Ahmed Abdi Karie ‘Qoor Qoor’ in Dhusamareb. Both visits come amid renewed international support for President Mohamud’s call for consensus-building among Somali federal and regional leaders.
A joint statement from 28 international partners, including the United Nations, earlier last month backed the president’s initiative and stressed the urgency of aligning political efforts to combat Al-Shabaab and implement direct elections.
South West State matters
Discussions in Baidoa also focused on internal developments in South West State, including voter registration efforts and preparations for direct local council elections. Swan stressed the importance of maintaining an open political space to ensure the success of these initiatives.
“In that regard, I recalled the importance of an open political environment to permit the successful conduct of elections at all levels,” he said.
On humanitarian needs, Swan acknowledged the deteriorating conditions in the region and reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to working with humanitarian partners to provide relief while linking emergency assistance to long-term development goals.
“In collaboration with humanitarian partners, the United Nations is working hand-in-hand with the South West State authorities to address these urgent needs,” Mr. Swan said. “And we want to give priority to those who most need assistance. We also, of course, want to link the humanitarian response to this state’s longer-term development needs.”
On the security front, the UN Special Representative spoke to South West State’s steadfastness in the fight against the Al-Shabaab terrorist group.
“I commend the ongoing efforts by the Somali National Army and South West State forces to defend and recover territory in different regions of the state,” Mr. Swan said. “These efforts are testament to the courage and tenacity of the Somali forces battling Al-Shabaab.”
The UN envoy concluded his remarks by reaffirming the UN’s continued support for South West State’s governance agenda and thanked President Laftagareen for his cooperation and leadership during a pivotal period for Somalia.