Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud attended the 32nd Arab League summit in Jeddah on Friday. The summit brings together 22 member countries represented by their respective heads of state and government, along with five observer nations.
During his remarks at the summit, President Mohamud highlighted Somalia’s progress and goals. Specifically, he emphasized the Somali government’s new anti-terror operations and the readiness of the Somali Army to assume security responsibility from African Union troops. He also discussed Somalia’s debt relief goals and political stability, calling on Arab nations to increase their support for Somalia’s recovery.
“We must enhance and strengthen cooperation at the Arab level. Somalia is currently recovering from challenging circumstances, and we hope for increased brotherly support from all of you. A stable and peaceful Somalia is a victory for all Arab countries,” said the President.
Among other issues, President Hassan Sheikh welcomed the Syrian Republic’s return to the Arab League Forum, expressing the support of the government and the people of Somalia. He also reiterated Somalia’s request for the people of Sudan to cease the war and engage in negotiations to resolve the situation.
Meanwhile, the re-entry of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad into the Arab League at the Jeddah summit has been a controversial issue. After more than a decade of isolation, al-Assad participated in the regional bloc’s 32nd summit, marking his first attendance since Syria’s suspension following the outbreak of war in 2011. In his speech, he described the summit as a “historic opportunity” to address regional crises.
However, hundreds of people protested in northern Syria against his presence at the event. Rebel-held areas have been critical of the Arab League’s decision to readmit al-Assad, given the continued humanitarian crisis within Syria.
In conclusion, the 32nd Arab League summit in Jeddah brought together leaders from across the region to address critical issues. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud represented Somalia, highlighting the country’s progress and goals, including the new anti-terror operations and the goal of assuming security responsibility from African Union troops. The re-entry of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has also been a divisive issue at the summit, with some nations welcoming his return while others protesting it.