UK embassy in Mogadishu hosted the first Soma li- UK dual nationals in an event spearheaded by UK Ambassador to Somalia Mike Nithanvriankis
Abdirahman Abdishakur, Special Presidential Envoy for Drought response was among high ranking Somali government officials that attended the event.
Ambassador Nithavrianakis thanked the Somali-Uk nationals for vital role they play in fostering ties between the two nations at grassroot level .
” I want to firstly congratulate and pay tribute for the contribution you are making to both countries because frankly government representatives esentati ves can only do so much to tie biletaral relations hips together, its down to the individuals , the people to people links , the soft power that you bring , particularly a country like Somalia that has had so many challenges to face”
UK and Somalia have strong historical ties dating back to the 19th century.
On 25 April 2013, the UK became the first western country to re-open its embassy in Somalia , after it’s closure at the start of civil war in 1991 .
Over the years , UK has supported Somalia’s federal government in several sectors including supporting a counter-terrorism strategy led and owned by Somalis, in collaboration with important international partners, to degrade and defeat al-Shabaab. This includes aid with security sector reform, police force development, and security force assistance.
The United Kingdom has also played a critical role in providing vital aid to Somalia in response to its growing risk of famine – as climate change threatens to make such crises more frequent.
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