Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, where he is attending a high-level summit of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council (PSC), a key body tasked with addressing conflicts across the continent.
The summit, convened by the African Union (AU), focuses on the prolonged crisis in Libya, a nation plagued by political fragmentation and armed conflict since the fall of Gaddafi in 2011.
Leaders from across the continent have gathered to chart a collective African-led solution to the Libyan conflict, aiming for long-term peace, political reconciliation, and regional stability.
President Hassan Sheikh is expected to deliver a keynote speech outlining Somalia’s position on:
- The importance of peace and security across Africa, especially in fragile states;
- The need for homegrown, African-led peace processes;
- And the shared responsibility of African nations in resolving internal conflicts through diplomacy, not guns.
“Peace in Libya is peace for all of Africa,” one official traveling with the president told Radio Dalsan. “Somalia knows the cost of war, and we’re here to share lessons and push for unity.”
Sources close to the president’s delegation confirmed that President Hassan Sheikh will hold closed-door meetings with other African leaders, including:
- Heads of state from East and North Africa.
- Senior officials from the African Union.
- Key international partners observing the summit.
These meetings are expected to strengthen Somalia’s diplomatic ties and expand cooperation on security, economic development, and regional integration.
The summit comes at a time when the Horn of Africa and northern parts of the continent are undergoing rapid geopolitical changes. From power struggles in Sudan, to tensions in the Red Sea corridor, to the Libyan stalemate—Africa faces a growing list of intertwined challenges.
This makes the AU summit not just symbolic, but strategically urgent. It’s an attempt to speak with one voice — an African voice — on matters long dominated by outside interventions.
President Hassan Sheikh’s presence in Addis Ababa is more than just protocol. It’s part of a broader foreign policy shift where Somalia is stepping out of the shadows of civil conflict and positioning itself as a regional voice of peace, diplomacy, and resilience.
With Somalia inching closer to debt relief, democratic reforms, and stabilization, this kind of engagement signals that Mogadishu wants a seat at Africa’s main table — not just as a participant, but as a contributor.
