MOGADISHU, Somalia — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Tuesday received Her Royal Highness Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, at the National Palace in Mogadishu, in talks focused on strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation in key social sectors.
The meeting formed part of the Duchess’s two-day diplomatic visit to Somalia, held from February 23 to 24, her first official trip to the country. Discussions centred on reinforcing the longstanding partnership between Somalia and the United Kingdom, with particular emphasis on education, social development, women’s rights, and child welfare.
According to statements from Somali officials, President Hassan Sheikh commended the Duchess for her international advocacy on behalf of women and children. He underscored the Federal Government’s commitment to advancing policies that promote social protection, inclusive education, gender equality, and the overall empowerment of women and vulnerable communities.
The two sides also explored ways to align UK-supported programmes with Somalia’s national development priorities, including improving access to quality education and strengthening safeguards for women and survivors of gender-based violence. During the visit, the Duchess expressed support for Somalia’s Women, Peace and Security National Action Plan and encouraged continued efforts to ensure women’s participation in peace and governance processes.
As part of her engagements, the Duchess met with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and received briefings from local partner organisations working on women’s rights and community support initiatives. She also visited a hospital in Mogadishu to observe a UK-backed sexual and reproductive health programme operating across 39 health facilities in several regions, including Banadir, Bay, Mudug, Lower Shabelle, and Galgaduud. The programme reportedly supported nearly 130,000 women and girls during the 2024 to 2025 period.
In addition, she travelled to Lower Shabelle to meet with families of serving Somali soldiers, highlighting ongoing cooperation between the two countries in security and stabilisation efforts.
For her part, the Duchess thanked the president for the warm reception extended to her and her delegation. She reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to strengthening its strategic partnership with Somalia and supporting initiatives aimed at promoting stability, development, and inclusive growth.
The visit underscored continued diplomatic engagement between Somalia and the United Kingdom as both sides seek to advance shared priorities in social development, security cooperation, and long-term resilience.
