President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has traveled to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) today following an official invitation from the Emirati government.
During his visit, the president is expected to hold high-level meetings with UAE officials. However, the Somali presidency has yet to release an official statement regarding the trip, which is customary for presidential travels.
This visit comes at a critical time when Somalia is engaged in an intense military campaign against Al-Shabaab. After significant gains in the first phase of operations, the militant group has recently regrouped and launched counteroffensives in several parts of the country.
The timing of the trip is also significant, given recent tensions between Somalia and the UAE. Just weeks ago, Abu Dhabi hosted Somaliland’s leader with full diplomatic honors—an act that Somalia’s federal government strongly condemned as a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
This marks President Hassan Sheikh’s first visit to Abu Dhabi since the controversial summit, raising speculation about whether the trip is a routine diplomatic engagement or an effort to mend strained relations between the two nations.
