Mogadishu — Somalia has issued a carefully framed clarification on its position regarding the Western Sahara dispute, following days of political noise triggered by a controversial diplomatic moment in Rabat and rising speculation about the country’s regional loyalties.
In a statement released in Mogadishu, the Foreign Ministry stressed that Somalia’s official stance on Western Sahara is expressed solely through formal government communications, pushing back against interpretations circulating in regional media. The ministry reaffirmed that Somalia supports the UN-led political process, encourages direct negotiations between the two parties, and backs efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy.
The wording appeared aimed at cooling tensions that followed a recent communiqué signed in Rabat, which some outlets portrayed as full Somali endorsement of Morocco’s sovereignty and autonomy proposal. The Foreign Ministry’s new statement avoided any explicit endorsement of that plan, instead centering Somalia’s policy firmly around UN resolutions and diplomatic negotiations.
Balancing Between Rabat and Algiers
The clarification came on the heels of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s official visit to Algeria in November, where he held talks with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and signed multiple cooperation agreements. Although the visit focused on expanding bilateral partnership in areas such as education, energy, and security, it unfolded against the backdrop of renewed global attention on Western Sahara following recent UN deliberations.
Diplomatic observers say the timing of the Rabat communiqué created discomfort in Mogadishu, especially after the president’s engagement with Algerian leadership — a key regional actor with firm positions on Western Sahara and longstanding support for the Polisario Front. The new statement appears designed to prevent misinterpretations that Somalia is shifting decisively toward one side of the North African divide.
Careful Wording, Diplomatic Tightrope
Notably, the Foreign Ministry’s clarification emphasized “strengthening cooperation with Morocco” and mutual respect for national unity and sovereignty, signaling that Mogadishu does not intend to damage its growing ties with Rabat. At the same time, the statement avoided language that could be read as undermining its relationship with Algeria or contradicting Somalia’s traditional backing of UN-led dialogue.
The result is a diplomatic balancing act: reaffirming neutrality, maintaining access to both partnerships, and keeping Somalia’s foreign policy tightly under the control of state institutions.
