Friday August 29, 2025
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud shakes hands with UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan during a meeting in Mogadishu on August 27, 2025. CREDIT/ SONNA
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia’s government has rejected speculation that recent visits by delegations from Sudan and the United Arab Emirates were connected, dismissing online claims that tied them to Sudan’s civil war.
The Somali National News Agency (SONNA), the state-run outlet, said reports circulating on social media were “fabricated” and misrepresented the purpose of the UAE delegation’s trip. “In recent hours, fabricated reports have circulated on social media, wrongly connecting this visit to the arrival of another international delegation,” SONNA said.
Officials emphasized that the UAE visit had been planned weeks in advance and focused exclusively on strengthening bilateral relations. The delegation, led by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, met with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Mogadishu on August 27. During the meeting, Sheikh Shakhboot delivered a special message from UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, reaffirming Abu Dhabi’s commitment to deepen ties.
Talks between the two sides centered on economic cooperation and security.
The UAE delegation’s trip followed a visit by a Sudanese delegation led by Maj. Gen. Ahmed Ibrahim Ali Mufaddal, director-general of Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Service. Somali officials said Mufaddal delivered a message from Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council, reaffirming Sudan’s commitment to expand cooperation with Somalia. The details of the message were not disclosed.
The timing of the two trips prompted speculation because Sudan has accused the UAE of supporting the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group fighting Sudan’s army. Sudan cut diplomatic ties with the UAE earlier this year, alleging repeated military, financial, and political support for the RSF.
The UAE has denied the accusations. In 2023, Sudan filed a case at the International Court of Justice accusing Abu Dhabi of complicity in genocide. Judges dismissed the case in a 14–2 ruling after determining the UAE had withdrawn from Article 9 of the Genocide Convention, which prevents states from being sued over genocide-related claims.
Somali officials stressed that the two visits were unrelated.
