(Muqdisho, Isbahaysi) Prime Minister Hamza of the Federal Government of Somalia has embarked on a significant trip to Iraq. Accompanied by members of his government and the head of Intelligence and Security, Sanbalooshe, Hamza’s journey has sparked a flurry of reports about its diverse objectives.
Sources indicate that the primary focus of Hamza’s trip is on business, specifically related to the oil sector. The Somali delegation is expected to meet with various oil traders. This follows a visit to Somalia by Iraqi businessmen and oil traders.
On June 5th, Somali Minister of Petroleum, MP Abdirizak Mohamed, met with Abdul Hadi Al-Khasnawi, whom the Minister described as the Deputy Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament. However, an investigation by Coalition Media revealed that Al-Khasnawi is not part of the Iraqi Parliament’s leadership.
Al-Khasnawi, a former chair of the Parliamentary Oil Subcommittee in Iraq, is now a businessman deeply involved in the oil trade. His visit to Mogadishu was centered on business discussions about oil. The reasons behind the Somali Minister of Petroleum’s misrepresentation of Al-Khasnawi’s official role remain unclear.
A secondary objective of Hamza’s trip is reportedly to restore diplomatic relations with Iran, with Iraq acting as a mediator. During President Hassan Sheikh’s previous term, Somalia severed ties with Iran, influenced by Saudi financial incentives to cut off relations with Tehran.
The current government under President Hassan Sheikh seems intent on mending these ties. Recently, the federal government sent condolences to Iran over the death of the Iranian president and instructed Somali ambassadors worldwide to convey their sympathies at Iranian embassies.
Hamza’s visit marks the first time a Somali Prime Minister has visited Iraq since the collapse of Somalia’s central government. Meanwhile, Iraq is still dealing with the repercussions of its own governmental collapse in 2003.
