Mogadisho, (Isbahaysi) — Isbahaysi Media has learned that Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s recent diplomatic efforts with the U.S. have met with failure. The President’s two requests to U.S. Ambassador Richard H. Riley, who recently presented his credentials, were both declined.
President Mohamud initially requested that Ambassador Riley visit Hargeisa to reaffirm U.S. support for Somalia’s unity and to oppose Ethiopian interference. The Ambassador declined, citing restructuring tasks at the embassy. Following this, President Mohamud requested that the Ambassador hold a press conference supporting Somalia’s position against the Ethiopia-Somaliland agreement. This request also remains unaddressed by the U.S. Embassy in Somalia.
Facing significant political pressure and stronger Ethiopian diplomacy, President Mohamud has shifted his approach from initial resistance to a more conciliatory stance, hoping to gain Western support by showing willingness to allow Ethiopia access to Somali ports.
In a recent speech at the East African Community meeting, a visibly pressured President Mohamud expressed his government’s openness to Ethiopia utilizing Somali ports.
Isbahaysi Media previously reported that President Mohamud’s administration has dropped its conditions for negotiations with Ethiopia, including retracting the port agreement with Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi.
Additionally, Isbahaysi has learned that President Mohamud canceled a planned trip to the U.S. for a seminar on good governance in the Horn of Africa. Concerns over Ethiopia’s potential recognition of Somaliland by the end of this month, and the pressure it might bring during his absence, prompted the cancellation.
The Somali presidency is actively engaging with international embassies in Mogadishu, though many appear uninterested in the Ethiopia-Somalia dispute, with some openly supporting the agreement between Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somaliland President Muse Bihi.
Two years into his term, this marks the second major diplomatic setback for President Mohamud, following the collapse of his attempt to close the UN Office in Mogadishu (UNSOM) due to U.S. pressure to keep it operational.
