A UN delegation led by Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo is expected to visit Mogadishu on Wednesday. DiCarlo and her delegation will meet with top leaders of Somalia, and hold mediabriefing at the office of the Prime Minister, at the end of the meeting. Sources close to PM’s office indicate that the meeting will focus on the recent fallout between the UN and the federal government, regarding the expulsion of the former special representative of the UN secretary-general for Somalia, Nicholas Haysom.
The delegation and the government of Somalia, will address the way forward and future cooperation between UN and Somalia. Sources also confirmed that the UN is expected to make reforms on UN mission in Somalia, and address the challenges between the government and UN mission.
This will be the first high level UN delegation to visit Somalia since the federal government declared Mr. Nicholas Haysom, a persona non-grata. The UN Secretary General is expected to appoint a new envoy to Somalia in the next few months. Early this month, the federal government of Somalia declared Mr. Haysom, the UN envoy “persona non-grata,” saying that the UN envoy is not welcome in the nation. The government accused the UN envoy of “violating protocols” and “deliberately interfering” in the internal affairs of the Horn of Africa country.
The move by Somali government came after the UN envoy asked clarification from the government, on whether UN-supported forces were involved in the shooting of demonstrators in Baidoa on December 13, and the arrest of former Al-Shabaab deputy leader, Mukhtar Robow who was vying for the highest office of Southwest regional state.
