UN-AU led delegation met with Jubaland administration in Kismayo

Hiiraan Online
Sunday February 12, 2017

UN SRSG Michael Keating (L) met with President Madobe (R) in Kismayo on Sunday

Kismayo (HOL) - A large international delegation led by Special Representative to the Secretary-General (UN SRSG) and the Special Representative of the African Union Commission for Somalia Francisco Madeira arrived in the port city of Kismayo today to meet with the leaders of Jubaland State.

Michael Keating and Franciso Madeira arrived with members of other UN offices and met with the region's top leaders at the Presidential Palace where they discussed humanitarian issues and relief efforts for the ongoing drought as well as security concerns.

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Jubaland President Ahmed Mohamed 'Madobe' Islam said the security issues were discussed "deeply" and that they agreed to begin coordinating joint operations against militant insurgency group Al-Shabaab to liberate the vast swaths of land still under their control.

Just last week, Al-Shabaab beheaded four civilians at a public square in the town of Jamame, 65 km west of Kismayo. Al-Shabaab accused the group of spying for the Jubaland.

UN SRSG Michael Keating congratulated Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed Madobe for his win in the regional elections, adding that key on his agenda for discussions was coordinating efforts to avoid a humanitarian disaster in Somalia. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), the number of people in crisis or facing emergency food insecurity has ballooned to nearly 3 million people in Somalia.

The UN-AU delegation was led by the UN SRSG and the Special Representative to the AU

(Additional reporting by Hassan Nur in Kismayo)

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