Jubaland ‘Sought’ to Open a Representative Office in Nairobi

Garowe (PP News Desk) — At a question and answer session on the first day of Forum for Ideas Confrence in Garowe Jubaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam shared an anecdote about his attempt to open a Jubaland representative office in Nairobi.

“I had the intention to open a Jubaland representative office in Nairobi. Rather than opening a seperate representative office in Nairobi, a decision that could damage the image of the Somali Embassy, I approached Ambassador Jamal [Hassan] and asked for him to accommodate the Jubaland representative’s office because I share a long border with Kenya, and Kenyan troops are in Jubaland” President Ahmed said.

A diplomatic faux pas: President Ahmed sought to open a Jubaland Representative Office in Nairobi.

Jubaland President’s remarks raised eyebrows in Garowe. “He shows that his knowledge of how diplomatic relations between countries get conducted is less than satisfactory” an invited participant from Mogadishu told Puntland Post correspondent. No Federal Member State has a representative office outside Somalia.

Our correspondent reports that in his keynote speech Jubaland President sarcastically suggested to President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohammed to form a party similar to the former Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party and onduct an election for one political party.

President Ahmed changed his mind on a part of September agreement about conducting separate elections in Gedo and Kismayo.

Last year the Federal Government of Somalia granted Jubaland President recognition on the basis of a two-year term in office contrary to his claim that he will lead Jubaland for four years following parallel elections held in Kismayo in 2019.

© Puntland Post, 2020