1. Home
  2. East Africa
  3. Somalia

AU appoints special envoy

The interim chairman of the African Union (AU), Amara Essy, has appointed a special envoy for Somalia, according to an AU press statement.

The envoy, Muhammad Ali Foum, who was appointed on Thursday, is a former Tanzanian diplomat. He is expected to travel in the coming days to the western Kenyan town of Eldoret, where Somali peace talks are currently underway, the statement said.

It added that the appointment comes within the framework of enhancing the AU's role in conflict resolution in Africa.

"As part of his mandate, Mr Foum will liaise with the countries of the region, with the IGAD [Intergovernmental Authority on Development] Secretariat, as well as with AU partners to see how best the African Union can support the ongoing efforts aimed at bringing to an end the conflict that has devastated Somalia for the past decade," the statement concluded.


This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

Share this article

Our ability to deliver compelling, field-based reporting on humanitarian crises rests on a few key principles: deep expertise, an unwavering commitment to amplifying affected voices, and a belief in the power of independent journalism to drive real change.

We need your help to sustain and expand our work. Your donation will support our unique approach to journalism, helping fund everything from field-based investigations to the innovative storytelling that ensures marginalised voices are heard.

Please consider joining our membership programme. Together, we can continue to make a meaningful impact on how the world responds to crises.

Become a member of The New Humanitarian

Support our journalism and become more involved in our community. Help us deliver informative, accessible, independent journalism that you can trust and provides accountability to the millions of people affected by crises worldwide.

Join