Somalia receives new Turkish, EU ambassadors

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Thursday received the credentials of the newly appointed ambassadors of Türkiye and the European Union, as Mogadishu seeks to strengthen diplomatic cooperation with key international partners.

President Hassan received Ambassador Ferhat Alkan, Türkiye’s new envoy to Somalia, and Ambassador László Máthé, the new EU ambassador, during a ceremony at the National Presidential Palace in Mogadishu.

The two diplomats formally begin their assignments in Somalia after presenting their credentials to the president.

During the meeting, Hassan highlighted what his government described as progress in security, state-building, democratization and national development.

The Somali president also stressed the importance of strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation with Türkiye and the European Union, saying closer partnerships would help advance shared interests and objectives.

Türkiye has been a major partner of Somalia in areas including security, development and infrastructure, while the European Union remains an important political and development partner and provides support to Somalia’s security and state-building efforts.

The newly appointed ambassadors conveyed greetings and messages from their respective governments and institutions to the Somali president.

According to the Somali presidency, the diplomats also welcomed Somalia’s progress in state-building, security and development.

The credential ceremony marks the formal start of the ambassadors’ diplomatic duties in Somalia and comes as Mogadishu continues to deepen relations with international partners on security, development and institutional strengthening.