PRESS RELEASE
30 November 2013
His Excellency President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud today welcomed His Excellency Akin Oyateru, the Nigerian Ambassador to Somalia, to Villa Somalia.
Accompanied by Her Excellency Fawzia Yusuf Adam, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, His Excellency Minister A. F. Okoh from Nigeria, and senior Nigerian AMISOM police commanders, the Ambassador pledged his country’s commitment to supporting ongoing efforts to stabilize Somalia.
Nigeria will provide security, military and intelligence support to Somalia, in particular combating the terrorist group Al Shabaab, which has links to the Boko Haram group in Nigeria. Nigeria has been participating in efforts to bring peace to Somalia since 1991 and provided peacekeepers to the UNISOM mission. It currently contributes a Formed Police Unit of Nigerian police officers to AMISOM in Mogadishu and this may be extended to Kismayo in the future.
The President said: “Somalia is a country with a prolonged period of conflict that has devastated the institutions we are now rebuilding. Nigeria is a highly valued partner and friend of long standing. We are deeply grateful for Nigeria’s support to AMISOM and the broader efforts to bring peace to our country.”
The Ambassador presented the President with a letter from His Excellency President Jonathan Goodluck of Nigeria to make an official state visit to Nigeria in early 2014.
ENDS
Malik Abdalla
Director of Communications
Office of the President
Federal Republic of Somalia
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