MOGADISHU, Somalia — A United Arab Emirates delegation led by Minister Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan made an unannounced visit to Mogadishu.
The visit followed Wednesday’s arrival of Sudanese intelligence chief General Ahmed Ibrahim Mufaddal, who held talks with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
Reliable sources said the UAE expressed concern over Mufaddal’s visit, amid rising tensions over competing alliances and influence in the Horn of Africa.
Sheikh Shakhbout held talks with President Mohamud, focusing on diplomatic relations, regional security, and economic cooperation.
He also delivered a personal letter from President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to President Mohamud.
President Mohamud thanked the UAE for ongoing support and reaffirmed closer bilateral cooperation.
The visit comes amid strained UAE-Somalia relations, linked to Emirati support for Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, known as the RSF.
Somalia backs Sudan’s internationally recognized government, currently fighting RSF forces reportedly funded and armed by the UAE, according to Western diplomats.
During his visit, General Mufaddal also brought a message from Sudanese leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan to expand bilateral cooperation with Somalia.
The UAE faces allegations of interference aimed at influencing Somalia’s political alignment and foreign policy decisions.
Somalia backs Sudan’s government, while the UAE supports the RSF — a sign of deepening rivalries and changing power dynamics across East Africa.
