RIYADH: Somalia is aware of from bitter expertise {that a} political finish can’t be reached via violence, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the Somali president, has mentioned, discussing the continued cycle of violence between Israel and the Palestinians.
After a long time of political instability, terrorist violence, and overseas intervention, the war-scarred nation on the Horn of Africa has seen a gradual shift towards stabilization, mirrored in its current outreach to African neighbors and the Arab world.
Mohamud informed Arab Information that the violence between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas wouldn’t deal with the foundation causes of the battle — one thing that might solely be achieved by a political settlement within the type of the two-state answer.
He mentioned: “As Somalis, we’ve been in an setting of violence for a very long time. We all know the place the violence finally ends up, and the implications, and the consequence on the finish of violence. Nobody can attain a political finish via violence. It can not occur.
“There’s a worldwide accepted answer. Two states, Palestine and Israel, residing collectively facet by facet, peacefully. And it will possibly occur. It’s potential. Why don’t we go forward with that?”
For greater than a month, the Gaza Strip has been underneath intense Israeli bombardment in retaliation for the unprecedented Oct. 7 cross-border assault mounted by Hamas on southern Israel, wherein 1,400 individuals had been killed, most of them civilians, and 240 taken hostage.
Israel’s bombardment, and subsequent floor operation, has resulted in additional than 11,000 deaths, based on the Hamas-run well being ministry, and the displacement of greater than half the inhabitants of Gaza.
“What’s occurring in Palestine, significantly at this time in Gaza, is a particular case, one thing that’s opposite to all human values within the ethical sense.
“It’s not about faith solely, it’s not about Arab solely, it’s not about regionalism. That is humanity. Kids are dying. Moms are struggling. Harmless civilians are struggling,” Mohamud added.
The president spoke to Arab Information following the inaugural Saudi-African Summit and the fifth Arab-African Summit, which passed off in Riyadh on Nov. 11 and 12, bringing collectively representatives from each areas to debate commerce and cooperation.
He welcomed nearer ties between Somalia and Saudi Arabia, highlighting their shared historical past, spiritual bonds, and customary safety pursuits.
Mohamud mentioned: “Somalia and Saudi Arabia have a really, very lengthy and historic relationship due to the proximity of our geographic places and due to the widespread values that we’ve — the Islamic faith, the lifestyle, the Arab values and tradition, in fact. So, there’s quite a lot of points that hyperlink us with Saudi Arabia.
“The twenty first century and globalism is one other problem that makes us get collectively. We’ve got a typical enemy just like the extremists, just like the terrorists, just like the fundamentalism within the mistaken course.
“Since all of us have the widespread place of Islam, our heritage has at all times been linked collectively. So, that’s the background that we’re coming from,” he added.
Mohamud identified that he was particularly grateful for the Kingdom’s humanitarian help, counterterrorism experience, and diplomatic assist, at a time when Somalia has suffered insurgency, instability, and financial disaster.
“Somalia has been in a tough scenario for the final three a long time. And Saudi Arabia has at all times been with Somalia for all these three a long time when it comes to humanitarian, when it comes to safety, when it comes to international politics and diplomatic assist offered to Somalia. That’s the stage of our relationship.
“And at this time, underneath the management of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, we’re bettering. Day by day there’s a new progress in our relationship, new confidence, new relations, new areas on that,” he mentioned.
Mohamud famous that safety and counterterrorism had been a very robust space of cooperation.
“Somalia is a rustic that’s popping out of an extended, long-term battle. We went right into a warfare with the terrorists, as did Saudi Arabia someday previously and succeeded. There isn’t any higher place than Saudi Arabia to hunt recommendation and expertise within the warfare towards terrorism,” he added.
The Saudi-African Summit was organized in recognition of Africa’s rising significance as an rising participant in world commerce and diplomacy.
Mohamud mentioned: “Within the twenty first century, Africa is the vacation spot. Vacation spot when it comes to financial improvement. Vacation spot when it comes to human capital. Vacation spot when it comes to assets. Vacation spot when it comes to technique, you identify it. So, the entire world is wanting.
“If yesterday it was colonialism, if it was exploitation, within the twenty first century (new change) is feasible. It’s a partnership, shared pursuits.”
He famous that Somalia, with the longest shoreline on the African continent, a dynamic youth inhabitants, ample untapped pure assets, and the potential to develop into a serious regional logistics hub, was prepared for funding.
“For a very long time, we’ve been struggling to stabilize Somalia. Make a protected and safe place. Solely then we will hope funding will come. We’re succeeding on this now. We’re within the remaining phases of the stabilization and security, and safety of Somalia.
“We’re defeating the terrorist teams that denied this proper to the Somali individuals. As soon as we do this, that’s the correct time — a conducive setting is created, enabling an setting that’s created for funding.
“Somalia is a white paper. Each place is a chance. The blue financial system is a chance. Meals safety is a chance. Minerals, wealthy in minerals: gold, uranium, copper, cobalt. All forms of pure uncommon parts can be found in Somalia.
“Somalia has near 9 million hectares of arable land, with two everlasting rivers all year long and a superb variety of wet seasons. Somalia has one of many largest livestock (numbers) on the earth.
“So, in Somalia, areas to speculate, the sky’s the restrict and it’s untapped and it’s unoccupied,” Mohamud added.
Somalia’s poor improvement is owed largely to its a long time of civil warfare, which have been extended by the involvement of worldwide terrorist networks, together with Al-Shabaab.
The terrorist group, which relies in Somalia however lively elsewhere in East Africa, has been affiliated with Al-Qaeda since 2012, with suspected ties with Al-Qaeda within the Islamic Maghreb and Al-Qaeda within the Arabian Peninsula.
With worldwide assist, Somalia has been combating again towards Al-Shabaab with typical navy means and counter-radicalization campaigns, and by chopping off the group’s technique of financing its actions.
Mohamud mentioned: “The Somali authorities and the world supporting Somalia, worldwide companions, worldwide neighborhood, worldwide organizations, all of them which have been supporting Somalia, for which we’re very a lot grateful, within the combat towards terrorism.
“Al-Shabaab isn’t a neighborhood group. It’s a world, regional (group). It simply occurred to be in Somalia, as a result of in Somalia there was an incredible house that was ungoverned for a very long time. That’s what makes them keep there.
“Secondly, we’ve been combating with Al-Shabaab, the terrorists, with one technique, which is the navy. On a regular basis we’ve been combating with them when it comes to navy. We strengthened and elevated the navy entrance, however we’re at one other entrance. We’re at ideological warfare since Al-Shabaab is an ideology-based group — we combat with them over ideology.
“The ideology they use is Islam. And they aren’t utilizing it in the correct approach. So, nobody is significantly better than us to precise and clarify to our individuals the correct path of Islam. And that’s what we’re doing.
“The third is the problem of the financial system. Al-Shabaab is gathering an enormous sum of money from our individuals. They name it zakat (tax), or they name it tabaro’at (charity). They provide it so many names. However on the finish of the day, it’s our native assets.
“We’ve got restricted these assets, closing the faucets flowing to them. So, that’s what makes the success that we’re looking for, and we’re attaining proper now,” he added.
Regardless of the calls for of his function, Mohamud was decided to proceed serving the pursuits of the Somali individuals because the nation moved towards a extra secure and affluent future.
He mentioned: “After all, I’m not a younger man, however Alhamdulillah, I’m wholesome. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink. I don’t keep up late. I do sufficient work, not simply mentally, however train as properly. So, Alhamdulillah, I’m wholesome. I’m the daddy of a superb household and I’ve been serving Somalia all my life.”
Mohamud has been president since Could 2022, having beforehand served in the identical place from 2012 to 2017. Earlier than coming into politics, he was a civil rights activist and a professor and dean at SIMAD College in Mogadishu.
In 2013, he was named within the Time 100, Time journal’s annual checklist of the 100 most influential individuals on the earth, for his efforts at advancing nationwide reconciliation, anti-corruption measures, and socio-economic and safety sector reforms in Somalia.
“I’m somebody whose background comes from schooling and humanity and serving the lives and the pursuits of the individuals. And I consider, nonetheless, I’m serving the individuals. What makes me completely satisfied, what provides me self-satisfaction, is how a lot I assist a human being,” Mohamud added.
