SOMALIA: Govt expels UN envoy Nicholas Haysom

Somalia’s government has ordered the top United Nations official in the country to leave, accusing him of interfering with national sovereignty days after he raised concerns about the actions of UN-supported Somali security forces. The foreign affairs ministry said that Nicholas Haysom, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia, “is not required and […]

Somalia’s government has ordered the top United Nations official in the country to leave, accusing him of interfering with national sovereignty days after he raised concerns about the actions of UN-supported Somali security forces.

The foreign affairs ministry said that Nicholas Haysom, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia, “is not required and cannot work in this country”, effectively declaring the official persona non grata.

“The decision comes after he openly breached the appropriate conduct of the UN office in Somalia,” a statement read. Mr Haysom had raised concern about the killing of protesters allied with ex-militant Islamist Mukhtar Robow.

Security forces were allegedly involved in the deaths of about 15 of the protesters and the detention of about 300 people, the UN said

Mr Robow, a former deputy leader of al-Shabab, defected from the group in 2017. He announced last October that he intended to run for the presidency of Somalia’s South West state.