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Somalia Accuses UAE of Promoting Political Standoff and Violent Protest

Mohamed Kahiye

   MOGADISHU - Somalia has accused the United Arab Emirates of fueling a
   political stand-offand opposition proteststhat are threatening
   theAfrican nation'sstability.The tensions stem from Somalia's delayed
   elections and a controversy over the president's legitimacy.

   The federal government of Somaliasaysthe United Arab Emiratesis to
   blamefor political instabilityin the wake ofa violent protest by
   opposition leaders last week.

   Authorities in Mogadishu wereresponding toanEmirati Foreign Ministry
   statement that describedthe government of President Mohamed
   AbdullahiMohamedasaninterim administration.

   Somali elections have been delayed by squabblesamongpolitical leaders
   asthe president'stermofficiallyexpired on February 8th.Some opposition
   groups have calledon Mohamed, who is commonlyknown asFarmajo,to step
   aside,but he has continued to carry out the duties ofoffice.

   InformationMinisterOsman Dubbe demanded Abu Dhabiissue an apology.

   Dubbe said his country is recuperating from violence and does not want
   to take the path of conflict again and therefore calls upon the
   brotherly state of Emirates to apologize for the mistake.

   Emirati officials have not responded to the accusations.

   TheSomaliopposition groups,through their chairman and presidential
   candidate Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed,said they will continue their
   demonstrations until transparent polls are conducted.
   Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed credited the reopening on security
   gains against al-Shabab militants.

   Sharif said they will not give up their constitutional rights to
   conduct peaceful protests to strengthen democracy in the country. He
   called upon opposition supporters to attendarally next Friday.

   Somalia andtheUnited Arab Emirates shared strong traditional
   historicties,butrelations cooledafter Mogadishu tookaneutral
   stancetoward the Gulf countries'2017blockade ofQatarinstead of siding
   with the UAE.

   Political analystMohamed Salahsays hebelievesthatthedecision
   bytheFarmajogovernment and the confiscation ofmore thannine
   millionU.S.dollarsfrom Emirati officialsatMogadishu airportin April
   2018 angered the richGulf nation.

   "The two countries' relations have been deteriorating for quite a while
   for two main reasons:the neutral role Somalia has taken on theGulf
   crisis did not go well with UAE, and the second, the way UAE deals with
   Somalia didn'tgo well with the current administration, because UAE has
   strongtieswith some of the regional leaders and the current regime did
   not like that."

   International organizations such as the United Nations and the African
   Union haverepeatedlyurged Somali leaders to resolve their differences
   and move forward with elections --without resorting to violence.

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