Somalia’s southern autonomous region has sided with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates’ bloc against Qatar, local news site Garowe reported yesterday.
President Sharif Hassan’s office of Southwest State said a neutral position previously taken by the Federal Government of Somalia on the Qatar-Gulf rift did not match the considerations of the federal member states and people.
We expressed in the leadership forum held in Mogadishu in July 2017 that Somalia can not take a neutral position on the Gulf Crises because of our historical relationship as well as the strategic partnership we have with Saudi Arabia and the UAE
said Hassan.
Somalia’s official response to the Gulf rift was to support Qatar, as pushed forward by President Mohammed Abdullah Farmajao in early June.
Hassan recently travelled to the UAE to reiterate support for the Emirates and Saudi Arabia’s position on Qatar.
Qatar has been accused by Saudi Arabia and the UAE of supporting terrorism and extremism, and has been under siege by land, air and sea in 5 June. Qatar categorically denies the allegations.