Somalia declares UN envoy persona non grata, orders him to leave country

Authorities in Somalia have ordered a UN envoy to leave the country immediately for interfering with its national sovereignty.

The order given to Nicholas Haysom, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia, who was also declared persona non grata comes a day after he raised concerns about the actions of UN-supported Somali security forces.

Haysom sent a letter dated December 30 to the interior security minister expressing concern over “the alleged involvement of UN-supported Somali security forces in the arrest of Mukhtar Robow on 13 December, the deaths of 15 civilians…on 13, 14, and 15 December…and the arrest of approximately 300 people involved in the demonstrations on 13, 14, and 15 December”.

Read also: US Senate hands Trump rare double rebuke over war in Yemen, murder of Khashoggi

A statement by Somali foreign affairs ministry issued on Tuesday declared that Haysom “is not required and cannot work in this country”, effectively declaring the official persona non grata on the UN envoy.

“The decision comes after he openly breached the appropriate conduct of the UN office in Somalia,” the statement added.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now