The UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) tweeted on Thursday that the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, James Swan, held calls this week with the foreign ministers of four east African countries to gauge their opinions on the electoral crisis that has jeopardized the stability of Somalia’s fragile government.
“UN envoy James Swan greatly appreciated the opportunity this past week to have calls with the Foreign Ministers of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda in order to hear their views at this critical time for Somalia and the region.”
The four countries – three of which neighbour Somalia – that Swan spoke to this week are all troop-contributing countries to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). They are deployed in six sectors covering south and central Somalia.
In mid-December, Somalia officially cut diplomatic relations with neighbouring Kenya, accusing Nairobi of meddling in its internal affairs and arming militia along their shared border.