Rahmon Adebayo, the newly appointed interim Special Representative of the African Union (AU) for Somalia, arrived in Mogadishu on Friday.
He was welcomed at Aden Adde International Airport by Abdikadir Burgal, Director of the Africa Department at Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In a statement issued shortly after his arrival, the Somali government reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining “high standards of conduct” in its dealings with international partners, emphasizing its “zero tolerance” for any actions that could undermine mutual respect or the country’s strategic priorities.
Adebayo succeeds Bam Sivuyi, who served as an interim representative in a short time after the departure of Mohamed El-Amine Souef, a veteran Comorian diplomat who served as the AU Special Representative and Head of the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) from September 2022 until early 2025.
Souef, who previously held senior positions with the United Nations in Mali and Darfur, played a pivotal role in overseeing the transition from the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to ATMIS.
His tenure was marked by efforts to support Somalia’s security and state-building processes, though he departed amid ongoing challenges in the mission’s implementation.
Adebayo, a seasoned diplomat, is expected to navigate these complexities and work closely with Somali authorities and international partners to address the country’s ongoing security and political challenges.
