Prime Minister holds first meeting with UN Special Representative Nicholas Kay

4 January 2014

Prime Minister holds first meeting with UN Special Representative Nicholas Kay

His Excellency Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, today welcomed The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for Somalia, Nicholas Kay, to Villa Somalia for their first meeting since becoming Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister thanked Special Representative Kay for the UN’s continued support rebuilding Somalia and looked forward to a positive and constructive relationship going forward. SRSG Kay congratulated His Excellency Prime Minister Ahmed on his appointment. The Prime Minister and Special Representative discussed the formation of a new Cabinet, road map to elections in 2016 and international support to Somalia through the New Deal.

“The relationship between the UN and Somalia goes back many years. We welcome your continued support and there is a lot we will be working together on this year, especially my government’s agenda of peace, security and nation-building,” Prime Minister Ahmed said.

The pair discussed the expansion of security operations against Al Shabaab following the UN Security Council’s approved expansion of AMISOM forces and greater logistical support to the SNA. SRSG Kay passed on his condolences for the victims of the attempted attack on Al Jazeera Hotel.

“Our security forces in partnership with AMISOM continue to expand their area of operations and liberate further towns from Al Shabaab control with the tempo of operations set to increase in the coming months,” the Prime Minister said. “We are in agreement that it is crucial that security and military operations are in coordination with the expansion of governance and local administrations on the ground in liberated towns and regions.”

ENDS

Ridwaan Haji 
Government Spokesperson 
Prime Minister’s Media Office 
Mogadishu, Somalia