The Undiplomatic conduct of Danish Diplomats in Somalia

[Deeq A.]

Steen Sonne Andersen The Danish Ambassador to Somalia.

Mogadishu (PP Editorial) — Denmark is one of the countries that host Somali refugees. Danish agencies carry out projects in several parts of Somalia. In Hargeisa last week, the Danish Ambassador to Somalia referred to Somaliland as a country. Although it is unclear whether by “country” he meant the Federal Republic of Somalia or the self-proclaimed Republic of Somaliland, the careless choice of words landed the ambassador in trouble with the Somali Foreign Ministry. The Foreign Minister of Somalia, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, stated that his ministry would summon diplomats who referred to Somaliland as a country.

The delegation of foreign diplomats who went to Hargeisa on the eve of the election day issued a statement after the elections. The prominence given to the elections taking place in part of Northern Somalia that claims to have seceded from Somalia reflects a condescending diplomatic attitude towards the Federal Republic of Somalia. Somaliland hosts Taiwan “diplomatic office” and seeks to lease a coastal district of Somalia to Ethiopia, violating the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Somalia and its one-China policy.

The tweet Mathias Kjaer had to untweet.

Today, Mathias Kjaer, Head of Danish Representation Office in “Somaliland” reposted a tweet by Rashid Abdi containing the following sentence: “The international community must push back against the surge in ugly Somali nationalism and instrumentalisation of sovereignty represented by men like Ahmed Fiqi.” Kjaer had to un-tweet after realising he had promoted the agenda of Rashid Abdi, who advocates secession in Somalia.

In 2023, Rashid Abdi misleadingly tweeted about the conflict in Laas Anood: “Al-Shabaab now involved in Laas Anood violence. This is no longer just a claim by Somaliland. Intelligence agencies operating in the Horn now deem info credible.” There has never been solid evidence that Al-Shabaab is or was operating in Las Anood. 

The claim that Al-Shabaab was operating there was made by the President of Somaliland’s administration, Muse Bihi Abdi, to justify the shelling of the administrative capital of Sool by his forces. Diplomats are expected to uphold social media etiquette when reposting tweets by other people. Reposting a tweet by a diplomat implies endorsement.

© Puntland Post, 2024

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