Somalia’s Farmajo meets DR Congo’s Tshisekedi in Kinshasa

Somalia President Mohamed Farmajo on Monday held talks with the Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi in Kinshasa.

This is Farmajo’s first foreign trip since he signed into law a resolution on the electoral process, which granted him a two-year extension of his term.

Farmajo said the discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries as well as the key role the African Union (AU) plays in the development of Africa.

Tshisekedi is the current chairperson of the AU, a role he took over in February.

Farmajo’s four-year term officially ended on February 8, but the Somali president was unable to reach a deal on how to carry out elections with the leaders of regional states of Puntland and Jubbaland, who objected some electoral issues.

Tshisekedi said Monday’s meeting with Farmajo also focused on the political situation in the Horn of African nation.

“In a two-hour tête-à-tête, the President of Somalia requested the involvement of President Tshisekedi, in his capacity as President of the AU, to facilitate and supervise negotiations with all the stakeholders involved in this Somali crisis,” said a communique from the DR Congo presidency.

“Advocating African solutions to African problems, the Head of State welcomed the approach of President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed to open up to the AU and to reach out to all Somali forces for a just and lasting peace.”

Cgtn.com