Mogadishu-KNN-The United Nations plans to replace an envoy who was expelled from Somalia after questioning the arrest of a political candidate with an extremist history, the world body said Friday.
The announcement came after three days of diplomatic back-and-forth over Somalia’s expulsion of Nicholas Haysom, a longtime U.N. official who has also served as envoy to Afghanistan, Sudan and South Sudan.
U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has full confidence in Haysom, deeply regrets Somalia’s decision and spoke twice about it with Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed. The world body also argues that its personnel can’t be kicked out under the diplomatic doctrine that Somalia invoked.
Nevertheless, the secretary-general plans to appoint a new representative for Somalia, Haq said.
“It’s crucial that the U.N. mission on the ground is able to go about its work,” he explained. That work includes electoral support and other functions.
Somalia’s U.N. mission didn’t immediately respond to an inquiry about the developments. The U.N. Security Council discussed them in a closed-door session Friday but didn’t make any public statement.
Daily mail
