Friday March 14, 2025
FILE - Nuur Mohamud Sheekh, former spokesperson for the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), speaks at Chatham House
Mogadishu (HOL) — Nuur Mohamud Sheekh, a seasoned Somali diplomat with nearly three decades of experience in diplomacy and humanitarian affairs, has been appointed as the new spokesperson for African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the AU announced Thursday.
Sheekh, who succeeds Ebba Kalondo, will oversee the AUC’s public messaging, media relations, and stakeholder engagement. His appointment comes as the AU addresses pressing challenges, including security crises, economic instability, and diplomatic relations with international partners.
Before this role, Sheekh served as the spokesperson for the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an East African regional bloc. He was also a senior advisor to IGAD’s Special Envoy for the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Somalia, where he played a crucial role in the mediation process that led to the 2018 South Sudan peace agreement.
Sheekh holds a degree in Conflict and Development from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London. He has worked closely with multilateral organizations such as the United Nations, the European Union, and the African Union, focusing on policy advocacy, strategic communication, and crisis response.