Tuesday March 3, 2026
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud held separate telephone conversations with the King of Jordan and the Amir of Qatar to discuss escalating tensions and military confrontations in the Middle East, Villa Somalia said Monday.
According to a statement from the presidency, the leaders focused on the deteriorating regional security situation and emphasized the need to reduce tensions and intensify diplomatic efforts to preserve stability.
The president also praised a unified Arab position in response to the crisis, saying that attacks on the sovereignty of Arab states undermine stability and obstruct efforts toward de-escalation.
Somalia’s federal government has in recent days formally condemned Iranian strikes targeting several Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain and Oman. The Foreign Ministry said Mogadishu supports those countries’ right to take lawful measures to protect their territory and citizens.
The government’s statement did not reference the United Arab Emirates. The omission comes amid ongoing political tensions between Somalia and the UAE that have strained bilateral relations in recent years.
The Middle East escalation follows a series of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets, which were followed by retaliatory attacks from Tehran. The widening confrontation has raised concerns among governments across Africa and the Arab world about the risk of a broader regional conflict.
Somalia, which maintains close diplomatic and economic ties with several Gulf states, has increasingly aligned itself with Arab partners in calling for restraint while condemning actions it views as violations of sovereignty.
