The Somali Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has tendered his resignation in protest against an undiplomatic treatment he experienced during the president’s recent trip to Saudi Arabia after the president’s daughter was chosen to replace him at the recent Arab League Summit in Jeddah.
In a move marred by accusations of nepotism, President Mohamud appointed Ms. Jihan Hassan, his daughter, as his Advisor for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, triggering controversy. Jihan has since assumed important responsibilities within the Foreign Ministry and accompanied her father on official foreign trips.
In response to the criticism, the President has subsequently defended his decision to employ family members in government positions.
According to insiders, the Ambassador Salim Maow Haji firmly believed that such an action undermined the integrity of the Somali representation on the global stage and had expressed his concerns and objections to the decision privately, but they went unheeded.
As a last resort, he said he made the difficult choice to resign publicly, using his resignation letter to voice his strong protest against the decision to replace him with the president’s daughter.
In a resignation letter he issued on Monday evening, he also cited his exclusion from crucial meetings and denial of access to the president as reasons for his resignation.
He said that the treatment he faced from the President’s Chief of Protocol was deemed unacceptable, leading him to resign.
The Somali government has remained tight-lipped about the resignation of the Ambassador.
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