BY TESFA-ALEM TEKLE
Somalia has officially reopened this Friday its embassy in London after an absence of 32 years.
The reopening ceremony was held in the presence of Somali ambassador to UK, Abdulkadir Ahmed Kheyr, Olympic gold medalist Somali athlete Mohamed Farah and Somali-Canadian model Sabrina Dhowre, among others.
Somali diaspora has also attended the opening ceremony.
The embassy in London is expected to provide consular assistance to the 500,000 strong diaspora community in the UK who are eligible for Somali citizenship, and other services including travel documentation and marriage certificates.
It will also host cultural and other informative events.
Somali Ambassador to UK, Kheyr said that reopening of the embassy was a positive step in strengthening UK-Somali relations.
The Somali embassy in London was officially closed in 1991 following the collapse of the central government.
However, diplomatic relations have strengthened in recent years.
It is to be recalled that Britain reopened its embassy in Mogadishu in 2013 after a 22-year closure.
The government of Somalia, which is waging a fierce war against Al-Shabaab terror group intends to completely destroy Al-Shabaab in the next six months.
In support of the plans, neighboring countries, including Ethiopia, have agreed to train Somalia’s army.
Previously, Somalia announced of its plan to train 30,000 soldiers by the end of 2024.
(The East African Daily)
