The European Union’s ambassador to Somalia, Francesca Di Mauro, expressed concern on Tuesday about the escalating tensions in the Southwest State region. In a statement, Di Mauro urged all parties to exercise restraint and seek a peaceful resolution through dialogue. She emphasized the importance of de-escalation to prevent further instability. The statement also stressed the need for calm and constructive engagement, and highlighted the importance of opening channels for dialogue to prevent confrontation and maintain stability in the region. The envoy welcomed mediation efforts aimed at easing tensions and called on political leaders and community elders to support ongoing peace initiatives in pursuit of a lasting solution. This appeal comes at a time of rising political tensions between leaders in Southwest State and opposition figures reportedly backed by Somalia’s federal government, raising concerns about potential security deterioration. As one of the largest donors supporting state-building efforts in Somalia, the European Union consistently advocates for political disputes to be resolved through dialogue in order to protect the progress made in security and democratic governance.
