Credit: twitter.com/HassanAKhaire /    Federica Mogherini , European Union, EU, High Representative for Foreign Policy / Vice President met with Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre for talks in the capital Mogadishu May 20, 2019.

By Gary Raynaldo     DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

Federica Mogherini , European Union, EU, High Representative for Foreign Policy / Vice President, kicked off a three-day visit Monday to the Horn of Africa in Somalia.  Mogherini began her visit today in Mogadishu,  Somalia where she met Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre. She also visited EUTM Somalia troops and EUCAP Somalia personnel.  Continuing her visit in the Horn of Africa, Federica Mogherini will visit Kenya, where she is due to meet President Kenyatta and Members of Government. In Kenya, she will also launch a cross border programme, meet with youth and civil society organisations as well as inaugurate the new EU Delegation offices in Nairobi.  She will conclude her visit by travelling to Djibouti and Ethiopia. In Djibouti, she will meet President Ismail Omar Guelleh, Foreign and International Cooperation Minister Mahmoud Ali Yousouf, as well as Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Mahboub Maalim. She will also visit the EU’s ATALANTA maritime security mission and a EU funded project of desalinisation. In Addis Ababa, she is due to meet African Union Commission Chair Moussa Faki Mahamat to discuss the next EU-African Union ministerial meeting and regional issues.

“We recognise that Somalia is first and foremost of strategic relevance and importance, not only for Somali people, for the region, for Africa, but also for Europe and the international community. Since a few years, as you said, we have invested a lot of political capital and also financial resources to support the reform agenda you have embarked upon with the support of the European Union and the international community in all different sectors.”

Federica Mogherini , European Union, EU, High Representative for Foreign Policy,  Mogadishu 

Mogherini stated that in the economic field, she was glad to see that this is delivering some results.  “In the security sector, we know how difficult and challenging this is, but also on this file we have started to see some steps leading towards achievements and elemants that start to be delivered. I am also here to encourage and support these steps, not only personally, but with all our teams and with our civilian and military presence here. As you know, it is at the service of the implementation of this work on the security reform agenda.”

“Also on the political reform agenda – and we know very well how the three are interlinked – let me stress how important the review of the provisional constitution is and how it is important to have democratic institutions that can be strengthened in preparation for regional and general elections over the next two years.”

"We recognise that Somalia is first and foremost of strategic relevance and importance, not only for Somali people, for the region, for Africa, but also for Europe and the international community" @FedericaMog in Mogadishu today to meet with @HassanAKhaire @EU_in_Somalia 🇪🇺🇸🇴 pic.twitter.com/fydAvRjrYO

— European External Action Service – EEAS 🇪🇺 (@eu_eeas) May 20, 2019

“You know that you can count on the European Union. We have always been there. We have always been the first and probably most stubborn partner you have had, also the most frank one. Whenever we see things that are not going into the direction we believe is the one convenient for the country, we are never shy to point that out, but always in the spirit of respect, partnership, cooperation, and ownership on your side.”

-Federica Mogherini