Friday September 5, 2025

 

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia has appointed a new ambassador to Syria, reinforcing Mogadishu’s diplomatic outreach as Damascus works to recover from years of conflict.

Abiib Muse Farah presented his credentials to Syrian Foreign Minister Assad Hassan al-Shaybani this week in Damascus, officially beginning his mandate.

He replaces acting ambassador Dahir Mohamud Muse, who helped reestablish Somalia’s diplomatic presence in the Syrian capital and laid the groundwork for renewed engagement.
Somali officials described the decision as part of a strategy to consolidate relations with Arab states, particularly Syria, with which Somalia shares cultural and historical bonds.

During Somalia’s civil war in the 1990s, Syria hosted Somali refugees who studied and worked there. More recently, hundreds of Syrians fleeing conflict have resettled in Mogadishu, where many have contributed to the economy as professionals and educators.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has placed diplomacy at the center of his agenda. At the Arab League’s 34th summit in Baghdad on May 17, 2025, he endorsed the decision to lift long-standing international sanctions on Syria. Earlier this year, he congratulated Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, praising his efforts to promote reconciliation and political stability