Mogadishu leader Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has reportedly endorsed Kenya’s candidate for the chairmanship of the African Union Commission (AUC) Raila Odinga, during a meeting with Kenyan President William Ruto in Beijing, according to Garowe Online.
The meeting, which took place on the sidelines of the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit, has stirred diplomatic tensions.
Odinga’s candidacy is seen as a potential shift in regional alliances, with some viewing HSM’s support as a snub to Djibouti’s candidate, former foreign minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf.
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s backing of Odinga follows earlier controversy, where HSM was accused of pressuring Somalia’s candidate for the AUC chairperson position, Fawzia Yusuf Haji Aden to withdraw her bid at the beginning of the year.
The FOCAC summit in Beijing, held from Wednesday to Friday, has gathered leaders from over 50 African nations alongside Chinese officials to discuss cooperation between Africa and China. The discussions between Mohamud and Ruto are believed to have touched on regional security and peace in the Horn of Africa, in addition to Odinga’s campaign for the AUC leadership, with the election set for February 2025.