Somalia’s prime minister Mohamed Hussein Roble has suspended Abdisaid Muse Ali, the country’s foreign minister, on Tuesday, citing the authorisation of a ship exporting charcoal to Oman in violation of international sanctions.
The United Nations Security Council banned such shipments a decade ago to cut funding for al Shabaab, an al Qaeda franchise fighting Somalia’s central government.
The office of Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble said that in addition to suspending Foreign Minister Abdisaid Muse Ali, he had ordered an audit and judicial investigation into the ministry’s approval of the shipment.
Ali could not be reached, and spokespeople for the foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment. The shipment’s status was unknown.
Before his appointment, Abdisaid was the longest serving National Security Advisor to the President from December 2017 to September 2021. Abdisaid was responsible for the strategic oversight and daily management of security policy in Somalia covering military, police and intelligence institutions.
Notably, Abdisaid has led the development, endorsement and early implementation of the Transition Plan on behalf of the Federal Government of Somalia. The new Somali Transition Plan sets a new direction for security delivery and development in Somalia and has received the strong support of national and international security stakeholders, and commendations for Abdisaid’s leadership of the policy.
Prior to joining the FGS, Abdisaid served as Regional Political Adviser to the European Union Special Representative for the Horn of Africa, with a focus on political instability, radicalization and violent extremism in the region.
Abdisaid’s previous roles include Somalia Country Representative for Nordic International Support Foundation, and Senior Consultant on Border Management, Radicalization Process and Maritime Security for IGAD. Abdisaid has also held research and analysis roles for IGAD, Kenya’s Foreign Service Institute, Kings College London’s Futures Project, and the Center on Global Counterterrorism Cooperation in Addis Ababa, as well as advisory roles for the Somali Transitional Federal Government and Italian Development Cooperation.