A former Prime Minister of Somalia has blasted a top African Union (AU) diplomat over what he terms “gross violation of neutrality.”
Omar Sharmarke, who has served as Somalia’s Prime Minister twice, accused Ambassador Francisco Madeira of grossly violating AU’s neutrality in the country.
His comments follow the decision by the current Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble to declare Ambassador Madeira persona non grata.
Roble gave Madeira 48 hours to leave Somalia.
The Prime Minister ordered Ambassador Madeira out of Somalia on the night of April 6.
According to ex-Prime Minister Sharmarke, an audio recording proving Ambassador Madeira’s crimes exists.
Consequently, he has called for Madeira’s early exit from Somalia.
Sharmarke believes that the neutrality of the AU Transitional Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) would suffer irreparable damage if Ambassador Madeira fails to leave immediately.
He called upon the AU to appoint a new Ambassador who behaves with “extra caution” in relations between the AU, ATMIS, and Somalia.