MOGADISHU – In a significant step for Somalia’s international standing, the United Nations Human Rights Office signed its first-ever Host Country Agreement with the Somali government on Wednesday.
The agreement, signed in Geneva by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk and Somalia’s Minister for Family and Human Rights Khadiija Mohamed Al-Makhzoumi, establishes a comprehensive mandate for the UN to monitor and report on human rights within the country.
“This agreement enables us to strengthen our cooperation with Somalia to protect and promote human rights,” Türk said.
The pact includes technical assistance and capacity-building for Somali state branches and paves the way for a permanent UN Human Rights office in Mogadishu, contingent on funding.
The development is seen as a crucial component of Somalia’s broader state-building efforts as it continues to battle Al-Shabaab insurgents and navigate complex clan dynamics.
