Somalia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry on Tuesday issued a statement to support Saudi Arabia in the diplomatic row between the Gulf state and Canada.
“The Federal Republic of Somalia makes clear that it supports its brotherly Saudi Arabia’s decision against Foreign interference in its internal affairs,” the statement said partly.
Ironically, the Somalia Foreign Affairs Minister Ahmed Isse Awad is a Canadian citizen.
7 Somalia Cabinet ministers are canadian nationals
1. Public Works- Salah Ahmed Jama
2. Constitution- Abdirahmaan Hosh Jibril
3. Aviation minister – Mohamed Abdillahi Salad Omar
4- Planning- Jamal Mohamed Hassan
5. Women and Human rights- Deeqo Yassin
6. Education- Abdullahi Godah Barre
The NISA Chief Hussein Osman Hussein 9 Senators and 9 MPs are Canadian nationals
At 9 Mps Canada has the third highest number of citizens in the Somalia Federal Parliament after UK (29) US (22) Kenya (10).
The connection does not end there. In Canada the Minister in charge of Immmigration and Naturalisation Ahmed Hussen is originally from Somalia.
A section of Somali nationals questioned the government’s decision to back Riyadh.
Social media was abuzz with the debate and photos showing Somalis harrased by Saudi police side by side with Canadian Minister Ahmed Hussen were shared to put their message across.
So far, the following Arab countries have announced they stand with Saudi Arabia against Canada: UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Yemen, Comoros, Djibouti, Palestine, Oman, Mauritania, Sudan.
Anger between the two countries erupted last week when Canadian officials urged Riyadh to “immediately release” women’s rights activists Samar Badawi and Nassima al-Sadah.
In a sign of its rage, Saudi Arabia has already expelled the Canadian ambassador, frozen trade and investment between Riyadh and Ottawa and halted flights to and from Canada.
Saudi rulers have also stopped all medical treatment programs in Canada and are coordinating for the transfer of all Saudi patients currently receiving care in Canadian hospitals to be moved outside of the country.
Canada’s Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said Monday that “Canada will always stand up for human rights in Canada and around the world, and women’s rights are human rights.”
Somalia has in the past chose neutral stance in international matters as was in the Qatar crisis.
Both Canada and Saudi Arabia have been Somalia’s development partners.
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