Reported Sale of Somalia’s Diplomatic Properties Overseas

Protecting National Assets, Upholding the Rule of Law, and Safeguarding the Interests of Future Generations

We will never accept the sale of Somalia’s overseas properties. These assets belong to the Somali people and must be protected for future generations.

As a former diplomat, I wish to express my profound concern regarding reports that diplomatic properties owned by the Federal Republic of Somalia are being offered for sale. According to these reports, the properties include official residences and other diplomatic assets located in France (Paris), Italy, Germany, Uganda, Zambia, and Djibouti.

I have also seen a document that is said to have originated from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requesting or encouraging the authorities in the above-mentioned countries to facilitate the proposed sales. If authentic, this matter requires full transparency, accountability, and careful legal scrutiny.

These properties are public assets belonging to the people of Somalia. They are symbols of the nation’s sovereignty and diplomatic presence abroad, acquired to serve the interests of the Somali state and its citizens. Any decision to sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of such assets must be undertaken strictly in accordance with the Constitution and laws of the Federal Republic of Somalia, as well as all applicable domestic and international legal and diplomatic procedures. Public property should never be disposed of without proper legal authority, transparency, accountability, and effective oversight.

I therefore call upon the competent authorities in the countries concerned to ensure that any proposed transfer or sale of Somali state property complies fully with their domestic laws and applicable international legal obligations. I also urge them to verify that any such transaction has been duly authorised by the competent authorities of the Federal Republic of Somalia, acting under a clear and lawful mandate.

Given that Somalia is currently in an electoral period, any caretaker government should exercise particular restraint before making irreversible decisions concerning strategic national assets unless it possesses a clear constitutional and legal mandate to do so. I therefore encourage all relevant authorities to carefully examine the legal basis and scope of any proposed transaction before taking any action.

I further call upon the relevant institutions of the Federal Republic of Somalia to provide transparency regarding these reports and, where appropriate, to clarify the legal basis for any proposed transaction. The Somali people have a legitimate interest in ensuring that national assets are managed lawfully, transparently, responsibly, and in the public interest.

The protection of Somalia’s diplomatic properties and other national assets is a matter of public trust and national responsibility. These assets are held on behalf of the Somali people and should be preserved for present and future generations. I urge all relevant institutions to uphold the rule of law, transparency, accountability, and the interests of the Somali people. I also call upon all stakeholders to ensure that any decisions affecting Somalia’s diplomatic properties are taken strictly in accordance with the law and with due regard for the sovereignty, dignity, and long-term interests of the Federal Republic of Somalia.

Safeguarding Somalia’s diplomatic properties is not merely a legal obligation; it is a national responsibility. Their preservation reflects our commitment to protecting the country’s sovereignty, maintaining its international standing, and ensuring that future generations inherit the assets that rightfully belong to them.

Issued by:

Ambassador Mohammed Ahmed Awil
Former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Somalia to the People’s Republic of China