Former Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow.
According to a tweet by the former premier, the two sides discussed relations between the two countries as well as political and socio-economic changes in the horn of the African region.
“I had a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to discuss strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation, we discussed the development in the Horn of Africa particularly in the socio-economic and political changes.”
The meeting comes at a time when the US military is withdrawing its troops from Somalia following President Trump’s directive.
Last week Somali Partnership Forum, Washington through its ambassador in Somalia Donald Yamamoto also warned the opposition against subverting the elections process.
Ambassador Yamamoto urged the opposition that that there no parallel process and there is no change to the September 17 consensus agreement between Federal and regional government leaders.
Russia was a strong ally of President Mohamed Siyad Barre’s government before the two fell out after Moscow backed Ethiopia in the 1977 conflict between Mogadishu and Addis Ababa.
Many people are questioning the motive behind the meeting between the two men.
In October last year, President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo met his counterpart Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
The two discussed ways to strengthen the bilateral ties between the two nations.
Moscow pledged to cancel Somalia’s debt during the Russia – Africa meeting.
