Somalia's new president inaugurated, urging int'l community for famine relief

By Mohammed Dhaysane

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) - Somalia's newly elected President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has been officially inaugurated on Thursday.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by regional leaders, including Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh as well as Egyptian Prime Minister Kamal Madbouly and representatives from the UAE, Türkiye, Uganda and Western countries.

In his inaugural speech, Mohamud said that Somalia will not get involved in international rivalries and will stay neutral.

As the country is experiencing one of the worst droughts in 40 years, he appealed for support to avert famine.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Ethiopian prime minister and Kenyan president praised the peaceful transfer of power in Somalia and pledged to work with the new government.