New York, Sept 22, 2025 – Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in New York on Sunday to attend the opening of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, where world leaders are set to confront a raft of global challenges, including wars in Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan, as well as climate change, international security, and a growing crisis within the UN itself.
This year’s General Assembly coincides with the 80th anniversary of the United Nations but comes at a moment of mounting uncertainty. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that the organization faces an “existential threat” due to financial shortfalls, donor fatigue, and doubts over its capacity to address escalating conflicts worldwide.
A proposed $500 million budget cut could severely impact peacekeeping operations and force staff reductions of up to 20 percent, raising alarms across the diplomatic community.
President Mohamud is expected to deliver a speech highlighting Somalia’s national priorities, including its contributions to global peace and security efforts. He will also reaffirm his government’s strong support for Palestinian statehood and urge urgent international action to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where more than 63,000 people have reportedly been killed since Israel’s military campaign began in 2023. Starvation and disease have already claimed the lives of hundreds of children.
Mogadishu has categorically rejected recent proposals by the United States and Israel to relocate displaced Palestinians to Somalia or Somaliland, denouncing the idea as a form of “ethnic cleansing.”
Somalia has taken an increasingly assertive stance on the Gaza war. In August, Foreign Minister Abdisalam Abdi Ali described the ongoing Israeli military actions as “massacres” during a meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah, calling for an immediate ceasefire.
Somalia’s UN Ambassador Abukar Osman Baale has gone further, accusing Israel of committing “genocide” at the UN Security Council, citing the use of starvation as a weapon of war.
The Somali government has welcomed France’s recent announcement of plans to formally recognize Palestinian statehood, calling it a bold step toward justice. At the same time, it has rejected any proposal involving the resettlement of Palestinians on Somali soil.
This year’s General Assembly is expected to be heavily focused on the question of Palestine. France and Saudi Arabia will co-host a high-level summit on the two-state solution, while several Western nations—including Canada and the United Kingdom—are reportedly preparing to recognize Palestine during the proceedings.
