BAIDOA (SONNA) — The Interim Leader of the South West State, H.E. Jibriil Cabdirashiid Xaaji, officially hosted a high-level United Nations delegation led by the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, at the Presidential Palace in Baidoa today. This executive engagement focused directly on optimizing joint humanitarian operations, mitigating the severe impacts of recurrent droughts, and scaling up structural support for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) across the region.
During the strategic briefing, Leader Jibriil formally acknowledged the UN’s sustained intervention capabilities while emphasizing the absolute necessity to transition from emergency relief toward long-term developmental projects. He directed attention to the growing humanitarian caseloads, urging the UN to expand its operational footprint to meet the immediate needs of vulnerable communities within the South West State.
In response, Under-Secretary-General Fletcher affirmed the UN’s uncompromising commitment to the Somali population. He verified that this diplomatic deployment to Baidoa serves as a direct operational assessment to measure the exact requirements on the ground in conflict and drought-affected zones. The executive session was also attended by South West State cabinet ministers and the Director General of the Presidency, ensuring total alignment between regional authorities and international aid frameworks.
