When a nation speaks to the world, it does so through its diplomats. Every handshake, every speech at the UN, every negotiation behind closed doors, these are the mirrors through which a country is seen. For Somalia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation is that mirror. The question is urgent: does it reflect competence, credibility, and vision, or weakness?
The Stakes Couldn’t Be Higher
Somalia’s diplomacy is not ceremonial. It directly affects security, economic partnerships, and international respect. The Ministry’s appointments determine whether Somalia is treated as a serious partner or sidelined.
With the recent achievements; securing a UN Security Council seat, joining the East African Community, and expanding ties with Türkiye, China, and Gulf nations, signal momentum. But momentum can vanish if the wrong people are sent to defend and advance Somalia’s interests.
According to government figures, Somalia maintains more than 40 embassies and consulates worldwide. Each one is a frontline post of national reputation. Every ineffective envoy is not just a missed opportunity but an active liability.
Talent is Strategy
Diplomacy lives or dies on talent. A brilliant policy at home is meaningless if poorly defended abroad. Talent is not about family ties or seniority; it’s about competence, integrity, and results.
The right diplomat brings ethics, the loyalty to act in Somalia’s interest even under pressure. Ability; the creativity to cut through deadlocks. Aspirations; ambition tied to national goals. And accomplishments; a record of turning commitments into outcomes.
Appointing based on favoritism or clan allegiance wastes taxpayer money and undermines national credibility. Somalia must adopt a single standard: can this person deliver?
Lessons From Beijing
Look at Somalia’s Ambassador to China, Dr. Hodan Osman. She speaks fluent Mandarin, understands Beijing’s political system, and bridges cultural gaps. This is why she is effective in one of Somalia’s most strategic postings. She embodies what works: skill matched to assignment.
But such cases are exceptions, not the rule. If the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ own departmental heads cannot speak fluently in any of the international languages (English, Arabic or French), the credibility of Somalia’s diplomacy is undermined from the top. If Somalia’s directors, tasked with representing the country abroad, cannot converse in a single international language, the appointments process must be fundamentally revamped.
The truth is blunt: diplomats sent to conferences they cannot understand waste taxpayer money on flights, hotels, and salaries while Somalia gains nothing. Worse, they project incompetence.
Appointments Must Fit
Diplomatic assignments are not interchangeable. A posting in Brussels demands different skills than one in Riyadh. Misplacing talent is as damaging as failing to find it. Somalia must align roles with strengths, racehorses must run, not plow.
That requires serious vetting, rigorous testing, and the courage to put merit before politics. Anything less is malpractice against the nation.
Seniority Is Not Competence
Appointing on the basis of seniority alone is equally dangerous. Age is inevitable; even fools grow old one day. Experience matters only when matched with competence, vision, and results. To assume seniority automatically equals ability is to confuse longevity with leadership. Somalia cannot afford to place its global image in the hands of individuals who rely on age or position rather than proven skill.
Respect Talent, Don’t Undermine It
Even the right people fail if the system suffocates them. Appointing talented envoys but doubting, micromanaging, or undercutting them wastes their potential. Diplomats are not clerks; they are Somalia’s frontline negotiators and image-bearers.
Trust inspires loyalty. Respect empowers performance. A leadership that believes in its diplomats will be served by diplomats who fight harder for their country.
Build the Next Generation
Somalia cannot keep recycling the same names while leaving younger talent untapped. The Ministry must invest in training, mentorship, and real responsibility for the next generation.
Countries like Rwanda and Ethiopia have strengthened their diplomatic influence in Africa and beyond by professionalizing how they choose envoys. Somalia must follow suit. A pipeline of skilled officers, versed in international law, languages, and negotiations, will ensure Somalia is never voiceless in global affairs. Without it, the country risks drifting while others define its fate.
A Win for Somalia
Hiring on merit is not a luxury. It is the cheapest and most effective way to elevate Somalia’s image. A competent diplomat multiplies Somalia’s reach, wins partnerships, and defends interests. The wrong appointment wastes money and opportunities.
Every taxpayer dollar spent on ineffective representation is a betrayal. Every capable appointment is an investment with returns that far exceed the cost.
Time to Act
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation is Somalia’s voice, its handshake, its mirror. Right now, that mirror is smudged by weak appointments, wasted resources, and missed opportunities.
The world is not waiting. International diplomacy moves quickly, and space at the table is never guaranteed. If Somalia wants to keep its hard-won progress, it must send its best. If it wants respect, it must appoint those capable of commanding it.
This is not about politics; it is about survival in a competitive international system. The Ministry must urgently reform its appointments process, placing merit above all else. Somalia cannot afford envoys who cannot converse, directors who cannot negotiate, or ambassadors who cannot influence.
The message to the country’s leadership is clear: revamp the system now. Appoint talent, not connections. Send competence, not placeholders. The world only sees the faces we send. It’s time Somalia sends its best.