Addis Ababa (Dawan Africa) – Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has arrived in Addis Ababa to attend the Second United Nations Food Systems Summit Stocktake (UNFSS+4), jointly hosted by Ethiopia and Italy at the UN Economic Commission for Africa headquarters from July 28 to 29.
The summit serves as a global platform to review progress since the 2021 Food Systems Summit and reaffirm international commitment toward building food systems that are resilient, inclusive, and sustainable, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
President Mohamud joins over 100 global leaders and international delegations focused on strengthening accountability, mobilizing investment, and aligning national food policies with sustainable development. The summit takes place at a time when food insecurity is worsening globally due to climate shocks, political instability, conflict, and economic downturns — trends that are particularly severe in fragile states like Somalia.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed met with President Mohamud and welcomed him in a message posted on X (formerly Twitter), calling him “my brother” and reaffirming the strong cultural and diplomatic ties between Ethiopia and Somalia. “We remain committed to strengthening our brotherly relations,” Abiy stated.
According to Villa Somalia, President Mohamud will also hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed during his stay in Addis Ababa to discuss regional cooperation and Ethiopia–Somalia relations.
Somalia’s participation in the summit comes as the country faces escalating humanitarian needs. According to the United Nations, over 5.9 million people in Somalia require urgent humanitarian assistance in 2025, including 4.6 million suffering from acute food insecurity and 1.8 million children projected to face severe malnutrition if aid is delayed.
The UNFSS+4 summit is structured around three main objectives: assessing national-level progress on food systems transformation, strengthening multi-sectoral partnerships and accountability, and unlocking finance—particularly concessional investment—to accelerate sustainable change. The approach emphasizes inclusive, rights-based governance that empowers women, youth, smallholder farmers, and marginalized communities.
The summit follows the 2023 UN Secretary-General’s Call to Action, which outlined six priority areas for global action: integrating food systems into national development plans, strengthening governance, investing in science and innovation, promoting community engagement, enabling private sector participation, and expanding access to sustainable finance.