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GENEVA — The Federal Republic of Somalia and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) signed a historic agreement in Geneva yesterday, Wednesday, to officially open the first OHCHR office in Mogadishu, as reported by the Ministry of Family and Human Rights Development’s Official Facebook Page.
Somalia was represented by H.E. Ambassador Khadija Mohamed Al-Makhzoumi, Minister of Family and Human Rights Development, while H.E. Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, signed for the UN, signaling a new era of on-ground rights sovereignty, according to the Ministry’s Official Platform.
The agreement activates UN Human Rights Council Resolution (A/HRC/RES/60/28), granting Somalia independence in managing its rights portfolio while providing local technical support to enhance national obligations and improve field monitoring and assessment efficiency.
The opening of the Mogadishu office is a strategic achievement for Somali diplomacy. It will serve as a technical advisory hub supporting government efforts to institutionalize human rights and keep pace with national recovery by building local capacity and developing protective legislation.
The Somali delegation in Geneva included Mr. Mohamed Bashir Omar, Director General of the Ministry, and a group of experts. This signing builds on last October’s successes, specifically the formation of the National Independent Human Rights Commission and the stabilization of independent institutional work.
In a related context, today, Thursday, H.E. Ambassador Khadija Al-Makhzoumi held a high-level bilateral meeting with H.E. Eleanor Sanders, UK Human Rights Ambassador, to discuss cooperation and support for ongoing structural reforms, according to the Ministry’s Official Sources.
The British Ambassador, as “Penholder” for the Somali human rights portfolio, praised the qualitative leap achieved by opening the OHCHR office in Mogadishu, affirming that this step reflects international confidence in the Federal Government’s institutional reform path.
The Minister expressed appreciation for continued British support, emphasizing that opening the OHCHR office in the capital represents a shift from external monitoring to field partnership, contributing to the development of regulatory tools that safeguard the dignity and rights of Somali citizens.
The talks highlighted the importance of integrating international support with the national vision. Somalia seeks through these partnerships to build a rights system based on transparency and accountability, supporting sustainable institutional building across all regions without discrimination.
The events concluded by affirming that the opening of the High Commissioner’s office marks a new chapter of stability, in which the state commits to the highest global standards in protecting freedoms, aligning with the Somali people’s aspirations for a future rooted in social justice and the rule of law.
Somalia’s success in moving the center of human rights decision-making to Mogadishu through the opening of the OHCHR office represents a victory for national will in exercising full sovereignty. This step is not merely an administrative procedure but a declaration of the state’s maturity in managing its vital affairs. It establishes an equal international partnership that places human rights at the heart of the national building process, ensuring that legal commitments are transformed into a tangible reality that protects the dignity of the Somali people and enhances their welfare and stability under a state of institutions.
