MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia’s Parliament approved the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child on Wednesday during the first session of its 7th sitting.
The session, presided over by Speaker Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur (Madoobe), saw 145 MPs in attendance.
During the vote on the African Child Rights Charter, 130 MPs supported the measure, 10 opposed it, and five abstained.
Meanwhile, two major trade agreements — the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) membership agreement — were sent back to parliamentary committees for further review.
Speaker Madoobe instructed the Foreign Affairs and Trade and Economic Committees to address technical issues before resubmitting the agreements, noting they had been pending for a long time.
“The session underscores Somalia’s focus on children’s rights, regional trade, and careful oversight of international agreements,” Speake Adan Madobe said in a statement.
