MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s parliament speaker, Abdikadir Mohamed Nur Jama, has met the European Union’s new ambassador to Somalia, László Eduárd Máthé, to discuss strengthening cooperation between Somali and European institutions, according to information provided about the meeting.
The discussions focused on building parliamentary capacity, exchanging legislative expertise and supporting Somalia’s broader state-building efforts, as the EU continues its engagement with the Horn of Africa nation.
The meeting comes amid renewed high-level contacts between Somali officials and the EU’s new ambassador. Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre met Máthé in Mogadishu on Oct. 18 to discuss bilateral cooperation, including security, economic development, governance and support for government institutions.
Máthé assumed his role as EU ambassador to Somalia in September 2026, bringing experience from a diplomatic career that includes postings in Kenya, Slovenia and Lithuania, as well as senior positions at Hungary’s Foreign Ministry.
The EU remains a key international partner in Somalia’s efforts to strengthen public institutions, improve governance and combat the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab group.
In April, the EU approved an additional €75 million ($87 million) in support for the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), bringing its total contribution to successive African Union-led missions in the country to nearly €2.8 billion since 2007.
The funding is intended to support the mission’s operational readiness, including troop allowances, non-lethal equipment and related services, as Somalia and its international partners work toward a gradual transfer of security responsibilities to Somali forces.
The EU also supports Somalia’s democratic governance, constitutional review, justice sector and economic development, with cooperation spanning security, institutional capacity-building and public services.
The latest diplomatic engagements underscore the importance of continued cooperation between Mogadishu and Brussels as Somalia navigates political and security challenges while pursuing longer-term institutional reforms.
