Mogadishu — Somalia's permanent secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hamza Haadow, held talks with senior United Nations official Shoko Noda during her week-long visit to Mogadishu, focusing on strengthening cooperation aligned with the country's national priorities.

Noda, who serves as assistant secretary-general and director of the crisis bureau at the United Nations Development Programme, discussed with Somali officials ways to deepen collaboration on development, election preparedness and humanitarian response.

The meeting highlighted the importance of aligning international support with Somalia's national agenda, as the government seeks to advance state-building efforts and improve resilience in the face of recurring crises.

UN officials praised Somalia's growing role on the United Nations Security Council, as well as its recent accession to the East African Community, describing both as signs of increasing regional and global engagement.

Both sides stressed the urgent need to address the situation of internally displaced people and ongoing drought conditions, agreeing to accelerate joint efforts led by the Somali government to support vulnerable communities and strengthen long-term resilience.