MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia has expelled Sivuyile Thandikhaya Bam, the Deputy Special Representative of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), after accusing him of making remarks that appeared sympathetic to the Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab.
Bam departed Mogadishu on April 23, 2025, returning to the African Union’s headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Somali government declared him persona non grata following comments he made during a closed session of the United Nations Security Council on April 9.
During the meeting, Bam reportedly suggested that Al-Shabaab was seeking political legitimacy and had reduced its attacks on civilians — a characterization Somali officials strongly reject.
Diplomatic tensions over UN remarks
Somalia’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi sharply condemned Bam’s statements, accusing the envoy of undermining Somalia’s fight against terrorism and portraying Al-Shabaab in a favorable light.
“He has shown himself to be a supporter of Al-Shabaab and an obstacle to Somalia’s progress,” Fiqi said, arguing that Bam’s remarks misrepresented the militant group’s ongoing campaign of violence.
The Somali government officially informed the African Union of its decision to expel Bam, requesting his immediate removal from the position. The move marks a significant deterioration in relations between Mogadishu and the African Union during the sensitive political transition.
The diplomatic fallout comes as Somalia intensifies its military operations against Al-Shabaab, particularly in the Middle Shabelle region, where the group has seized territory and launched repeated attacks on military bases.
The al-Qaeda-linked group has been waging an insurgency against the Somali government for over 15 years, aiming to impose its strict interpretation of Islamic law.
Al-Shabaab is classified as a terrorist organization by Somalia, the United Nations, the African Union, the United States, and the European Union.
Somali officials viewed Bam’s comments during the Security Council briefing as harmful to the international effort to isolate and defeat the group.
History of strained relations
This is not the first time Mogadishu has clashed with senior African Union officials. In 2022, the Somali government expelled Francisco Madeira, the former head of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), accusing him of political interference.
Bam’s appointment to ATMIS in December 2023 was also met with resistance from Somalia, mainly due to his previous role as director of the AU’s Peace Support Operations Division between 2008 and 2021 — a period marked by complex relations between Somalia and the African Union.
The expulsion comes as Somalia and its regional and international partners navigate the transition from ATMIS to AUSSOM, a new African Union mission established to support Somalia’s security forces and stabilize the country.
The replacement of ATMIS with AUSSOM, scheduled to be fully operational by July 2025, will shift toward Somali-led security responsibility. However, Bam’s removal risks complicating coordination between Somalia and the African Union at a critical moment.
General Sam Kavuma of Uganda has been named interim Deputy Special Representative in Mogadishu following Bam’s departure. The African Union has not publicly commented on the Somali government’s decision.
A meeting of troop-contributing countries for AUSSOM began on April 23 in Kampala, Uganda, focusing on funding challenges and strategic planning for the new mission. The talks include representatives from Somalia, the African Union, and partner nations such as Ethiopia, Egypt, Djibouti, and Kenya.