A leaked document reveals 32 members of Somalia’s UNGA delegation, including the president’s family members, while the nation struggles with poverty and security challenges
In a move that has sparked widespread condemnation and allegations of corruption, the Somali government has authorized a 32-person delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in New York—including multiple family members of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud—at a time when the country faces severe economic challenges and a recent U.S. travel ban targeting ordinary citizens.
The delegation, whose leaked roster has circulated among Somali media and government critics, includes the president’s daughter, son, cousin (who serves as a member of parliament), and even a nephew’s husband, along with four married couples whose presence at the diplomatic gathering has been questioned by oversight officials.
“This isn’t just about state business; it’s starting to look like a family field trip funded by taxpayers,” noted a scathing report from the Horn Observer, which first published the leaked delegation list.
The controversy comes amid renewed U.S. visa restrictions on Somali citizens under President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, creating a stark contrast between the travel privileges of political elites and the constraints facing ordinary Somalis.
“A Family Vacation Disguised as Diplomacy”
According to documents submitted to the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi on August 16 for visa processing, the Somali delegation intends to remain in New York for the full 15 days of the General Assembly session, scheduled for September 9-23, 2025. The estimated cost of the trip—approximately $1.5 million drawn from Somalia’s central bank reserves under questionable financial arrangements—has drawn particular scrutiny from lawmakers and transparency advocates.
“The Somali people and international partners are not blind to the fact that your administration has perfected a ‘Ph.D. in invoice inflation’—using foreign travel as a vehicle for personal enrichment while millions of Somali citizens, including internally displaced persons (IDPs), face starvation and displacement,” wrote Dr. Abdillahi Hashi Abib, a member of Somalia’s Foreign Affairs Committee, in a formal objection letter to President Mohamud.
The delegation includes two deputy prime ministers, multiple ministers without defined UNGA agenda items, the ambassador to Kenya, and various MPs, advisors, photographers, and protocol officers whose diplomatic value has been questioned. Security personnel also accompany the delegation, despite the host nation’s provisions for protecting visiting heads of state.
Economic Hypocrisy and Previous Scandals
The revelation of the expensive delegation comes at a particularly sensitive time for Somalia, which recently announced it was struggling to pay salaries for civil servants, soldiers, and teachers. The country remains heavily dependent on international aid and debt relief, with corruption persistently undermining governance institutions.
“This trip serves more as a taxpayer-funded excursion for political insiders and relatives than as a focused diplomatic mission,” observed Kaab TV in its coverage of the delegation, noting that the extended stay in one of the world’s most expensive cities would be bankrolled by a government that cannot meet basic domestic financial obligations.
Concerns about delegation members potentially overstaying their visas or disappearing during international trips are not unfounded. In June 2025, the Somali government was forced to deny reports that members of an official delegation to the International Labor Conference in Geneva had “disappeared.” While officials claimed that delayed returns were “standard practice” for completing committee work, the incident fueled suspicions about using official travel as a cover for irregular migration.
“Critics warn that some names on the list may not return at all. The fear? This could be a cover for irregular migration—or worse, human trafficking,” reported the Horn Observer, noting that other fragile states have seen similar abuses of diplomatic privileges.
U.S. Visa Restrictions and Security Concerns
The delegation controversy coincides with the Trump administration’s reinstatement of visa restrictions on Somalia, which has made international travel more difficult for ordinary Somali citizens. The contrast between the strict limitations facing the general public and the apparent ease with which political elites obtain visas has fueled accusations of privilege and inequality.
Under the current U.S. administration, authorities have been “exceptionally vigilant in scrutinizing the misuse of UNGA travel for purposes of money laundering, immigration fraud, and abuse of donor funds,” according to the statement from MP Abib, who warned of potential bilateral consequences.
Beyond the financial and immigration concerns, security analysts have questioned the wisdom of placing so many high-ranking officials on a single trip. “In the event of an accident or targeted attack, the Somali state could lose much of its political and security leadership at once,” noted the Suna Times in its coverage of the leaked delegation.
Pattern of Corruption and Governance Challenges
The UNGA delegation controversy fits into a broader pattern of corruption allegations that have plagued the Mohamud administration. Earlier in August, the president appointed Mohamed Ali Nur—a former ambassador accused of corruption during his tenure in Nairobi—to manage Mogadishu Port, one of the country’s most important revenue sources.
The port itself has been dogged by “allegations of opaque revenue-sharing,” with claims that “political elites benefit disproportionately” from untaxed commodities and illicit trade.
Similarly, recent weeks have seen violent evictions from public land in Mogadishu, with critics accusing President Mohamud of “selling off public land to tycoons” without due process. Four civilians died during clashes between security forces and residents resisting eviction from government-owned compounds.
“Open fighting between the military and police over public land… not only endangers civilians but also exposes the erosion of the rule of law,” said Abdiwahab Sheikh Abdisamad, executive director of the Institute for Horn of Africa Strategic Studies.
Diplomatic Implications and Calls for Accountability
The UNGA delegation controversy threatens to strain Somalia’s relationships with international partners, particularly the United States, which has maintained security cooperation against al-Shabaab militants despite scaling back other forms of assistance.
In his formal statement, MP Abib called for specific actions from both Somali and U.S. authorities: “Parliamentary action to immediately investigate this delegation, compel the return of unlawfully withdrawn funds, and reduce the UNGA delegation to five (5) essential members only”.
He further urged U.S. authorities to “cancel or deny visas for all 32 Somali delegates except for the five essential individuals,” arguing this would “protect not only Somalia’s treasury but also U.S. taxpayer funds indirectly misappropriated through donor programs” .
As of publication, the Somali government had not publicly addressed the specific allegations regarding family members in the delegation, though it has consistently denied previous corruption accusations.
The White House and State Department have not commented on whether they will scrutinize the Somali delegation’s visa applications more closely in light of the allegations.
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