Somalia rights commission chief meets new UNDP representative

MOGADISHU, Somalia — The chairwoman of Somalia’s National Human Rights Commission, Dr. Maryam Qasim, met Thursday in Mogadishu with the United Nations Development Programme’s new representative to Somalia, Christophoros Politis, to discuss strengthening cooperation on human rights.

The meeting focused on building the commission’s institutional capacity and improving its work to protect and promote human rights, according to a statement from the commission.

The two sides also discussed strengthening coordination among institutions working on human rights in Somalia and exploring opportunities for joint programmes aimed at supporting communities.

The meeting was also attended by the commission’s Director General, Mustafa Ahmed Mahmoud, and UNDP Governance Programme Chief Evariste Sibomana.

The talks form part of the commission’s efforts to strengthen cooperation with international partners and improve its ability to carry out its national mandate to protect and promote human rights in Somalia.