Phillip Hammond MP replaces William Hague as British Foreign Secretary
Hiiraan Online
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
newsinsidLondon, UK (HOL) - William Hague the British Foreign Secretary announced his surprise resignation yesterday night before the Prime Minister’s dramatic reshuffling of key Ministerial posts in a night that was dubbed the “night of the long knives.”
William Hague, an Oxford University graduate who first entered Parliament as a MP in 1989 for the constituency of Richmond in Yorkshire and led the Conservative Party whilst in opposition from 1997-2001, held the post of Foreign Secretary since 12 May 2012. Mr. Hague said that he was stepping down from his current role to take the lesser role of the leader of the House of Commons before he stands down as a MP at the upcoming general elections to focus on other endeavours.
William Hague in his role as the British Foreign Secretary had initiated and led, alongside the British Prime Minister, David Cameron the two crucial London Somali conferences. He was also one of the first senior Foreign Politicians to visit Somalia since the collapse of the State in February 2012. Further, he appointed the first Ambassador to Somalia, Matt Baugh, since the outbreak of the civil war
“William Hague has been a great friend of Somalia and was crucial in the organisation and leadership of the two London conferences which arguably reignited international interest in Somalia,” said Mohamed Cantoobo, the Director of Act For Somalia, a UK based education, advocacy and awareness Somali Diaspora organisation. “In my meetings with him, I found Hague to be intelligent, warm and genuinely interested in assisting Somalia and its people.”
The British Prime Minister instigated this massive reshuffle which saw many of the older male Conservative Ministers in key posts such as Kenneth Clarke either sacked, moved or demoted in favour of the promotion of a series of women at all levels of government in preparation for next year’s general elections.
Phillip Hammond, the former Defence Secretary, succeeds William Hague as the next Foreign Secretary.
HOL English News Desk