President Farmaajo leaves for Oman to honor late Sultan Qaboos

President Mohamed Farmaajo Monday left for Oman to condole with the people of Oman following the death of their leader Sultan Qaboos Friday.

Villa Somalia said in a statement the president will be delivering his condolences to the family and people of Oman following the passing on of the long serving leader.

The president will join other world leaders arriving in Muscat to pay their respects for the later leader
Sultan Qaboos died on Friday and was buried Saturday. He had been sick for some time according to local and international media.

The cousin of Qaboos, Haitham bin Tariq Al Said was unveiled Saturday as the successor after he was nominated by the late leader in a secret letter.

The announcement on Omani state television was read over footage showing thousands gathered in the capital, Muscat, for the funeral of Sultan Qaboos who ruled the country for 50 years and did not have any children. His choice of successor was a closely guarded secret believed to have been known only to the sultan.

Qaboos, the Middle East’s longest-ruling monarch, came to power when he deposed his father in a 1970 palace coup. He was known internationally for his diplomatic balancing in the Persian Gulf. Under his leadership, Oman often served as a facilitator of talks between adversaries, including I ran and the U.S.