Expressing his shock at the incident which occurred in Bosasso, Puntland, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah said kidnapping humanitarian workers “did not serve the cause of peace or Somalia’s traditional culture of hospitality,” in a statement issued today.

He appealed for those involved to free the two women unconditionally.

Somalia, which has lacked a functioning government since 1991, has been wracked by violence in recent months which has displaced around 1 million people and has caused some 3 million to flee the country as refugees.

Earlier this month, Mr. Ould-Abdallah told the Security Council that “the situation in Somalia is dangerous and becoming more so each day.”

He urged the international community to draw up a road map towards lasting peace and stability in Somalia, warning that continuing with “business as usual” would have dire consequences for the country and the region.