Zelenskyy Appointed Ukraine's Ambassador to Somalia
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed Yuriy Tokar, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Kenya, as Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Somalia on a concurrent basis. The head of state signed the corresponding decree on August 11, 2026.
Yuriy Tokar, who currently serves as Ukraine’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Kenya, will now also represent Ukraine in Somalia. Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed Decree No. 717/2026 on August 11. The document was published on the president’s official website.
The decree states: “To appoint Yuriy Lyubomirovich Tokar, Ukraine’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Kenya, as Ukraine’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Federal Republic of Somalia on a concurrent basis.”
In other words, Ukraine did not appoint a separate new ambassador specifically for Somalia. Yuriy Tokar will combine two diplomatic posts and represent Ukraine’s interests in two African countries simultaneously.
What does a concurrent appointment mean?
A concurrent ambassador is a diplomat who simultaneously represents his or her country in several countries. This arrangement is often used when a country does not have a separate embassy in each of those countries. In this case, Yuriy Tokar will continue to serve as Ukraine’s ambassador to Kenya, but at the same time will become Ukraine’s official representative in Somalia.
Thus, Kyiv will have a diplomatic representative responsible for developing relations with Somalia, maintaining contacts with local authorities, and promoting Ukraine’s interests in the country. The decree took effect on the day it was published. The corresponding decree No. 717/2026, dated August 11, was published on the head of state’s website.
Last week, as part of the “Bring Kids Back UA” initiative, Ukraine repatriated another 35 children and adolescents from the temporarily occupied territories and Russia.
