The US Department of State Tuesday announced that the United States Diplomatic Mission to Somalia has commenced its operations, albeit outside the country. It will be led by a chargé d’affaires until President Barack Obama appoints and the Senate confirms an ambassador.
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The United States withdrew from Somalia in 1993 after 18 American servicemen were killed in the capital, Mogadishu.
President Mohamud, Prime Minister Sharmarke, and the Somali people thank the USA government for its continuous support to Somalia and look forward to continued friendship, collaboration, and deep partnership between the two countries.
The Horn of Africa nation has been plagued by security concerns as the government aims to shore up control and prevent the country from slipping back into the hands of al Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-affiliated militant group.
The mission will be based in Nairobi, Kenya.
In 1991, the United States closed its embassy in Somalia as the African nation plunged into civil war, according to the State Department. Secretary of State John Kerry announced plans for re-establishing a diplomatic presence in Somalia when he visited its capital, Mogadishu, last May.
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In 2013, then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton officially recognized the government of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, meeting with the leader in Washington and opening the door for further us economic assistance.
