H.E. The President welcomes the announcement of the appointment of an US Ambassador to Somalia
Mogadishu, 4 June 2014: Today, H.E The President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud received confirmation that President Obama will appoint the first US Ambassador to Somalia in two decades.
“I am delighted to confirm our mutual goals of security, inclusive, sustainable development and good governance for Somalia. The appointment of a US Ambassador demonstrates the strength of trust and cooperation between Somalia and the United States.
“We are at the start of our journey towards peace and prosperity in Somalia. I acknowledge the long road we have before us, but that road is made easier knowing that we are joined by friends, with the same goal ahead,” said H.E. The President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
H.E. The President announced that Somalia would shortly appoint an Ambassador to the US.
“With ongoing support from our international partners, I confirm our commitment to relentlessly pursuing our state-building goals as articulated in Vision 2016. The Federal Government of Somalia has pledged to adopt a referendum-approved Federal Constitution in 2016, establishing a federal system and ensuring one person, one vote in the 2016 national elections.
“To achieve these goals, we must now build the engines of our nation: our Parliament, so that it develops and passes robust legislation that supports a fully functional government; we must develop our institutions and people who manage them; we must improve our ability to generate and manage our fiscal resources, and all this must be built on consensus-based mechanisms of good governance.
“We welcome the ongoing support of the United States and look forward to strengthening our diplomatic ties through our mutual new appointments,” The President concluded.
The United States has supported the pursuit of stability and growth of democracy in Somalia for many years. The United States has worked with the Somali National Army to recruit and train forces; supported AMISOM since 2007 with training, equipment and logistical support, and provided aid and development support, focusing on democracy and governance, economic recovery, education, health and reducing the appeal of extremism.