Eli Watkins and Jennifer Hansler of CNN are reporting the U.S. State Department has re-established a diplomatic presence in Somalia, three years after re-establishing diplomatic relations with the country in 2015. The journalists report:
“‘This historic event reflects Somalia’s progress in recent years and is another step forward in formalizing US diplomatic engagement in Mogadishu since recognizing the Federal Government of Somalia in 2013,’ department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement.
The US closed its embassy in Mogadishu in January 1991 after the overthrow of the country’s President. The US took steps in 2015 to re-establish diplomatic ties with Somalia by reopening its diplomatic mission but basing it in Kenya.
President Donald Trump tapped Donald Yamamoto earlier this year to be the permanent US ambassador to Somalia, a nomination confirmed by the Senate in October. Nauert’s statement on Tuesday said, ‘Yamamoto and his staff look forward’ to working with the Somalian government.”
The East African nation has been central to U.S. counter-terror efforts including the killing of nine militants yesterday.
Read more at CNN.
