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June 4, 2014

U.S. to Reopen Diplomatic Presence in Somalia 
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The United States is renewing diplomatic ties with Somalia for the first
time in 23 years. The State Department says improving security
conditions will lead to the appointment of a U.S. ambassador and the
re-opening of the U.S. mission in Mogadishu. Announcing the move, State
Department spokesperson Wendy Sherman said the United States will also
continue to launch military strikes in Somalia as it sees fit.

Wendy Sherman: "As a reflection both of our deepening relationship with
the country and of our faith that better times are ahead, the president
will propose the first U.S. ambassador to Somalia in more than two
decades. We indeed look forward to the day when both nations have
full-fledged diplomatic missions in the capitol of the other … From
time to time, the U.S. military has conducted such action in Somalia
against a limited number of targets who, based on information about
their current and historical activities, have been determined to be part
of al-Qaeda. And in the future we may take action against threats that
pose a continuing imminent to U.S. persons."

Although diplomatic ties have been frozen, the U.S. has maintained a
military and intelligence contingent inside Somalia for years, running a
CIA base and launching drone strikes.

 

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