KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Tuesday 1, September 2015, United States pledged to offer more support to Somalia in order to combat the Al Shabaab militants group that has crumbled the stability of the country for several years.
According to a statement from the Office of the President in Mogadishu, US pledged to support Somalia’s military infrastructure.
The statement quoted a visiting US delegation led by Katie Wheelbarger, Policy Director and Deputy Staff Director on the Senate Armed Services Committee saying that the United States would become more involved in strengthening the military capabilities of the Somali national army.
US support will be channeled to the ongoing process aimed at integrating the Somali national army which is slowly being rebuilt after years of civil strife in the country.
The US delegation met with Prime Minister, Omar Sharmarke and Somalia’s Minister for Defense Abdulkhadir Diini and held a discussion on areas where US will come in to support and upgrade the capacity of the Ministry.
SUMMARY
US has contributed immensely on the war against the Al Shabaab. Notably US drone strikes have caused the Al Qaeda branch in Somalia to lose key senior commanders including the militant’s chief leader Ahmed Abdi Godane on 1st September 2014.
Prime Minister Sharmarke welcomed the US support to Somali’s military and thanked Washington for its continuous support in trying to stabilizing the country but underlined the need for well established armed forces institution.
Currently Somali government forces are being supported by African Union peacekeepers from Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Burundi, Djibouti and Sierra Leone. Apart from offering training to Somalia recruits, AMISOM forces also has significantly contributed some police force to bolster the security of the war-torn horn of Africa nation
