Somali Prime Minister Hame Abdi Barre met with President Joe Biden of the United States at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Friday to discuss strengthening relations between the two countries.
During their meeting, the Prime Minister and the President discussed how the United States government could enhance its support for the fight against al-Shabab. They explored the possibility of lifting the arms embargo on Somalia, allowing the Somali national forces to assume the country’s security responsibility from ATMIS by Dec. 31, 2024.
“The discussions also revolved around the United States’ role in assisting the Somali government with the debt relief program, which is nearing its conclusion. This support is crucial for Somalia’s development and economic self-sufficiency,” stated the Prime Minister’s office.
Barre emphasized that Somalia’s top priority is security, noting that achieving this goal requires a well-trained and well-equipped Somali national army.
The arms embargo was initially imposed during Somalia’s civil war in the early 1990s.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to address the U.N. General Assembly on Saturday to give the world leaders a comprehensive overview of Somalia’s progress.
However, the Prime Minister’s speech coincides with Somalia’s request for a three-month delay in the planned reduction of African Union troops after suffering “several significant setbacks” in its fight against Al-Shabaab militants.
Somalia’s national security adviser wrote to the United Nations requesting a 90-day delay in the second phase of a pullout that provides for the departure of 3,000 troops by the end of September, according to the letter seen by AFP.
