Credit: africom.mil  /  Commander of U.S. Africa Command General Stephen Townsend met with the Prime Minister of Somalia Hassan Ali Khayre  Aug. 7, 2019 in Mogadishu.

DIPLOMATIC TIMES

The commander of U.S. Africa Command visited Horn of Africa nation Somalia on August 7 as part of his first trip to the African continent since taking command on July 26.   General Stephen Townsend met with the Prime Minister of Somalia, the U.S. Ambassador to Somalia, Donald Yamamoto, and senior Somali military leadership in Mogadishu. The visit offered an opportunity to assess the situation in Somalia while reinforcing U.S. Africa Command’s commitment to mutual security interests in the region.

“I am committed to working together and advancing our partnership with Somalia,” said Townsend. “Along with Somalia and other international partners, we will apply continued pressure on violent extremist organizations. This pressure creates conditions and opportunity for further political and economic development.”

-Commander of U.S. Africa Command General Stephen Townsend

Credit: Africom.mil /  U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend speaks with Amb. Donald Yamamoto, U.S. Ambassdor to Somalia Aug. 7, 2019. Townsend visited Somalia as part of his first trip to the African continent since taking command on July 26.

“Through our strategic partnership and support with the U.S. government, Somalia has made tangible progress in security, reconciliation, and debt relief,” said the Somali Prime Minister, Hassan Ali Khaire, adding the two nations will continue to partner meaningfully in pursuit of their bilateral interests.

U.S. efforts in Somalia involve coordinated efforts in the areas of diplomacy, development, and defense. Earlier in the week, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale met with the Somali Prime Minister in Mogadishu reinforcing the U.S. commitment to helping Somalia with political reforms and economic development, and stabilization. He also highlighted the value of defense efforts.

Commander of  U.S. Africa Command Gen. Townsend also visited Camp  Lemonnier  in Djibouti 

Credit:  Africom.mil /   U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander of U.S. Africa Command, exchanges gifts with Djiboutian military officials during a visit to Djibouti Aug. 8, 2019. Townsend visited Djibouti as part of his first visit to Africa since taking command.

The new commander of the U.S. Africa Command Townsend also visited Djibouti Aug. 6-8, 2019 to meet with Republic of Djibouti senior defense officials and to attend meetings at Camp Lemonnier.

“The U.S. and the Republic of Djibouti enjoy an enduring, strong, and cooperative partnership,” said Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command.   “Our relationship with Djibouti is based on mutual interests, goals, and a shared concern about the security and stability of the region. We value our relationship with our Djiboutian partners and their positive role and commitment to making the region safer.” 

Al-Shabaab remains the largest and deadliest terror organization in East Africa, according to Africa Command.  The extremist group was responsible for a truck bombing in Mogadishu in October 2017 that killed 500 people in one of the deadliest violent extremist attacks since September 11, 2001. More recently, it was responsible for an attack in January on a hotel complex frequented by Westerners in Kenya’s capital city that left more than 20 innocent people dead. Al-Shabaab, a group with allegiance to al-Qaeda, remains the principal security challenge in Somalia and East Africa at large.