Ali Mohamed Omar, Somalia’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, stood before the international community to outline how his country has transformed over three decades since its government collapsed into civil war, Al Jazeera reported.
“We wouldn’t be where we are today without the help of the international community,” Omar told Al Jazeera, emphasizing the long road to recovery since the state’s initial collapse.
That international presence changed in October when a United Nations political office ended its mission at Mogadishu's request. The government asked to take full responsibility for its own affairs after more than 30 years of institutional rebuilding and dispute resolution supported by the UN.
Yet major security vulnerabilities remain across the Horn of Africa nation. African Union peacekeepers stay on the ground to assist Mogadishu in battling al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked armed group that maintains control over large swaths of central and southern Somalia.
Cuts to United States funding threaten to undermine the African Union’s mission just as Somali forces lean heavily on outside military backing.
Political friction also compounds the security crisis at home. Domestic opposition figures argue that the president lacks legitimacy, while the government maintains that a newly adopted constitution authorizes him to stay in office until next year.
Omar acknowledged the friction but insisted the country is on firmer ground. “Despite these issues, Somalia is more stable than it was a few years ago,” Omar told Al Jazeera.
As the state pushes to consolidate authority, officials are pressing global partners to maintain their financial backing.
“We hope the international community will continue supporting us financially as we seek to become a stronger state,” Omar told Al Jazeera.
