WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today called on the Administration to swiftly name a nominee to serve as the U.S. ambassador to Somalia, which has gone without a U.S. ambassador since 1991. In a letter to President Obama, Brown and his Senate colleagues noted how an active U.S. presence in Somalia could make it easier to address recent reductions in the availability of money wire transfer services to Somalia and hasten the development of a long-term solution for continuing to transfer funds.

“The United States is committed to supporting Somalia, including addressing the critical need to increase wire transfer services so families can help provide for their relatives,” Brown said. “Confirming a new ambassador to Somalia will strengthen our countries’ diplomatic relationship and help ensure future collaboration.”  

Brown continues to advocate for the Somali community. Last month, Brown met with Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke and members of his cabinet to discuss the importance of the U.S.-Somali relationship.

In February, Brown and 11 of his Congressional colleagues sent a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry, calling for urgent action to keep remittances flowing to Somalia following the withdrawal of a major U.S. bank from this market. Brown followed up with a subsequent meeting with senior White House officials from the National Security Council, and is continuing to work with administration officials to find ways to increase the availability of safe, secure money transfer services from Somalis in Ohio to their families in Somalia.

The text of the letter is below:

July 17, 2015

 

The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.
Washington, DC 20500

 

 

Dear Mr. President:

 

We write to respectfully urge you to name a new nominee for U.S. Ambassador to Somalia. Somalia has gone without a U.S. ambassador since 1991; the decision to restore a diplomatic mission affirms our commitment to working with the Somali government to build a strong, stable, and prosperous Somalia. We respectfully urge you to act swiftly to assign a new nominee for the position.

After nearly two decades of violence and famine, Somalia is making steady progress towards stability. The election of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in 2012 by a new federal parliament and the approval of a provisional constitution have allowed Somalia to reestablish central governance. Along with the assistance of the international community, Somalia has been able to make security gains against al-Shabaab. These are significant but fragile gains; recent horrific terrorist attacks in Mogadishu and Garissa, Kenya remind us that Somalia still faces enormous challenges.

Somalia’s success hinges on continued diplomatic engagement, strengthened security and the commitment of international partners to promote stability through capacity building and economic development. A robust U.S.-Somalia diplomatic relationship is critical to sustaining and expanding the progress that that country has achieved thus far.

President Obama’s nomination of the first U.S. ambassador to Somalia since 1991 earlier this year marks a new phase in our relationship with Somalia. Moving quickly to nominate another ambassador would further signal our strong commitment to Somalia.

The temporary closure of bank accounts of money service businesses in Kenya and the permanent closure of accounts in the U.S. illustrates the need to work with the Somali government and promote institutional development. The closure of these bank accounts has made it difficult for members of the Somali diaspora in the U.S. to send money back to their loved ones in Somalia and the closures in Kenya threatened NGOs operating in the Horn of Africa. Remittances from the U.S. and abroad account for 25 to 40 percent of Somalia’s economy; cutting off the remittance pipeline increases the vulnerability of Somalis who rely on this money and can create a humanitarian crisis that will surely jeopardize security gains.

We strongly believe that an active American ambassador to Somalia can contribute to U.S. efforts to improve the flow of remittances through legal and transparent channels. The State Department, in cooperation with the Treasury Department, can work with the Somali government to implement creative solutions to this problem and collaborate in laying the foundations of a transparent and accountable financial system that can be part of the global economy in the future.

Somalia is at a critical moment and in desperate need of meaningful support and assistance to bolster stability in the country and throughout the region. Naming a new nominee as soon as possible would signal deep commitment and a new phase of collaboration between the U.S. and Somalia. We respectfully urge you to consider naming a new nominee for Ambassador to Somalia in the coming weeks.

Thank you for your consideration of this request.

 

Sincerely,

 

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