Somalia foreign ministry official credits international community for recovery amid ongoing threats
Somalia’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ali Mohamed Omar said the country has come a long way since its government collapsed 30 years ago and plunged it into civil war, and that it could not have recovered without help from the international community. He argued that, despite remaining problems, Somalia is more stable than it was a few years ago and still needs continued financial support as it tries to become a stronger state.
A United Nations political office created to rebuild institutions and settle political disputes ended in October after more than three decades, at Mogadishu’s request, with the government saying it wants to take charge of its own affairs. African Union peacekeepers remain on the ground to support the fight against al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-linked armed group that still controls large parts of central and southern Somalia. Cuts to United States funding threaten that African Union mission.
Political friction continues at home. The opposition says the president is not legitimate, while the government says the new constitution allows him to stay in office until next year. Officials continue to urge international backing as Somalia tries to manage both the insurgency and those disputes.
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