25 years later, Somalia reopens Washington embassy

Hiiraan Online
Thursday, November 19, 2015

Somali, American and foreign officials watched as Somalia’s blue flag was hoisted above the embassy’s building as a music band played the national anthem.

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WASHINGTON (HOL) – Somalia reopened its embassy in Washington on Wednesday, a striking signal of how the horn of Africa nation which is recovering from decades of war is trying to re-establish its long lost diplomatic relations.

Somali, American and foreign officials watched as Somalia’s blue flag was hoisted above the embassy’s building as a music band played the national anthem.

The embassy was closed in 1990s after warlords overthrew Somalia’s central government led by Mohamed Siad Barre, leading to deadly civil war which has since left thousands of Somalis dead and millions displaced.

Somalia’s foreign minister Abdisalam Hadliye who attended the ceremony has denoted the significance of the embassy’s reopening in a city he described as the ‘World’s capital’.

Speaking at the ceremony, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs affirmed the US’s commitment in helping Somalia to rebuild its country and army.

Somalia which is recovering from decades of war has been trying to make a diplomatic come back across the world for the past two years and restored normal diplomatic relations with numerous countries.

Many countries including the US severed diplomatic relations with Somalia after a civil war broke out in 1991 that saw warlords fighting for the control of the country.

The new diplomatic exercise comes following the ouster of Islamist insurgents from the capital and surrounding regions, a development which allowed partner countries to start a diplomatic presence in the seaside capital, Mogadishu.

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