The Republic of Somaliland welcomed the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s vote to approve the “Somaliland Partnership Act” and advance it to the full United States Senate for its consideration.
A press release issued Ministry of Foreign Affairs Washington Mission Office read as follows;
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Advances Somaliland Partnership Act Demonstrates Bipartisan Support for Strengthening Relations Between the U.S. and Somaliland.
The Republic of Somaliland welcomed the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s vote to approve the “Somaliland Partnership Act” and advance it to the full United States Senate for its consideration.
This bipartisan legislation was introduced in March by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jim Risch (R-Idaho), along with Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland) and Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy. The Somaliland Partnership Act would require the Secretary of State to report annually on U.S. diplomatic engagement with and development assistance to Somaliland, as well as direct the Departments of State and Defense to study the feasibility of establishing a security partnership between the U.S. and Somaliland.
“The Republic of Somaliland is encouraged by the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s approval of the Somaliland Partnership Act,” said Bashir Goth, Somaliland Representative to the United States. “This legislation demonstrates bipartisan support for expanding the US-Somaliland partnership through collaboration on matters of mutual interest, including advancing democracy, enhancing trade and investment in the Horn of Africa, and countering terrorism, piracy and trafficking in the region. We thank our friends in the U.S. Senate for their ongoing efforts to strengthen ties between our two democracies and look forward to the full Senate’s consideration of this important legislation in the near future.”
The advancement of this bill follows a visit to Washington in March by the President of the Republic of Somaliland, H.E. Muse Bihi Abdi, during which he met with Members of Congress and officials at the White House, State Department, Defense Department and other agencies. Following these consultations, General Stephen Townsend, Commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), and U.S. Ambassador Larry Andr? visited Somaliland, where they toured the Port of Berbera and the Berbera International Airport after meeting with President Bihi and members of his cabinet.
