Successful Elections in Somalia

The United States congratulates the people of Somalia on the successful conclusion of their national electoral process and the election of Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed as the next President of the Federal Government of Somalia.

The United States looks forward to working closely with the new President and government. Acting State Department Spokesperson Mark Toner said, "We commend the Somali Security Forces and the African Union Mission in Somalia for their efforts over the past six months to allow the electoral process to unfold in a relatively safe and secure environment."

This transition represents an important step forward for the country. Mr. Toner said, "We commend the thousands of Somalis from across the country, including youth and women, who were able to vote in greater numbers than in the 2012 elections, but regret the numerous credible reports of irregularities in the electoral process. We encourage Somalia's new administration to take credible steps to stamp out corruption and to establish strong electoral institutions to enable a free and fair one person one vote poll in 2020."

The formation of a new government is critical to addressing Somalia's most pressing problems. The most immediate of which is perhaps the possibility of famine due to severe drought, rising prices, continued limited access to food, and dry forecasts.

The United States looks forward to working in partnership with the President and new government to advance reconciliation, drought relief, security, and build the strong institutions to deliver good governance and development for the Somali people.