U.S. Regional Strategy for Somalia: Ends, Ways, and Means

U.S. Endstate for Somalia

The Comprehensive Regional Strategy for Somalia was developed within the context of America's policy for Horn of Africa countries as well as Arabian Peninsula countries. The report was also developed on the premise that Somalis have a tremendous opportunity to redevelop their country after over a dozen years of internal conflict. The redevelopment initiatives are focused on the restoration of representative and effective central governance institutions. This opportunity emerges after several years of internal conflict in Somalia, which hindered national development and undermined the country's ability to establish effective central governance. America's policy toward Somalia — based on its strategy for engagement — is geared toward taking advantage of this opportunity by working with Somalis to promote national development and central governance.

Consequently, the desired United States endstate for Somalia is to remove the threat of terror and promote political stability by providing necessary support for the development of a functioning central government while addressing Somalis' humanitarian needs. America's policy interests in Somalia and other countries in the Horn of Africa include eliminating any platform for al-Qaida and other terrorist groups and fostering representative governance and regional stability. The provision of humanitarian assistance by the United States is driven by the effects of natural disasters such as flooding and drought, as well as more than fifteen years of nearly continuous conflict in southern and central Somalia. Another aspect of the desired U.S. endstate is to work with regional governments toward transformation through investments in citizens, good governance, and economic growth.

The strategy specifies three ends related to the accomplishment of the desired U.S. endstate toward Somalia. These three ends serve as priority initiatives by the United States toward Somalia and other Horn of Africa countries.

End #1: Promoting Political Dialogue

The first end for the United States toward Somalia is to promote political dialogue between the Transitional Federal Institutions and other important Somali stakeholders. This priority initiative focuses on creating an inclusive government of national unity based on the Transitional Federal Charter framework.

Ways to Achieve Political Dialogue

Based on the significance of broad-based political dialogue in Somalia's redevelopment, the U.S. seeks to promote dialogue by encouraging the Transitional Federal Government to initiate and sustain inclusive dialogue and reconciliation. This encouragement is intended to create the government's willingness to reach out to others and develop an inclusive political process. One of the primary ways the U.S. seeks to achieve this end is to encourage the transitional government and other major stakeholders to collaborate toward reconciliation and the creation of an all-inclusive governance system. The process also entails engaging African and global partners to promote and support the establishment of an inclusive government in Somalia.

The second way of achieving this end involves building the capacity of Transitional Federal Government governance structures. The United States focuses on strengthening executive, legislative, and local levels of government. This will be accomplished by providing support for conflict resolution activities and peace-building efforts in collaboration with higher learning institutions. The United States will also develop and implement programs that support democracy, effective governance, reconciliation, and civil society participation.