A Somali American appointed as senior advisor in the U.S state department for the first time

U.S President Joe Biden has appointed Hamse Warfaa, a Somali American as a senior advisor in the U.S state department making him the highest ranking Somali Presidential appointee in Washington.

Next week is Hamse’s last official day with DEED, where he served as the state’s highest-ranking African official. As the highest-ranking Somali in the Biden administration and the only Somali advisor in the State Department, he will play a key role in promoting democracy worldwide and in refugee admissions in the United States.

In a statement released by DEED Monday, Hamse thanked President Joe Biden for the appointment. He added that as he prepares to represent all people of the United States, he is blessed by the colleagues, friends and family who supported his public service.

Hamse joins the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, a State Department office responsible for providing protections for displaced people.

The Bureau also advises the president in determining the number of refugees the United States will accept in a given year. The refugee resettlement cap had previously been slashed to record lows under the Trump administration.