Somali U.S congress woman urges Biden administration to revisit its sanction policy on Somalia

Somali U.S Congresswoman Ilhan Omar wrote a letter to the Biden Administration on Friday calling for answers regarding the current sanctions policy in Somalia.

Ilhan Omar said she was interested to know how the sanctions policy plays in the larger strategy toward Somalia, noting that since the orders were initially enacted, the situation in Somalia has changed dramatically.

“The situation in Somalia has changed dramatically since these orders were issued during the Obama Administration, and the Executive Orders don’t enumerate any specific conditions under which sanctions can be lifted,”

Her statement came barely a few days after the US government announced that it had placed visa restrictions on Somali government officials involved in “undermining democracy” in Somalia by rigging the electoral process.

On April 12, 2010, former United States President Barack Obama issued sanctions on those who threatened the peace, security, or stability of Somalia, after the US government found increased acts of violence in the country, piracy off the Somali coast, and violations of a United Nations arms embargo.