Turjumaad ayaa la diyaarinayaa

MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – The United States has pivoted toward direct bilateral engagement with Somalia’s regional states, shifting away from its long-standing approach of routing diplomacy through Mogadishu to offer investment opportunities in natural resources under a distinct “trade, not aid” strategy.

The revised diplomatic approach reflects the foreign policy framework of U.S. President Donald Trump, which de-emphasizes traditional, centralized foreign aid packages in favor of commercial partnership, private sector exploration, and localized security cooperation. The direct economic overtures to regional governments unfold as Somalia’s Federal Government remains paralyzed by an internal political dispute over the expiration of the president’s term.

“Glad the US is bilaterally engaging with Somalia’s federal member states like Puntland rather than routing through Mogadishu. Trying to create a strong central government in Somalia is a failed experiment,” said Joshua Meservey, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute.

“The most plausible way the US can protect its interests there is by working with regional partners and those federal member states with a baseline of competence and legitimacy.”