Somali National News Agency
So
Ar
Search
  • Home
  • Local News
    Local NewsShow More
    Auditor General’s Office, Ports Ministry, and Albayrak Discuss Implementation of Financial Audit Recommendations
    August 2, 2025
    Attorney General Endorses Key Procedural Reforms to Strengthen Prosecution Framework
    August 2, 2025
    Prime Minister Hamza appoints First Deputy Director of the Airport
    August 2, 2025
    Speaker of the Parliament Arrives in Baidoa for an Official Visit
    August 2, 2025
    SoDMA Commissioner receives a delegation from Save the Children
    August 2, 2025
  • World News
    World NewsShow More
    Ghana Donates 40 Metric Tonnes of Cocoa to Palestine in Act of Solidarity
    August 2, 2025
    Seven people in critical condition after car ramming at LA nightclub
    July 20, 2025
    Tourist boat capsizes in Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay, killing 37
    July 20, 2025
    Israel kills more than 50 in Gaza as UN warns of ‘catastrophic hunger’
    July 19, 2025
    Nairobi is locked down as Kenyan police clash with protesters
    July 8, 2025
  • Articles
    ArticlesShow More
    National ID Enforcement in Somalia: A Strategic Plan to boost the Country’s Economy
    July 31, 2025
    The Return of the White Star: Somali Airlines Resumes Operations After Three Decades
    July 29, 2025
    Somali Parliamentarian Drives New Governance Efforts in Contested Laascaanood
    July 25, 2025
    Somalia Boosts Its Diplomatic Presence in the Region and Beyond
    July 15, 2025
    A Somali Lens on Xinjiang: Shared Prosperity, Cultural Vitality, and Triumph Over Adversity Offer Lessons for the World.
    July 11, 2025
  • Business
    BusinessShow More
    Somalia Unveils the Blueprint for a Modern and Sustainable Mogadishu
    December 21, 2024
    Djibouti Launches $57.4 Million Youth Entrepreneurship Project to Combat Climate Change
    November 25, 2024
    FM meets Minister of Investment of Saudi Arabia
    October 28, 2024
    President Hassan Sheikh Inaugurates New LPG Storage Center in Mogadishu
    May 12, 2024
    Collaboration of ICT transformation for digital Infrastructure
    October 24, 2023
  • Sports
    SportsShow More
    Mogadishu Stadium to Host Star-Studded Match Featuring Somali Legends and International Football Icons
    May 27, 2025
    Arsenal held at Brighton while Man City bounce-back continues
    January 5, 2025
    Galmudug wins the Inter-State Football Tournament
    January 29, 2024
    Somalia set for two int’l friendlies ahead of WC qualifier clashes against Algeria and Uganda
    October 10, 2023
    Chicago woman, 104, skydives from plane, aiming for record as the world’s oldest skydiver
    October 3, 2023
  • Tenders
    TendersShow More
Reading: AFRICOM Commander visits Djabuti, Somalia and engage with partners in the region
Share
Font ResizerAa
Somali National News AgencySomali National News Agency
  • SOMALI
  • ARABIC
Search
  • Home
  • Local News
  • World News
  • Articles
  • Business
  • Sports
  • Tenders
Follow US
©2023 || All rights reserved SONNA
Somali National News Agency > Blog > Local News > AFRICOM Commander visits Djabuti, Somalia and engage with partners in the region
Local NewsWorld News

AFRICOM Commander visits Djabuti, Somalia and engage with partners in the region

By Osman
Last updated: May 18, 2021
5 Min Read
Share

Mogadishu,(SONNA)- U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command, traveled to Djibouti and Somalia to preside over the Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) change of command ceremony and to engage with partners in the region, May 14-18.

“I came on this trip to East Africa for three reasons, first, to Djibouti to oversee the change of command of CJTF-Horn of Africa where Maj. Gen. Lapthe Flora passed responsibility to Maj. Gen. Bill Zana,” said Townsend. “Second, to visit with our troops in Somalia working with our Somali and AMISOM partners there and third to engage with Djiboutian and Somali leaders and partners from the international community. It has been an informative and productive visit.”

As the presiding officer for the CJTF-HOA change of command ceremony, Townsend recognized the achievements of outgoing Commanding General, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Lapthe Flora and welcomed the incoming Commanding General, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. William Zana.

“Under Maj. Gen. Flora’s leadership, CJTF-HOA, at the most important U.S. base in Africa, has promoted stability, responded to crises and protected U.S. interests across East Africa,” said Townsend.

While in East Africa Townsend conducted several key leader engagements with U.S., international and African partners.

While in Djibouti, Townsend met with Djiboutian leaders including Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation; M. Hassan Omar Mohamed, minister of defense; and Maj. Gen. Zakaria Chekh Ibrahim, chief of defense. Townsend also met with French Brig. Gen Stéphane Dupont, commander, French Forces in Djibouti; and members of the U.S. Embassy in Djibouti, including Ambassador Jonathan G. Pratt. During these engagements, Townsend discussed collaboration with allies and partners to support security efforts in East Africa.

“Stability and security in East Africa benefits from partnership across the U.S. government and with a wide range of partners,” said Townsend. “That is why frequent engagement with our international and East Africa partners remains critical to security and success.”

Townsend and Pratt participated in the handover ceremony of a field hospital to the government of Djibouti in support to Djibouti’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

“It is our priority goal to strengthen security for the United States, Djibouti, and the region to improve the access of every citizen to essential medical services,” said Pratt.

Townsend also traveled to Somalia, where he conducted several engagements with key leaders. While visiting Kismayo, Townsend met with the president of Jubaland government Mr. Ahmed Mohamed Islam Madobe to discuss counter terrorism cooperation.

Additionally, while in Somalia, Townsend met with the Minister of Defense, Hassan Hussein Hajji; Somali National Army’s Deputy Chief of Defense Forces, Brig. Gen, Abbas Amin Ali; and U.S. Embassy colleagues in Mogadishu, including Colleen Crenwelge, deputy chief of mission/chargé d’affaires, to discuss the security cooperation efforts and strengthen critical partner relations in the region.

Townsend also engaged with several ambassadors from the international community to discuss how multinational efforts and communication can continue to enhance security in the region.

“U.S. Africa Command works with our international partners to help Somalia face its numerous security challenges. It remains critical for Somalia’s leaders to resolve their ongoing political disagreements in order to refocus on their significant security threats,” said Townsend. “It is also critical that Al-Shabaab’s influence and ambitions remain in check. Al-Shabaab’s ability to threaten regional stability and to conduct external operations must be degraded.”

On the trip Townsend was accompanied by the Command Senior Enlisted Leader, Sgt. Maj. Richard Thresher. Thresher’s presence demonstrated the priority placed on developing the enlisted corps of partner forces. During the trip, Thresher and Townsend conducted various engagements and recognized troops in the region.

“Every time I have the opportunity to get to the continent to engage with our African and international partners it deepens our collective ability to work together in a meaningful way to enhance security, stability and interoperability in the region,” said Thresher.

###

Share This Article
Facebook Whatsapp Whatsapp Email Copy Link Print

MORE NEWS

Official Reopening of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Archives

CultureEducationLocal News
November 23, 2024

Kenya’s small farmers find respite in avocados amid changing climate

NAIROBI(SONNA) As crop diseases and pests rise in Kenya amid a rapidly changing climate that…

March 11, 2023

Auditor General’s Office, Ports Ministry, and Albayrak Discuss Implementation of Financial Audit Recommendations

Mogadishu, (SONNA) – A high-level delegation from the Office of the Auditor General of the…

August 2, 2025

Nimcaan Hilaac appointed to lead Waberi National Band

Mogadishu (SONNA)-Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism of the Federal Republic of Somalia, H.E. Mohamed…

March 3, 2020

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

An event supporting One-Person-One-Vote elections held in Mogadishu

Mogadishu, (SONNA) - An event advocating for one-person-one-vote elections, organized by H.E. Abdulkadir Mohamed Noor, the Minister of Defense of…

Local News
January 18, 2025

Somali Minister of Foreign Affairs Addresses China-Arab Forum in Beijing

Mogadishu, Somalia –Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ahmed Macallin Fiqi, delivered a keynote speech at the 10th…

Local News
May 30, 2024

U.S. reaffirms support for Somalia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity

Mogadishu, SONNA, The United States Reiterates Its Commitment to Somalia’s Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity, amid the Ethiopia’s Aggression against Somalia,…

Local News
January 31, 2024

Welcome to Painting Competition “My Dream”

Last September, “Tiangong Dialogue-Talk with Taikonauts” was successfully held in 8 African countries, including Somalia, during which African teenagers demonstrated a strong interest in aerospace and an aspiration to explore space. From 1 March, a painting competition on the theme of “My Dream” will be co-hosted by the Chinese Follow-up Committee of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and China-Manned Space Engineering. Teenagers and younger children in Africa, including Somalia, are warmly welcome to participate in by presenting paintings portraying their hopes and dreams. The competition will select 10 winner entries of First Prize, 15 Second Prize , and 25 Third Prize. The winners will be awarded trophies and rewards (about 580 US dollars for First Prize, 360 US dollars for Second Prize and 290 for Third Prize) 10 winning entries will be carried by Chinese Taikonauts aboard China’s Shenzhou Spacecraft into the Tiangong Space Station and displayed live on social media platforms to the world. The Somali participants are kindly requested to send the digital scans of the paintings, along with information such as titles and brief introduction of the paintings as well as names and phone numbers of the authors to somchnbro@gmail.com by 25th March. The size of the painting should not exceed A3 paper (420 mm*297 mm). Videos or photos taken in the process of painting creation are expected to be attached for making promotion videos.

Local News
March 8, 2023

Somali National News Agency established in 1964. It is one of the main pillars of the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism.

  • Home
  • Local News
  • World News
  • Articles
  • Business
  • Sports
  • Tenders
  • SNTV
  • RADIO MOGADISHU
  • DALKA JOURNAL
  • TOURISM DEPARTMENT

Follow US: 

  • MoICT
  • VILLA SOMALIA
  • OPM SOMALIA

All rights reserved SONNA

©2023

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?