In Mogadishu, Somalia, the Director General of the country’s Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), Mahmoud Maallin Abdulle, met with US Ambassador to Somalia Richard H. Riley IV at the American embassy on Wednesday. The primary focus of their discussions was enhancing humanitarian collaboration.

SoDMA reported that the gathering sought to strengthen effective humanitarian coordination, especially as the United States continues to be Somalia’s primary benefactor. During the last ten years, Washington has allocated over USD 7 billion in humanitarian and developmental support.

Amid the catastrophic drought of 2022, the United States offered USD 1.3 billion in emergency aid, comprising over USD 700 million in direct humanitarian assistance. Somali officials indicate that this support prevented famine and facilitated rapid crisis response.

The dialogues also addressed how Washington might assume a leading role once more in addressing the persistent drought and escalating humanitarian requirements in Somalia.

Concluding the meeting, SoDMA Chairman Abdulle expressed gratitude to the US government and its embassy in Mogadishu for their sustained support of humanitarian activities and long-term state-building initiatives in Somalia.