The following is attributable to Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus:

Under Secretary for Political Affairs David Hale met today with Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre in Mogadishu, Somalia.  The Under Secretary reaffirmed America’s commitment to assist Somalia with political reform, economic development, and stabilization efforts.

The Prime Minster briefed the Under Secretary on recent political and security developments and Somalia’s progress towards meeting the conditions for debt relief that would allow Somalia to resume borrowing from international financial institutions.  The Under Secretary expressed our expectation of a peaceful and credible election in the Somali federal member state of Jubaland later this month, and encouraged progress to allow one-person, one-vote Somali national elections beginning next year.

They agreed on the value of security operations to liberate areas from al-Shabaab and preparing Somali forces to take over from the African Union Mission to Somalia.