The United States welcomes the results of the “Consultative Meeting of Somali Signatories of the Roadmap for Ending the Transition” held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, May 21-23, where the Roadmap Signatories, which include leaders from the Transitional Federal Government, Galmudug and Puntland States, and Alhu Sunna Wal Jama’a, and the United Nations Special Representative for Somalia, signed an important communique that details a plan to complete the key Roadmap tasks and end Somalia’s political transition by August 20.

The United States commends the Signatories for reaffirming their commitment to end Somalia’s political transition by August 20. For the first time in a generation, there is real hope that Somalis can create a new era of more responsive, democratic, and legitimate governance for Somalia. The United States expresses its appreciation to the United Nations, the African Union, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development for their facilitation of this important meeting.

With many challenges remaining in the three months before the transition ends, the United States calls on the Signatories to maintain their collective resolve to complete this process, and to ensure broad communication and consultation with the Somali people on all aspects of the transition. The United States remains firmly committed to supporting Somalia’s leaders and its people as they work to bring improved security, stability, and governance to their country. We remain equally committed to working with the international community to impose sanctions on those individuals and entities in Somalia who seek to obstruct the completion of these tasks.