FEINGOLD VISITS HORN OF AFRICA TO FOCUS ON COUNTERTERRORISM
Feingold Makes Visit Prior to Taking Over the Chairmanship Of
the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa
November 27, 2006
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold is traveling throughout
the Horn of Africa this week to focus on regional security issues and
the rapidly deteriorating conditions in Somalia. Feingold will meet
with senior government officials in Kenya and Ethiopia to assess the
efforts and resources necessary to address the growing instability in
Somalia and the region. He will also be focusing on other critical U.S.
interests in the region, including counter-terrorism efforts, economic
growth, poverty alleviation, and corruption.
“I’m traveling to the Horn of Africa to assess what it’s
going to take to bring peace to Somalia.” Feingold said. “It’s
not only in the interest of regional security; it matters to our own
national security. We’ve ignored Somalia at our peril. It is home
to al Qaeda operatives who attacked our embassies in 1998 and it continues
to serve as a terrorist safe haven. The lack of a political solution
to Somalia’s ongoing civil conflict perpetuates this threat. It
is now time to work closely with our partners and allies to find a solution
to instability there. ”
Over the last several months, the extremist Council of Islamic Courts
(CIC) has seized control of much of Somalia and conditions there continue
to threaten regional stability. According to a recently released United
Nations report, both the CIC and the Transitional Federal Government
may be receiving military support and other resources from a range of
outside nations setting the stage for potential regional conflict.
Despite the trouble in Somalia, the Bush Administration has yet to
appoint a senior coordinator for Somalia to pull together a strategy
and to engage full-time with international and regional partners in
addressing this crisis. Earlier this year, the U.S. Senate passed a
Feingold amendment to the Department of Defense Authorization bill calling
for a comprehensive strategy for establishing long-term stability in
Somalia. In January, Feingold is slated to become the Chairman of the
Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa. Feingold, who is traveling
on official Senate business, has served on the Foreign Relations Committee
for nearly fourteen years. He is also a member of the Senate Select
Committee on Intelligence.
“It is imperative that the U.S. government begin playing a leadership
role in helping to stabilize Somalia and the region, and that it do
so immediately,” Feingold said. “We need a comprehensive
approach to engaging with regional actors, the international community,
and the UN to find a permanent solution to this crisis. Such an approach
will contribute to stability throughout the Horn of Africa and to our
national security. That’s what I’m focused on during this
trip, and I look forward to working with the Administration to address
this gap in our national security efforts.”
Photo of Senator
Russ Feingold meeting with Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki during a November
2006 trip to the Horn of Africa.
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