"Ultimately, the primary architects of what peace, democracy, and development efforts look like must be the Somali people."
"What should we be doing here forward to ensure that al-Shabaab loses the financial support to continue operations?"
"There seems to be a real tension between a desire for a strong national government to be able to resist intrusion from Ethiopia, from Kenya sort of meddling by outside forces."
"If you might, for AMISOM to be successful, they need--several of you have recommended greater force projection capability."
"I have represented in a number of settings that this is something we really ought to be looking to more broadly."
"Today's hearing comes almost exactly two decades after the battle of Mogadishu, in which 18 Americans were killed defending U.S. interests and providing vital humanitarian assistance to Somalia."
"A steady transition from 20 years of statelessness, lawlessness, and violence to a functioning democracy is part of the objective of this hearing."
"In less than 18 months, we were able to bring that country back into a democratic country moving forward because of an African-led process supported by us."
"I am pleased to call to order this hearing of the African Affairs Subcommittee on security and governance issues in Somalia."
"Somalia is slowly emerging from the abyss."
"the opportunity is to help citizens gain greater confidence in both local and central governing structures"