US Embassy to Somalia Comes Clean on Reports about Moving from Nairobi to Mogadishu

The United States' Somali Embassy has clarified reports about moving the Mission's offices from Nairobi, Kenya to Mogadishu.

On Friday, reports by a section of media  quoted the newly-appointed US Ambassador to Somalia saying that the Mission to Somalia, which currently operates from the American Embassy in Nairobi, would be moved to Mogadishu before the end of this year.

In statement, the Embassy says the new US Ambassador to Somalia Donald Yamamoto was misquoted on the matter during an interview with Voice of America (VOA) on Friday.

"Ambassador Yamamoto was interviewed by VOAjournalist Sahra Abdi Ahmed. Her tweet, the US Embassy in Nairobi would move to Somalia as early as December, does not accurately reflect what was stated in the Interview," the statement reads in part.

The Embassy however notes that the US is keen on re-establishing its diplomatic presence in Somalia.

In 2015, former US Secretary of State John Kerry revealed plans of reopening the American Embassy in Mogadishu, which was closed in1993 following the famous attack in the Somali Capital known as Black Hawk Down where 18 American servicemen were killed.