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A week before the arrival of Donald Yamamoto in Mogadishu, three car bombs exploded in the heart of the city just outside the Sahafi hotel.
Dozens of motorists and pedestrians nearby were killed or maimed. A fourth bomb exploded when the first responders arrived, bringing the death toll to at least 52, killing over 100 people.
This was the latest in a series of attacks perpetrated by the Islamist terrorist group al-Shabab, which has been trying for more than a decade to dismantle the Somali federal government.
Yamamoto, the new US ambbadador to Somalia, did not get discouraged. By strengthening its institutions and economy, Somalia can provide security and stability, Yamamoto told VOA's Somali service.
"We see hope. I think for the first time in a long time, we are seeing opportunities grow and develop, "Yamamoto said.
"We must be seen"
Yamamoto brings to his new position 20 years of experience, both in Somalia and in the wider region of East Africa. He held senior diplomatic posts in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Djibouti.
In Somalia, he collaborated with the Islamic Courts Union and the Somali Transitional Government, concurrent factions that preceded the current federal government.
Yamamoto hopes to use his experiences to build on unprecedented rapprochements between East African neighbors in order to create new opportunities for Somalia.
The goal now is to establish a permanent diplomatic presence in the capital, Mogadishu, and to find ways to support the Somali people in their efforts for peace and prosperity.
"What is the old American saying? It's "90% must be seen"? We must therefore be seen. We must be present. And I travel through most of Somalia, so I think I would like to do it too, "Yamamoto said.
He plans to leave Mogadishu permanently, with a small team, in the coming weeks.
Multi-part strategy
Yamamoto recognizes that the work to be done will not be easy. Despite an international presence, regular air strikes in the United States and elections in 2016 and 2017, security remains difficult to achieve.
"Is it dangerous? Sure. Is it difficult? I think it is. But we have to do it because it is important," he said.
Yamamoto has nearly four decades of experience in the US Foreign Service. He attended Columbia College at Columbia University in New York. His graduate degree in International Affairs and Language Studies prepared him for his diplomatic career where, at the State Department, he received four top honorary awards for outstanding services. .
In his testimony before the Senate Committee on External Relations this summer, Mr. Yamamoto said he would strengthen institutions and governance as an ambbadador. transfer the security responsibilities of AMISOM, the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia, to the Somali forces; create economic opportunities, especially for young Somali workers; and cope with food and health crises.
Local, regional and international integration
Yamamoto said the key to these efforts is integration, in Somalia and beyond.
"We can not have peace in East Africa without peace in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia and Tanzania. They are all interdependent and I think they can all benefit from a dynamic economic program. And that's what we're trying to do, not just for Somalia, but for the whole region, "he said.
For Yamamoto, this means tapping into a wide range of resources in East Africa – Djibouti's port and sea facilities, Eritrea's strategic seaboard and mining industry, and Ethiopia's Level 1 airport in Ethiopia. Addis Ababa, which allows direct cargo to the United States.
Yamamoto also believes that it is necessary to improve communication in Somalia.
"There needs to be very strong integration, coordination and cooperation between the federal government and the federal member states," he said.
The country is now experiencing "growth problems," he added, underscoring the importance for factions across the country to understand their needs and demands.
Encouraging collaboration with a range of international actors, from the Gulf States to Russia and China, is also important, Yamamoto added.
"We spoke to the Chinese and Russians very closely in many areas. We see a lot of things in common. We also see competition. We see differences. So we need to resolve the differences and focus on the commonalities, but more importantly, we need to … focus [on] what is in the interest of Somalia and the African people and how that will help them. "
An African future
Yamamoto warned that ignoring Africa was not an option.
In less than a century, he said, 40% of the world's population and 30% of its workforce will be African. These figures reflect the United Nations forecasts.
"Africa will therefore be a major player. And you want a stable, dynamic and economically progressive continent. You do not need a continent unstable or divided, "Yamamoto said.
And this, he added, is a reason for optimism.
"The future is really, I think, potentially very promising, especially in Somalia."
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