Somalia TT President meets Michaud, other members of U.S. Congress

Published Date Wednesday, 16 January 2013 01:30


Written by Staff Report

U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, D-Maine, joined a bipartisan gathering of members of the U.S. Congress to welcome Somalia President Hassan Sheik Mohamud to the U.S. Capitol Tuesday, Michaud's office reported.

This was the newly elected Somalia President's first visit to the United States as President and first meeting with members of Congress, Michaud noted. In the meeting, he discussed the recent security gains and economic development in Mogadishu. Over the last several months, the U.N. Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that the number of attacks on aid workers fell from 13 in October to four and five in November and December, a press release stated. The African Union Mission in Somalia has liberated

Mogadishu and other areas from Al-Shabaab, and more humanitarian relief is reaching those who desperately need it, Michaud's office reported.

In a BBC report, Mohamud is described as "a moderate Islamist."

"He has won respect for his work in civil society and education, being one of the founders of Mogadishu's Simad university, where he was a lecturer and served as its first dean for 10 years until he resigned to enter politics," the BBC reported.