Further US visa sanctions for Somalians

More Somalians have been hit with US visa restrictions amid continued delays with the African nation’s election process. The Department of State (DoS) announced the expansion of US visa restrictions to an undisclosed number of Somalians in a statement, saying that it was in response to Somalia failing to meet a deadline to complete its parliamentary elections.

Somalia is one of several African nations, including Nigeria and Uganda, to be hit with US visa sanctions in recent years amid the undermining of their democratic processes. The US visa restrictions imposed on Somalians come after the country’s Federal Electoral Implementation Team postponed the announcement of election results until March 31.

An announcement on newly elected members for both of Somalia’s Houses of Parliament was due on this date, but has been pushed back to April 14.

President and prime minister issues

Somalia’s elections have been plagued by delays amid an ongoing power struggle between Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed – whose term in office expired in February 2021 – and his prime minister, Mohamed Hussein Roble.

Amid the ongoing dispute, on February 8, 2022 US Secretary of State Antony Blinken restricted the issuance of US visas to former and current Somali government officials. 

In a statement, Blinken said: “While there has been progress in recent weeks to seat parliamentarians, more than three dozen seats are still vacant.”

Meanwhile, the US is understood to have received credible reports relating to ‘procedural irregularities, while journalists and opposition party members have been subjected to harassment, arrest and violence.

Blinken said: “We will continue to evaluate additional designations under this policy and other tools at our disposal to promote accountability and support the rapid conclusion of Somalia’s electoral process in a credible and transparent manner.”

“The United States strongly supports the Somali people and remains committed to working to advance democracy and mutual prosperity,” Blinken added.

Somalia central government

No central government has held broad authority for 30 years in Somalia. The country’s parliamentary election, which began in November 2021 is an ‘indirect process that involves clan elders picking the 275 members of the Lower House, who then choose a new President’.

In the Somalian capital Mogadishu, there is a general consensus that US visa restrictions should be imposed on Somali leaders to prevent them from traveling to the United States, where many family members of Somali politicians, some of whom hold dual citizenship, live.

It had been hoped that initial US visa sanctions would encourage Somali leaders to speed up the electoral process.

The US government said: “The delay in the conclusion of Somalia’s elections is driving political instability, threatening security gains, and undermining economic development.”

As things stand, all 54 members of the Somalian Senate have been elected, but nearly 100 MPs out of 275 members of the Lower House are yet to be voted in.

Blinken said: “The continued delay of Somalia’s election process has broader implications, including undermining Somalia’s economic reforms and putting in jeopardy timely international debt relief.”

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