Summary President Barack Obama has cleared the way for the US to provide arms to Somalia's government.
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is clearing the way for the United States to provide arms to Somalia s government. It is part of a normalization of relations between the U.S. and Somalia.
Obama said in a memo Monday that he is determined that providing defense equipment and services to Somalia will strengthen U.S. security and promote peace.
The move does not provide new assistance to Somalia right away. But it lets Secretary of State John Kerry consider taking those steps in the future.
Somalia is trying to establish its first functional government after two decades of chaos since 1991. That is when warlords overthrew longtime dictator Siad Barre and then turned on one another.
