Monday, July 7, 2025
Mogadishu— (Horn Africa News) — Hamza Warfa, a former senior advisor at the U.S. Department of State, has disclosed that discussions are underway within U.S. circles about the possibility of opening dialogue with Al-Shabaab, the militant group that has waged an insurgency in Somalia for nearly two decades.
Speaking in an exclusive interview, Warfa said that continued reliance on costly military operations — which have delivered limited success in stabilizing Somalia — is no longer a viable path forward. He argued that a sustainable solution requires political engagement, drawing parallels to U.S. strategies in other conflict zones, including Afghanistan.
“It doesn’t make sense to keep spending millions of dollars on military campaigns that have not delivered meaningful change,” Warfa said. “A political settlement, through dialogue, is the only way to achieve lasting peace.”
Warfa suggested that initial, undisclosed contacts between U.S. officials and Al-Shabaab may already have occurred during the Trump administration, signaling a potential policy shift. If confirmed, this would mark a significant departure from Washington’s long-standing military-first approach to the Somali conflict.
The former advisor revealed that he intends to engage with senior U.S. officials to advocate for formal negotiations, emphasizing the dual objective of safeguarding U.S. interests while helping Somalis build a peaceful and prosperous future.
Regional analysts note that any move toward dialogue would represent a dramatic change in U.S. policy, one that could open the door to ending a conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions.
However, major questions remain: Is Al-Shabaab willing to come to the negotiating table? And is the U.S. ready to pursue a political solution where military efforts have fallen short?
