On Monday, January 15, the Somali Prime Minister of the Transitional National Government met with the Greater Washington, D.C. Metro Area Somali community.

Approximately 1,000 people attended a plenary session held at the Arlington Hilton just outside Washington, D.C. The event marked the single largest gathering of the Washington area community for a period of eleven years.

In his speech, the Prime Minister briefed the community on the progress of the Transitional government, security issues, Ethiopia's involvement of Somali affairs, his trip to New York at the Security Council and host of opportunities and challenges facing his Transitional Government.

The Prime Minister told the community that Somalia has gone from a reconciliation phase to rebuilding the state. He encouraged the community to participate in rebuilding a nation based on the rule of law, free market economy, and a solid democratic process.

The Prime Minister also received a host of questions from the audience in an evening of exchange and dialog.

The Prime Minister's meeting with the Washington D.C. community coincided with the same week when U.N. Security Council welcomed Somalia back to the community of nations and the current Transitional Government was recognized as the sole legitimate authority in the country. .