By Asha Elmi - Reporter
Somalia, 3 July 2026 – Nadia Mohamed, the Somali American mayor of St. Louis Park in Minnesota, visited Mogadishu on Friday for the first time in a decade, highlighting growing ties between Somalia and its diaspora communities abroad.
Speaking during a reception in Mogadishu, Nadia said she was pleased to return to Somalia and reconnect with the country, its people and local communities.
“It has been a long time since I last came to Mogadishu,” she said. “I am very happy to return to my country, reconnect with the people and engage with different communities.”
Nadia described Somalia not as a place she was visiting as a guest, but as home.
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“I am not a guest here. This is my home,” she said.
Senior Somali officials and community leaders welcomed Nadia’s visit, describing her as a symbol of diaspora success and a source of inspiration for Somali youth, particularly young women.
Saadiya Yasin Haji Samatar, Acting Speaker of the House of the People of the Federal Parliament, praised Nadia’s achievements and urged Somali youth to remain active in leadership, public service and national development.
The Somali diaspora, particularly in North America and Europe, continues to play a growing role in shaping economic and political connections between Somalia and the wider world.