Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre made a historic visit to Minnesota on Sunday, captivating crowds with a resounding message of hope and renewed sense of optimism.

“Somalia has a stable government now,” Barre said to a crowd of about 1,600 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bloomington. “If we don’t have a stable government we cannot work on improving security issues and other challenges the country faces.”

Barre, who took the stage at around 11:15 p.m. and spoke for about an hour, used his first visit to Minnesota, home to the largest Somali population in the United States, to mobilize members of the local community.

He talked about the progress his country has made, highlighting that Somalia’s security has improved greatly in the past year. Barre urged the Somali diaspora to return to their home country to invest and contribute to the movement against Al-Shabab, al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group.

The Somali American community, particularly in Minnesota, are considered a backbone in the rebuilding efforts of the war-ravaged East African country. More than two dozen Somali Americans belong to Somalia’s parliament and a growing number have returned in recent years.

“We want you to be a leader in the fight against Al-Shabab,” he said. “Al-Shabab is the number one, two and three enemy of Somalia.”

Barre’s presence followed his recent meetings with world leaders, including United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York last week. In his historic address to the United Nations General Assembly, Barre talked about his government’s progress and its ongoing fight against the militants, and appealed for full debt relief and an increased international assistance to bolster the country’s efforts in fighting global challenges, particularly climate change.

The prime minister also urged the U.N. Security Council to lift the international arms embargo — imposed on the country during the early-1990s civil war — as Somalia strives to deliver on promises to eliminate Al-Shabab and rebuild its national army to take over the nation’s security.

Backed by the United States and the African Union forces, the Somali government has declared an “all-out war” against the militants who had long controlled large swaths of the country and killed tens of thousands of people in suicide bombings over the years.

To dismantle the group’s financial networks and combat its extremist ideology the Somali government has vowed to shut down access to some social media platforms such as TikTok and Telegram and enlisted the help of local residents in Al-Shabab strongholds, liberating more than 45% or at least 80 regions in less than a year.

The government has also implemented the issuance of national ID cards as part of its strategy to enhance security and address terrorism issues, among other reasons. The efforts are being hailed as the most aggressive offensive launched against the terrorist organization in more than a decade.

Amid terrorism challenges, Somalia also is grappling with a pressing humanitarian crisis and enduring tribal divisions that have given rise to autonomous regions, each with their own identity and governance.

“If we want to be an effective country, we need to stop tribalism and corruption,” Barre told attendees. “It will only divide us.”

Members of the local Somali community have a longstanding tradition of welcoming Somali government officials to the state, but Barre’s historic visit marks the first time a sitting prime minister from Somalia came to Minnesota.

Somalia’s president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, visited Minnesota twice, most recently in December when he echoed a similar sentiment. Mohamud tapped Barre, a former chairman of the Jubbaland state election commission to serve as prime minister In June 2022.

On Sunday night, Barre was accompanied by a delegation of high-ranking officials from Somalia, including the country’s Minister of Health, Dr. Ali Haji Adan. Local elected officials also joined to show their support and celebrate collaborations between Minnesota and Somalia.

To a packed room at the DoubleTree, Barre touted his government’s coordinated efforts alongside the locals in rooting out terrorists. He also emphasized Somalia’s commitment in strengthening alliances with the international community, particularly the Somali diaspora, to address global challenges including climate change, promote peace, and ensure sustainable development.

“We are no longer complacent,” Barre said. “We will bring the strong and brave Somalia back.”

The crowd erupted in cheers, chanting and waving Somali and U.S. flags.

Murwo Elmi, 36, a Richfield resident, expressed appreciation for the Somali government’s efforts to combat terrorism, improve security and address the humanitarian crisis.

“I feel motivated to go back and contribute however way I can,” said Elmi, an entrepreneur who has plans of taking medical equipment to Somalia. “I want my people to stop flocking to other countries to seek medical care.”

Many left the event feeling for the first time Somalia is poised for a positive change and brighter future.

“This is a new beginning for Somalia,” said 31-year-old Abdullahi Ahmed, a Minneapolis resident who was born in Kenya. “The Somali government has proved and showed us that we can defeat our biggest enemy.”