EU Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs
A diplomatic spat has erupted in Brussels between a high Somali official and the EU commissioner for development over the level of foreign aid given to the wartorn African country.
Fawzia Yusuf Adam, Somalia’s minister of foreign affairs and deputy PM, said that her country had received “nothing from the European Union – only promises”.
EU commissioner for development Andris Piebalgs reacted immediately and told IBTimes UK exclusively: “I’m very upset she said that – it’s absolutely false.
“The political process starting in Somalia is not only because of political abilities but investment in different parts of Somalia which brings people to support the federal government,” he said during a private meeting at the European Development Days in Brussels.
“We have a substantial development project in parts of Somalia. We disburse nearly €50m and the biggest parts goes to areas such as Somaliland, Puntland, in education, rural development, healthcare, access to water. Lots of money being invested.
“She’s right we don’t channel any money to federal government but that’s because in order to use that you need public finance management and an accountability system and today that’s not the case,” he went on.
“I pledged to work with the government as close as a I can and I will honour it. We bring very substantial support to Somalia, although we don’t channel any money through the government.”
The European Commission provides development aid in Somalia under the 10th European Development Fund (EDF). The total allocation for Somalia for the 2008-13 period is €521m.
The EU support supports Amisom (the African Union Mission in Somalia), which aims to create the conditions for peace and stability, and has channelled €594m into it.
Adam said that Somalia had been pledged €1.8bn in a conference in September but claimed “so far, we have received nothing”.
“We ask European countries to honour their pledge,” she said. “We are looking forward to see that [for it to be] realised for development reconstruction and security.
“During the previous transitional government, €200m was pledged in 2010 but we never received it. We want friends to honour their pledge so that we can build our country.”
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http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/525573/20131127/somalia-eu-aid-piebalgs-fawzia-yusuf-adam.htm
Source: IBT
The FGS since coming into power has become nothing other than to add more injurious
insults to the failures of their predecessors. Just can't see how the FGS would be able to
function faced with such huge conflicting turmoil both at home et beyond. Poor MS Adam is
purely another victim between the two Tom and Jerry …Hassan & Shirdoon…with Jawari trying
to refree in his feeble position!….perhaps the time has come for MS Adam to pack up
before it's too late leaving the trio to squabble over their final dissolve intothe backburner.
Cheers.
Cheers.
Good job Eu. please use the Money for development and help the poor people. Never ever hand a penny to this parasite leeches in mogadisho Zooland simple because they will pocket any cash which comes across.
Somaliland government is different as it;s accountable to it's people therefore reward those who deserve and ignore the thief's.
Recently the central bank gover of this Zooland run away with her life and exposed this greedy monkeys who don't care about their own hunger dying mothers and sister. Read her comment anyone will understand how this roaches in Zooland run their country. Thats why we somalilanders refuse to have any thing to do with them..
Long life somaliland and it's peace loving people.
correction: central governor
You can believe they are getting money, do you think all those Somalis would be there in bullet hole mogadhisju if someone wasnt lining their pockets?
They are just angry that they havent gotten more, hence, the temper tantrum. Also, the fact that Somaliland is getting attention, development and investments due to its organization, its institutions, and actually putting the money to work for the people.
They know that the world is starting to wake up so now they have to act as if they got nothing to justify their lack of any accomplishments to show for what they initially got and continue to get.
Zoomalians still do not understand that the "promised" AID is money that will be managed by donor communities. They will not handout their own tax payers money to men and women wearing designer suits and handbags. Even if they were given the money, what can they do since they govern nothing except few houses near villa zoomalia.