Somali Official Laments Lack of Adequate Financial Support

Somali Official Laments Lack of Adequate Financial Support

A Somali official says the international community's lack of sufficient financial support could derail his government's efforts to stabilize the country.

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Deputy Interior Minister Bashir Abdi said that international donors need to fulfill their financial pledges.

"The international community promised a lot of money and up to now that money has not come in the government hands, and as you know if you don't have money to pay to the police (and) every social part of the government, it's very tough to make sure that the government can do all the things it wants to do," he said.

Abdi said at the moment, the government lacks funds for its initiatives, including money for troops who are battling hard-line Islamic insurgents.

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He said in response to the international community's call for transparency, President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed's government recently signed an agreement with Price Water House Coopers, an international accounting firm, to handle all donor funds.

Abdi lamented the insurgents receive funds from terrorist organizations which he says emboldens them to continue launching offensives against the government.

He added President Ahmed's recent trip to Europe to seek additional financial has yet to yield results.

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"That is true when the president went to Europe there were a lot of promises … up to now the money has not (gotten) in. But the government at the same time has its duty and is trying to survive and make sure that it get the whole Somalia into their hands…but the funding has not been as fast as it should be," Abdi said.

So far the Somali government has realized only three million



out of the 58 million dollars pledged by the international community.

Two million dollars came from the United States, and another million from the Arab League.

President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed's government has been battling hard-line insurgents who have vowed to overthrow his administration and implement a strict form of the Sharia law.

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