Africa
EU Threatens To Cut Financial Aid From TFG
May 2, 2011 · 13 Comments
NAIROBI — The European Union, one of the major financiers of Amisom and the Somali Transitional Federal Government, has threatened to cut further support if the current office holders do not relinquish power when their term of office comes to an end in August.
This has not gone down well with the East African Community, whose members Uganda and Burundi are providing the boots on the ground in Mogadishu, and feel that the proposed extension of the TFG’s mandate for another year, would help consolidate achievements in service delivery.
Being a major financier, EU’s withdrawal will severely hamper efforts to pacify the war-torn country.
Besides crippling Amisom, the TFG would be starved of funds to pay wages and run its activities. Last year, the EU announced it planned to spend some $348.4 million between 2010 and 2013.
“The EU agrees that future support to Transitional Federal Institutions including stipends for parliamentarians should be contingent on progress on reform and delivery of transitional tasks,” said a statement from the bloc.
The decision comes at a time the EU was considering increasing financial support to central, regional and local level administration in consolidating stable and accountable governance and provision of basic services to include the people in the breakaway Puntland and Somaliland.
In February, the TFG extended the term of office of the Cabinet by one year and parliamentarians gave themselves three more years on the grounds that they needed more time to accomplish pending tasks.
The extension has now received the backing of the EAC heads of state.
While appearing before a parliamentary committee on defence, UPDF Commander Land Forces, Lt-Gen Katumba Wamala told legislatures that EAC heads of state agreed to have the current TFG lease renewed for one more year.
The EU thinks otherwise. “The EU deeply regrets the recent unilateral decision by the Somali TFP to extend its mandate,” it notes. It urges the Transitional Federal Institutions to focus on implementing the reforms that are necessary to build their legitimacy, representativeness and credibility without which there can be no extension.”
By Halima Abdallah
Source: The East African | 2 May, 2011
Email this story
Tags: Army, Burundi, EU, Finance, Somalia, TFG, Uganda
Readers Comments (13)
Somaliland
Somaliland-Ethiopia Relationship
Overpowering Gratitude Vs Vexing Misgivings By Ahmed I. Hassan Author’s Note: This is the chapter on Somaliland-Ethiopia Relationship in a book titled “Somaliland: The Legacies of Non-Recognition” which ...
SOMALIA: Turkish Airlines diverts to Nairobi after security scare in Mogadishu
MOGADISHU — A carrier operated by Turkish Airlines left its Somali passengers stranded in the wrong airport after landing in Kenya rather than their intended ...
UN envoy in Somalia concerned over violent clashes in Hargeisa
Photo: Special Representative Augustine Mahiga (UN Photo/Stuart Price) NAIROBI — The United Nations envoy in Somalia, Augustine P. Mahiga, today expressed concern over recent violent clashes ...
SOMALILAND: President urges citizens to uphold peace and stability
HARGEISA — The Somaliland National Independence day celebrations that was widely marked within and outside the country, had an added flavor when the State House grounds witnessed ...
SOMALILAND: Two Journalists join two others in prison
HARGEISA — Mohamed Abdi Omar and Khadar Farah Hussein, managing editor and reporter/cameraman, respectively, with the newspaper Yool newspaper, became the latest number of journalists ...
Your Say
Somalia: Federalism, Division and The Dual Track Policy
OPINION | MAY 20, 2012 Photo: Alternative to federalism and Somaliland/Somalia ideology – the three branch Somalia (three branches of government in three different parts of ...
- SOMALILAND: Where is the Justice in our Justice System?
- Unionist are Dead — Long Live SOMALILAND
- Apprehending Ratco Mladic: a reminder of a war criminal working as jury
- Dr Jowhar: We lost a friend, a Hero
- GEESI LOO HANWEYNAA – A tribute to my hero Dr. Jowhar
- 10 Years after Timor’s Independence, Where Is the Justice?
- Why Hiil Qaran Party Will Not Have a Significant Impact on the Politics of Somalia
- Sunday 20 May: Join in Commemorating late Dr Jowhar
- Qurbomeer State should stop smearing the reputation of Lula A Osman
- May 18: Somaliland Independence Day – Message from Islamabad
Somaliland National day – for the sake of a decent life and principle of the future
OPINION | May 18, 2012 By Abdirahman Maeeg In a wonderful day like this day, our talk should have significance from a different angle; it is an ...
Somaliland media: Spreading the word
OPINION | May 17, 2012 By Liban Obsiye While speaking with my young teenage cousin over supper at home I was surprised when he asked me to ...
TFG records is zero progress on any given matter and lost credibility for further extensions beyond
the expiry term August 2011. The EU donors have every right to question the AU recommendations
and to reject any TFG extension beyond August 2011. Puntland is integral part of TFG and should
not be treated as a seperate entity. The TFG failed to carry out any reforms and remains stalemate
with Alshabab and other militia forces. Somalia needs new directions and fresh elections replacing
the current TFG. To avoid other wasteful conflicts this time the AU and the IC donors should focus
attention on new leadership pushed to the Rahanwein/minority groups. In my view SH. Sharif
Hassan SH. Adan is tough and honest good catch politician for the presidency post.
Also to create a Vice Presidency post instead of the Prime Minister post would probably alleivate
the conflicting rivalries between the President and PM. All the fiefdom micro so called states should
be ignored with Somalia remaining as one centralised Sovereign State ruling Governor Mayor
Regions and other centralised Cabinet and Independent Govt. departments etc. Typically like
Somaliland Govts. Institutions.
Cheers.
Footnote. If for example Rahanwein takes the Presidency the new VP should go to the minorities.
The Foreign, Interior, and Defence posts should go to minority groups. Darod/Hawiye trouble makers
must be pushed to trash cabinet posts.
Cheers.
All historically tribal societies possess some form of internal struggle between local clans and sub clans. The main issue however is to ensure the greater good of the society prevails. The Gulf states are an excellent example. The have some rivalries, but their care for the wellbeing of their nation and its imagine, for the most part, supersedes petty desires. Even Somaliland has some petty rivalries that date back centuries, but no one cares for the most part. People just keep it in the teashops or in Qat joints :) Furthermore, as long as any government continues to provide basic services and promote job growth most people will be happy regardless of tribe.
For example, Silanyo is Habar Jeclo and I am Habar Younis (traditional ally and rival). However, I like this dude! He seems to be the right man for the job. He fought with the SNM and has now transitioned well into the political role of president. His firmness and calm reaction to the SSC conflict has also proven that he is now the PRESIDENT of Somaliland and not simply the Chairman of a militia :)
In summary, my Allah(swt) bring beneficial peace to our brothers in the south and continue to guide our president Mr. Silanyo in his quest to be 1 of somaliland's greatest presidents…Ameen
Justice & development !
The extension of a mandate and power struggle will continue as rivals are in power. Someone in here mentioned that let a rahanwein, i doubt it will change anything, daarood and Hawiye need to hold the top posts while minorities take the rest. it will be a good idea if Hawiye take the presidency since they cannot trust Daarood but Daarood president will be better for the South. Sheik Sharif as a president r yu kidding me the guy never even run a school.
The 4.5 formula of Arta/TFG places RAhanwein with the top 4 which means that Rahanwein is a
major contender in the Somalia politics. Sh. Sharif Hassan SH. Adan has been in politics for a long
time now and proved to have always been on the good side of the bad politics of Somalia. For example,
when ex president C/laahi Yusuf and his team were committed to approving the invasion of Ethiopia
to crush the UIC, SH. Sharif Hassan who was then the TFP Chairman opposed the TFG approval
which then caused the well respected TFP chairman to lose his job. Therefore your cheap shots don't
change my previous comments about regarding SH. Sharif Hassan SH. Adan. He really remains a highly potential candidate for the any future Somalia Presidency to replace the current useless TFG.
Cheers.
EU has smelled the coffee and they came to their senses. Let the EU put another condition: Come rain or hell all members of parliament should be stationed in Mogadishu and the assembly should be held in Mogadishu.
The socalled MPs of TFG don't want their daily dose of Qat to be interrupted in Nairobi. It is not a secret that TFG has become a business unit with its HQ in Nairobi (new branch to be opened in Garowe soon).
Rwanda and Uganda has interest to employ their "boots" on the ground in Mogadishu who mostly are rebel soldiers and hooligans who used to fight the dirty wars in Rwanda and Congo.
What Rwanda has got to do with the Burundi Uganda Amisom forces in Mogadiscio. Rwanda is a good
and well organised peaceful country under the wise leadership of A TUTSI president.
Cheers.
Most Ugandan AMISOM soldiers are ex-Rwandese/Uganda fighters who neither Kagame nor Musevini want in their countries. These are same hardcore soldiers who created havoc in eastern Congo. Google them.
Regarding TUTSI President, (I guess I know why you capitalised tutsi) – he has too many skeletons hidden for my liking.
Cheers
Does that mean Rwanda and Burundi are one country please explain? Are you talking about Hutu
rebels in Burundi? Am not sure about Burundi's Colonial history but I know Rwanda and Uganda
are now two British Common wealth countries. Musevini may have huge home grown opposition
problems but Kagame in my view tends to be a more wiser leader thus far managing to deal with
the normal governance of his country and I doubt that Rwanda Amisom soldiers are in Somalia.
Cheers.
Brother Mohammed,
My point is that the Uganda army in Somalia is full of Rwandese soldiers. As you might know many Tutsi were refugees in Uganda because they (Tutsi) were persecuted in Rwanda. Kagame was one of those refugees who grew up in Uganda (from 2 years old to adulhood). Many tutsi refugees in Uganda joined Museveni's NRA to fight a guerrilla war against the government of Obote. Kagame became one of the top commanders in NRA and in 1986 succeded to bring Museveni to power as President of Uganda. Kagame continued to stay in the Ugandan Army and became head of the military intelligence of NRA.
Musevini returned the favor and helped Kagame form RPF to liberate Rwanda from the Hutu dominated government. In 1990, the RPF – with lots of Uganda boots – entered Rwanda and liberated it. cont…
cont..
Now those soldiers "who tasted blood" where hard to handle in both countries. Museveni and Kagame found a solution by sending these experienced troops to invade eastern Congo to help protect ethnic tutsi in that area and at the same time loot the minerals. The UN catched up with them and asked both countries to get those troops from the Congo.
The same headache again for Museveni and Kagame was what to do with the "dey-dey" from the Congo. They found the solution by sending them to Mogadisho as AMISOM. The rest, is history.
By the way, I used to like both Kagame and Museveni, but I think both have overstayed and become tyrants.
Tks. Still by standards President Kagame's rule in Rwanda is more stable than President
Museveni and again the AMISOM soldiers in Mogadiscio Somalia are from Uganda and Burundi.
Rwanda has nothing to do with Amisom as a Govt. Brothda that's how I C things.
Cheers.
Yes, I agree, officially AMISOM soliders in Mogadishu are from Uganda and Burundi. Thanks.