Saudi Arabia to Give Somalia U.S. $24 Million in Aid

Mogadishu, 31 May, 2013 (SDN)-The Saudi National Campaign for the Relief of the Somali People has pledged a comprehensive aid package worth $24 million for reconstruction projects in Somalia, according to the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC), which is helping to co-ordinate the funds. The aid will cover all regions of Somalia and will go towards education, health and agricultural sectors in addition to rehabilitation of displaced persons and all aspects of social welfare, the OIC said in a statement on May 12th. The scope of the aid package and the involvement of local non-governmental organisations, tribal elders, regional administrations and the federal government in deciding which projects to implement represents a new model of aid delivery in Somalia. The purpose of the donation is to boost Somalia’s reconstruction through various Saudi-supported programmes and construction projects, which will begin in mid-June, said Mohamed Idle Sabrie, deputy administrator of the OIC’s office in Mogadishu. About 500,000 people will benefit from the aid money, which will be phased in over 18 months. The first phase will concentrate on projects in Mogadishu, Sabrie said. Areas with the most urgent needs will be selected first, he said. “At first we want to determine the need in the districts and neighbourhoods we will provide the aid for,” he told Sabahi. “For example, a district [that already has] two schools and a hospital will not receive the same aid as a district with nothing.” “We will especially help internally displaced persons by creating a resettlement programme for them that will include providing them with food, medicine, education and [other services],” he said. The Somali government will consult with regional administrations about implementing programmes associated with the aid package, according to Sabrie, and a launch event will be held once the projects are ready to break ground. “We will hold a big announcement event and we expect officials from the Saudi government, the OIC, and the Somali government to attend,” he said. “Even though the announcement was to be made a long time ago, there was a delay with the arrival of the Saudi delegation due to the May 5th attack on the Qatari delegation, which necessitated ensuring security first.” Mohamed Sheikh Nur, head of the interim Jubbaland regional administration liaison department for non-profit agencies, welcomed the aid package. “It is a good sign that the Saudi government is showing the Somali people its commitment to help us,” Nur said. “The people of Kismayo are in great need of this aid. Healthcare, education and obtaining food are the most pressing issues that this project will assist us with.” Jijo Aadan, a 35-year-old mother of three who lives in the Tarabun camp for internally displaced persons in Mogadishu, said she was happy to hear about the humanitarian aid from Saudi Arabia, but still had some concerns. “I am confident that we will receive whatever portion of aid God has decreed for us,” she said. “[But] I would advise [OIC] to ensure that the people selected to manage these projects are not corrupt individuals who will not help the needy Somalis.” Sabrie said the Somali people long have complained about the mismanagement of relief projects during the 2011 famine. In order avoid such problems, he said, “We will conduct ongoing supervision trips to every location we implement the aid [programme] in, and there will be no corruption.” “Even though all needs cannot be covered completely, I believe that this project will make a big difference in the lives of the Somali people,” he said.

Source: Allafrica