UK will help Somalia plan a safe and prosperous future

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

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Justine Greening announces new support to boost Somalia’s economy and create jobs at the New Deal for Somalia conference in Brussels.

Britain has pledged further support to boost Somalia’s economy and create jobs as the country recovers from 20 years of civil war, International Development Secretary Justine Greening announced today.

The new package of support comes as Somalia’s government is set to agree its first strategy to coordinate its development and plan a more peaceful future at the New Deal for Somalia conference in Brussels.

The UK’s support will ensure 8,400 children are treated for malnutrition and 5,300 babies receive life-saving immunisations. The UK will also pledge new support to boost Somalia’s economic development by encouraging more investment and generating thousands of new jobs across the country.

Speaking at conference, the UK also called on other countries to follow the UK’s lead and support Somalia’s own plans for its future reconstruction. International Development Secretary Justine Greening said:

Britain is already forging a new and special relationship with Somalia.

It is right that we help Somalia to get back on its feet and stop the country falling back into the arms of terrorism, famine and insecurity.

This new roadmap for reconstruction is a once in a generation opportunity to support Somalia’s plans for a safer and more prosperous future. We must give ordinary Somalis the support they need to make this a reality.

The UK’s new £50 million package will support Somalia’s New Deal Compact. It will help to:

Boost Somalia’s health system:

a new £15 million grant will treat 8,400 more young children suffering from acute malnutrition, ensure 4,500 mothers can give birth with the help of a trained health worker and fully immunise 5,300 babies from deadly diseases such as diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus.

Ensure 500,000 men, women and children can access a safe water supply:

The new £5 million grant to the Somaliland Development Fund will ensure that ordinary Somalis in Hargeisa and across Somaliland can benefit.

Develop a new £5 million programme to research and improve how financial services operate in South Central Somalia and Somaliland.

In total, the UK’s support to Somalia’s economic recovery will generate 6,000 new jobs, support 60 start-up companies and drive an additional $20 million of private investment into Somalia.
Boost Somalia’s economy and create new jobs:

Working with the World Bank and the Federal Government, the UK will provide a £25 million grant to support Somalia’s economic recovery plan. The new commitment will include rehabilitating critical infrastructure such as ports, water supplies, sanitation and street lighting, boost growth in agriculture, livestock and fisheries and create jobs across the country.

Notes to editors

The New Deal for Somalia conference will take place on 16 September 2013 in the Egmont Palace in central Brussels, Belgium. The conference will set out a set of key priorities and new support for the reconstruction of Somalia over the next three years.

The UK’s new pledge of a further £50 million to Somalia is in addition to DFID’s existing annual £80 million programme in Somalia.

The Brussels conference will bring together Somali and international partners to agree a ‘New Deal Compact’ to ensure support for Somalia is properly coordinated and supports the plans of the Federal Government and the people of Somalia for the future. This will include:

A New Deal Compact setting out political, security and development priorities

The Somalia Development and Reconstruction Framework, a new aid architecture setting out the financing mechanisms and how to coordinate these with Somali priorities identified in the Compact;

Partnership Principles to guide the relationship between Somalia and donors;

An Economic Recovery Plan setting out the immediate priorities to kick start the economy over a two to three year period. This is the first step to a longer-term re-engagement with the International Financial Institutions (IFIs).

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