According to multiple sources, the European Union has suspended budgetary support to the Somali Federal government due to the government’s attempt to rig the upcoming election, treatment of journalists, and human rights violations. Sources add, the decision to suspend the funding has come from the EU’s External Action Service and has been communicated to the Somali government.
The EU’s action follows the disagreement by the Federal Government and opposition parties on the composition of the electoral management committees. Villa Somalia has been accused of adding members of the NISA intelligence agency and others loyal to President Farmajo to the electoral management committees.
Mogadishu was the scene of carnage on December 14th following major protests organized by the opposition parties against the embattled incumbent President Mr. Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo. The use of live fire by security forces against protesters was condemned by opposition figures including former President Mr. Hassan Sheikh.
Somalia’s partners issued a statement on December 15th that urged the Federal Government and Federal Members states to “reconvene urgently and to reach out to other stakeholders to resolve concerns about the management of the electoral process through consensus-building so that timely, transparent, and credible elections embraced by the Somali people and all key stakeholders can take place. To that end, we welcome Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble’s commitment to convene the leaders in Mogadishu following his current visits to the Federal Member States.”.
EU is withholding 90 million Euros in budget support from the Ethiopian government due to its war in Tigray, It is unclear if other Somalia partners such as the United States and the United Kingdom would take similar action.
This is a developing story and we will update as we know more.