Press release
19 February 2007
Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Decision on Swedish support to Somalia
The Government decided today on a new strategy document - an "approach" - for Swedish aid-financed support to the peace and reconciliation process in Somalia and to the country's extensive humanitarian needs.
The objective of Sweden's involvement in Somalia is to promote lasting reconciliation, stability and the re-establishment of effective governance, which is needed to make it possible to combat poverty. Swedish development assistance to Somalia is to encompass the whole country. Attention is to be paid to regional variations regarding needs, security and prospects of achieving the goals set.
For 2007, more long-term development assistance of SEK 50 million is planned, along with humanitarian aid amounting to some SEK 100 million. The volume of Swedish aid will depend on the prospects of providing effective and results-oriented support in Somalia.
"The difficult situation in Somalia requires coordinated international aid. It is now particularly urgent to bring about a working political reconciliation," says Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson.
"It is therefore extraordinarily important that the Transitional Federal Government shows it is serious about its message of a broad political dialogue with all constructive forces in Somalia. Speedy deployment of the African Union peace force will make it possible for other countries' forces to leave Somalia promptly and enable the process of political reconciliation to get properly started," says Ms Carlsson.
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Swedish support to Somalia is based on the Transitional Charter, the political framework that was agreed on in the 2004 peace agreement.
Developments in Somalia since the peace agreement entered into force in autumn 2004 have failed to match expectations. The situation became more acute in 2006 when the Transitional Federal Government was challenged by the "Islamic Courts". A further illustration of the instability of the political situation in Somalia came in December 2006 when Ethiopia's military incursion drove the Islamic Courts out and the AU decided on a peace mission (AMISOM) to support a political solution and to accelerate the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops. Since then the international community has been working to bring about and support a broad political process in Somalia.
EU and UN policies and support to Somalia provide a platform for Swedish support. A large part of Sweden's support is channelled via different UN organs. Sweden's active involvement includes its role in the International Contact Group for Somalia. Sweden is also a central actor in the EU for shaping overall EU involvement in and support for peace, reconciliation and development in Somalia.
It should be possible to expand Swedish development assistance to Somalia as conditions are created to support the emergence of national, regional and local administrations that fairly reflect the mosaic of clans making up Somali society.
Institution-building and capacity-strengthening of this kind is utterly crucial if Somalia is to be able to build up a functioning government administration after 15 years of lawlessness.
Contact
Mikael ÖstlundAndreas Ershammar
Departementssekreterare
Afrikaenheten i UD
08-405 34 55
