Help Somalia decide.



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Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, Somali President since 2017. Image: Farah Abdi Warsameh

The détente between Ethiopia and Eritrea has given more flavor. Now the EU with Sweden is at the forefront of strengthening support for Somalia. Success in the Horn of Africa also shows that the EU should be cautious.

However, when the international community decides to build stable states, the results generally vary. Somalia is a high-risk project and previous projects have had limited success.

The conditions look a little different today. The country received a new president in 2017. The elections were characterized by corruption and only a limited number of people, parliamentarians themselves, were allowed to vote. But President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed is popular in the country and is open to possible changes.

At the same time, Somalia remains a subject of concern

. Corruption inhibits much of development. Somalia puts an end to most of the 180 states listed by Transparency International
Armed conflict, drought and other natural disasters have created an unsustainable situation for many of the more than 14 million people in Somalia. According to UNHCR, the country has 2.5 million refugees and nearly one million have migrated to neighboring countries.

With the help of foreign forces, Somalia managed to recover some areas of the al-Shabaab terrorist group. But the army of Somalia urgently needs improvement to prevent the terrorist group from gaining land again.

The aid to Somalia from the EU is great. Only Sweden has granted SEK 694 million to the country in 2017. The support has yielded results, but the risk is that the money is injected into a country that only has a document explaining how to use l & # 39; money.

on a reformed president in Ethiopia. The EU should be careful not to disturb what could be a natural development in the Horn of Africa. It is better for Somalia to negotiate agreements with its neighbors than to rely on the generosity of the EU.

There are signs of progress. The Ethiopian President wants to remove trade barriers between the two states. Ethiopia will invest in four new ports in Somalia and develop infrastructure to link countries. Such projects can have a major impact on the Somali economy, which depends largely on donations and money sent by the Somali diaspora

The Somalia Road to a functional democracy with a strong economy is long. bushy. International and intergovernmental cooperation must be encouraged and the EU can play an important role in the future of Somalia by supporting certain sectors. The goal of implementing free elections by 2020 is an important prerequisite for the future of Somalia, and the EU can contribute to knowledge.

Ultimately, Somalis themselves must be allowed to advance the ship. They know better what works and does not work.

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