Italy: A Friend of Somalia Indeed

GAROWE ONLINE/EDITORIAL - Italy has stepped up efforts to send relief supplies to people affected by floods in the Hirshabelle State of Somalia.

The government of Italy has demonstrated solidarity with Somali people again after Ambassador Dr. Alberto Vechi delivered donations consisting of medicine, blankets, detergents and other equipment such as utensils and plastic sheets.

Flood victims are not only coping with displacement but they are also vulnerable to the outbreak of diseases such as malaria and dysentery. Children are most susceptible to those diseases.

Dr. Vechi handed over the timely donation to the Disaster Response Committee of the Federal Government of Somalia. Italy has committed funds to the health sector in Somalia.

Through the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Italy has made “ a contribution of 3 million Euros to support the collaboration between UNFPA and Ministry of Health and Human Services of the Federal Government of Somalia.” Hospitals in Banadir and Jowhar will benefit from the donation aimed to boost the capacity of the Somali health sector.

It is noteworthy that the Department of Medicine of the former Somali National University ran a highly-rated medical school whose graduates are known for their selflessness and passion for life-long learning.

Their medical expertise helped Somalis live through difficult times when state collapse severely affected health services throughout Somalia.

With Somalia having federal structures Italy can add more value to its assistance to Somalia by reviving technical cooperation from which the Federal Member States can benefit.

This cooperation can take the form of vocational training schools, the reintroduction of Italian language cultural centers similar to the one in pre-1991 Mogadishu.

Those centers can be based at local universities. Italy funded the main infrastructure — the road and seaport — on which Nugaal and Bari regions of Puntland State relies to recover from effects of the civil war of which large-scale internal displacement has been the most challenging.

Somali people are grateful to the people and government of Italy for the generosity and unwavering friendship.

*© 2019 Garowe Online *