Somalia returns UAE's $9.6 million seized funds

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MOGADISHU, Somalia - In what could significantly improve the strained relationship between Abu Dhabi and Mogadishu, the federal government of Somalia has returned funds confiscated by the outgoing regime of Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, who lost the presidential election last week.

Farmajo, who has been at the helm for the last five years, lost to his predecessor Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who is set to formally assume office this coming Sunday. Hassan Sheikh was the eighth president of the Horn of Africa nation and served from 2012-17.

On Thursday, the office of Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble announced that the country had released $9.6 million to the United Arab Emirates [UAE], which was being held by the Central Bank of Somalia following instructions from bureaucrats in Farmajo's administration.

The announcement came hours before PM Roble left for the United Arab Emirates to attend the funeral ceremony of the country's former ruler Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan who passed on last week. The ruler has since been succeeded by Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

At the Emiratis, the Office of the Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble noted, that he will deliver a greeting from Hassan Sheikh to the new UAE president. Roble is credited for holding successful elections in the country despite hiccups mainly triggered by the outgoing regime.

The PM had ordered the release of the cash in January this year but was halted by Farmajo amid a power struggle between the two leaders. Farmajo had resisted the release of the funds, with the Central Bank implementing his decision.

In January, Roble also apologized to the UAE for the seizure of the money which Abu Dhabi said was meant to pay the salaries of units of SNA it trained in Somalia. But in return, the government of Somalia claimed the money was meant to sponsor the opposition.

Throughout the period of Farmajo, the government of Somalia has not been on good terms with the Emiratis, who have been cooperating with the opposition, which managed to seize power a week ago. Farmajo preferred Qatar to the United Arab Emirates.

UAE had offered to assist in paying the salary of the Somali National Army which is undergoing rebuilding. The country has struggled to have a formidable army since the ouster of former ruler Said Barre, who was toppled over three decades ago.

However, moments after the release of the funds, the United Arab Emirates announced that the money should directly go for drought response in Somalia, a country which it insisted that is a sisterly nation, given the close cooperation with the administration which has since taken over.

Somalia has been battling drought for the last several months which has left thousands of people displaced. Statistics from the United Nations indicate that over 4 million risks dying for to the raging drought that has occasioned famine in the country.

The federal government of Somalia declared a state of emergency early this year, with dozens of proof reportedly dying to hunger in Jubaland and parts of Middle Shabelle. A number of countries have chipped in to assist the country.

GAROWE ONLINE

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