US raises red flag over corruption and nepotism in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The United States of America has raised concerns over ballooning cases of corruption in the federal government of Somalia but failed to give specific incidents in the latest tweet which could affect investment from the international community to the country which has struggled with insecurity for decades.

Since 1990, Somalia has been struggling to form a locally accepted government without the input of the international community, which almost funds all institutions in the country. The struggling economy of Somalia largely relies on the support from external partners.

In most cases, the funds come as grants to various institutions through either recognized NGOs or directly to the central bank of Somalia, but there are instances where the donors send money directly to their grassroots networks towards supporting certain initiatives.

And in a tweet, the US embassy in Somalia on Tuesday warned that corruption and nepotism have been detrimental towards pushing for progress, adding that the vices also undermine the people's security besides strengthening enemies.

"US embassy in Somalia supports security sector reforms that lead to a brighter future for Somalia and all Somalis. Corruption and nepotism derail reform progress, undermine Somali people’s security, and strengthen Somalia’s enemies," read the tweet.

The US has been specifically supporting Somali National Army [SNA] in a bid to strengthen the country's military ability through training and funding of Danab forces. The elite forces key in the fight against Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda-linked group that has been causing mayhem for over a decade across East Africa.

But the State Department stopped the support for the better part of 2019 after it emerged that top army brass was pocketing most of the money that was meant for listed soldiers that were not part of Danab. However, Washington reinstated the perks after SNA leadership initiated radical reforms including but not limited to the introduction of biometric registration of the soldiers.

The US insists that despite the reforms, the country still remains vulnerable due to clan divisions and corruption. Somalia has been struggling to fight graft and it's just last month when it had historical prosecution of eight people believed to have embezzled millions meant for the promotion of the Universal Health Care program.

Abdisaid M. Ali, National Security Advisor to the President of Somalia, believes that the internal security challenges can only be solved if the international partners work closely with local security agents. The country has been struggling with terrorism since 2008, leaving dozens including civilians dead.

"We appreciate the continued support from our partners and we believe the international partners can play a critical role going forward. Somali institutions must be consulted and be actively involved in the design, implementation, and delivery of all key security-related interventions," he noted.

Ahmed Ossoble, a security analyst in the Horn of Africa, agrees with the US that corruption remains a major obstacle in the fight against Al-Shabaab. The militants have often been accused of having infiltrated key government institutions further making it difficult to effectively combat them.

"The issue of corruption is one of the obstacles in the fight against Alshabaab. Through corruption in private sector, the terror group is able to transfer money where they like. They are linked to Organized Crimes which can use regional/Federal institutions for any means," he says.

GAROWE ONLINE