Donors wary of funding Somalia as crisis deepens, U.N. says

Aid donors are reluctant to fund Somalia because they cannot see its suffering for themselves, fear money may be diverted to Islamist fighters and prefer longer-term solutions, the U.N. humanitarian chief said on Thursday.
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“The world must not forget Somalia,” Valerie Amos, the U.N. Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, told a press conference in Kenya after visiting the Horn of Africa country, whose already dire needs are being compounded by drought.

“We need to persuade our donors that this is a crisis and these are people that require our support. Quite frankly, it is more difficult to do it when donors aren’t able to go into the country and see the situation on the ground.”

Somalia is entering its worst drought in five years and faces a potential surge in conflict with the government’s mandate due to expire later this year.

Donors fear their money will be diverted to Islamist fighters of the Al Shabaab movement, who profess allegiance to Al Qaeda, following a scandal last March which led to the suspension of World Food Programme aid.

A local WFP contractor was exposed as a Somali businessman linked to Al Shabaab, illustrating that some U.N. agencies had unwittingly allowed aid for needy Somalis to enrich rebels.

U.S. government anti-terrorism sanctions prevent aid being given to hungry people in areas controlled by Al Shabaab, including half of the capital, Mogadishu.


At the same time, Al Shabaab will not allow food aid to be delivered in its areas, saying aid encourages dependency, though it does allow some other types of aid in.

U.S. agencies could face prosecution if their aid fell into Al Shabaab’s hands, regardless of intent, as Washington lists it as a terrorist group.

“No U.S. aid is going into those areas pending negotiations,” said Mark Bowden, U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia.

“It’s a concern that one of the major donors, which had a very good record, is missing and we very much hope those negotiations can be concluded to resume their assistance.”

POLITICAL INSTABILITY

As the drought starts to bite, the United Nations says 27 percent of Somalis need emergency aid and this figure is set to rise.

Somalia has been without a functioning government for 20 years. It has a transitional government with limited authority but under the terms of a 2009 deal, its mandate expires on August 20.

“My big concern is that instability in the political process will lead to enhanced conflict and will therefore lead to enhanced humanitarian need,” said Amos.

“Donors want us to be able to shift from constantly focusing on humanitarian action, which by its very nature is very short-term, and moving to a situation where you are able to promote longer-term development and sustainability – and in a conflict situation as exists in Somalia this is very difficult to do.

Source:Agencies

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