UAE donates $9.6M seized in 2018 to Somalia in drought aid 

The UAE has been at loggerheads with the Qatar-backed ex-Somali president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo for the past five years as his administration sided with Doha during the Gulf diplomatic crisis.

News Keydmedia Online
26 May 2022

MOGADISHU, Somalia – The UAE’s mission in Mogadishu has handed over $9.6 million in aid to the Federal Government of Somalia to help the drought-hit people in the Horn of Africa country.

The Prime Minister of Somalia Mohamed Hussein Roble was present at the handover ceremony of the cash in three suitcases delivered by the UAE diplomat on Thursday at Mogadishu’s airport.

The money was seized by NISA from a plane belonging to the United Arab Emirates at the airport in April 2018 during Farmajo’s regime but was recently released by the Somali Prime Minister to mend ties.

Prime Minister Roble thanked the United Arab Emirates for its role in assisting the Somali people facing the worst drought in 40 years that put the lives of millions at risk of starvation due to food scarcities.

Speaking to the reporters, Somalia's Finance Minister Abdirahman Dualeh Beileh said the $ 9.6 million had been deposited in the Central Bank of Somalia, in accordance with the country's financial law, and would be used for drought relief purposes.

Today a grant of $9.6 million from the government of the UAE has arrived & was deposited in the foreign ministry account at the central bank. It will be utilized in line with the financial regulations of Somalia. We are grateful to the government & people of the UAE for this assistance," said Beileh.

The UAE has been at loggerheads with the Qatar-backed ex-Somali president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo for the past five years as his administration sided with Doha during the Gulf diplomatic crisis.

Early this year, Prime Minister Roble ordered the release of the seized money in his latest efforts to restore the historic relations between Somalia and the UAE which dates back hundreds of years.

Farmajo failed to retain his seat after losing to Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on May 15 presidential vote in Mogadishu. Mohamud who returned to power in 5 years is now working on the appointment of his PM.

UAE has disbanded its military training for the Somali soldiers in the country in protest of the seizure of the money that was meant to pay the salaries of the troops, according to the Gulf nation’s officials.

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