Ziabari: The Fragile States Index ranks Somalia as the second most volatile country in the world, with an ongoing civil war and a strong presence of both al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. What has the European Union done to tackle the crisis?
Sabatucci: The crisis and civil war in Somalia has been a longstanding issue of concern for the EU and its member states. The EU has been a reliable partner of Somalia during these difficult times, trying to help it overcome its difficulties.
It has been one of the only donors to consistently support Somalia through a comprehensive range of instruments consisting of active diplomacy and support to the political process, stabilization and security support, development assistance and humanitarian aid focused on re-establishing peace and stability. It’s impossible to enumerate all the support the EU has given.
But it is estimated that the EU and its member states have allocated an overall amount of €3.4 billion for the period 2015 to 2020, making it the largest donor to Somalia.
Additionally, we are one of the few partners that have a delegation in Mogadishu, showcasing our support and solidarity to the people of Somalia. Specifically on the security front, I would like to highlight the significant investments the EU has made for the benefit of the Somali people.
On the one hand, we have the AU mission, AMISOM, which the EU has supported heavily since its inception. More than €1.7 billion of support has been given to AMISOM in order to help the Somali people live in a more secure environment.
However, we should not forget the heavy price paid by the troops of the AMISOM contingents. Additionally, the EU has also contributed directly through three security and defense missions: the Military Training Mission, which supports Somali security forces; the EU Naval Force, which fights piracy, and EUCAP, which aims to improve regional maritime security…..
Source: Fair Observer
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