Somalia to get over $10.7 million in budget support from EU
The Somalia-EU programme, which dates back to 2014, has been instrumental in supporting the East African nation as it continues to recover from more than two decades of civil war and a lack of state control.
Somalia is set to receive funding from the European Union amounting to more than €10 million ($10.7 million) for budget support operations for the financial year 2026/27.
The funding was announced earlier this week during a high-level meeting between Karin Johansson, the EU Ambassador to Somalia, and Somali Finance Minister Bihi Egeh in Mogadishu.
More To Read
- Somalia offers US exclusive control of air bases, ports
- Somalia receives armored military equipment from AU to boost security infrastructure
- AU Commission chair Mahamoud makes first official visit to Somalia, discusses security and regional stability
- Tragedy as Kenyan aircraft crashes near Mogadishu killing five people on board
The discussions covered key topics such as customs reform, education sector reform, external audits, and defence spending.
Notably, the budget support follows the country’s progress in implementing key financial reforms in recent years.
The Somalia-EU programme, which dates back to 2014, has been instrumental in supporting the East African nation as it continues to recover from more than two decades of civil war and a lack of state control.
The EU, together with its member states, supports Somalia’s state-building efforts, economic and private sector development, and the resilience of its most vulnerable populations, while also working to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis.
The European economic bloc provides support to Somalia across all critical sectors.
Education, in particular, is central to these objectives, serving as both a foundation for human development and fundamental rights, as well as a key driver in achieving the EU’s priorities.
Data shows that since 2014, the bloc and its member states have provided over €3.5 billion to Somalia.
According to reports, the most recent disbursement was in October, when the EU released a €9 million budget support payment to the Somali government.
This was in recognition of the government’s ability to maintain macroeconomic stability and implement key reforms to strengthen public financial management.
Overall, the funding supports the government’s efforts to mobilise domestic revenues, advance the fiscal federalism agenda, and continue the expansion of public education services.
The EU Ambassador to Somalia, Karin Johansson, commenting on the funding, stated that the budget support signals the EU’s strong commitment to Somalia’s progress in managing its public finances in an accountable and transparent manner.
“It is also a strong signal of the EU's commitment to Somalia's development and progress on implementing the EU-Somalia Joint Operational Roadmap,” Johansson said.
On his part, Egeh noted that the EU budget support provides essential funding and assistance to the federal government, enabling it to implement key financial governance reforms and significantly improve the provision of basic social services in Somalia.
Other Topics To Read
Top Stories Today
