Somalia’s Federal Member States issue a press release on the state of the deteriorating relationship between the center and the periphery where the Federal Government of Somalia unashamedly orders international donors not to work with the Health Ministries of Federal Member States and to withhold all funding to the health sector of the states.
In this press release considered by many to be a CALL FOR HELP, the Health Ministers of Somalia’s Federal Member States, excluding Puntland State of Somalia, request an immediate intervention from four FMS presidents. Puntland has already withdrawn recognition from the federal government following the unilateral approval of the amendments of chapters of the provisional constitution.
In the press release, the FMS wrote, “We, the Health Ministers of the member states of the federal government of Somalia and Banadir region, hereby share with you that the Ministry of Health of the Federal Government has become the biggest obstacle facing all health related projects in the country.
FGS Ministry of Health sent precise instructions to donor organizations we work with to stop working, cooperating, and interacting with the Health Ministries of Federal Member States.”
VILLA SOMALIA CONTINUES ITS DELIBERATE POLICY OF DISMANTLING FEDERALISM IN SOMALIA AS IT BLOCKS OVER $100 MILLION OF DONOR FUNDS TO MINISTRIES OF HEALTH OF FMS
Press release by FMS in summary: Federal Government of Somalia orders donors not to work with the Health Ministries of… https://t.co/oTtsiZ37io pic.twitter.com/fdPC5QDRt0
— Daljir Media (@radiodaljir) September 8, 2024
Health projects the Federal Government is blocking and are on the brink of being canceled or due to expire include:
1. Damal Caafimaad, a $25 million World Bank funded health project for FMS
2. $48 million COVID-19 project that is now being blocked by the FGS and due to expire in October 2024.
3. CCU project that is supposed to pay for the salaries of FMS health workers has been blocked for more than a year and is now due to expire in April 2025
4. Similarly, Global Fund for Health has been blocked for more than 9 months by the FGS
One major question on everyone’s mind today is, why is the Federal Government of Somalia Parliament silent on the conduct of Villa Somalia and its deliberate policy to slowly discard the glue that holds the nation together?
During President Hassan Sheikh’s reign, accountability has totally ceased in Somalia. Corruption is pervasive, nepotism is the order of the day, and as the relationship with Federal Member States ceases to exist, the nation stands on the brink of the abyss and total disintegration. Worse yet, this comes at the heels of daily threats of invasion by Ethiopia to seize the Saylac coast of Somalia on the Gulf of Aden. Yet, Somalia’s parliament remains silent on all issues, as though there is no imminent threat to the nation from enemies within as well as enemies outside, including foreign adversaries with declared intentions and others with sinister agendas who support and finance Somalia’s main adversary.
Contributed to by Daljir staff in Garoowe and Nairobi.
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