Prime Minister Hamsa Abdi Barre met with Finnish Ambassador Pirkka Tapiola in Mogadishu on Monday to discuss enhancing Finland’s support for Somalia and cooperation between the two countries.
During the discussion, Prime Minister Barre underlined the need of assisting citizens in freed areas and regions where government troops are attempting to liberate them from al-Shabab rule.
Ambassador Tapiola praised the Somali government for its commitment to eliminating extremists and reaffirmed Finland’s continuous support for both the administration and the Somali people.Â
Somalia has been one of Finland’s partner countries for development cooperation since the 1980s. Finland has supported, for example education, healthcare, gender equality and good governance.
During the civil war in the 1990s, development cooperation was mainly replaced by humanitarian assistance but, in recent years, the emphasis has been on reconstruction again.
In future, Finland and the other donors will work to promote Somalia’s efforts to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
In August 2022, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced a comprehensive military assault against al-Shabab known as the “total war,” which is now underway in the states of Galmudug and Hirshabelle.
The federal government’s second-phase military campaign, dubbed “Black Lion,” would target the West and Jubaland states in the country’s south.