EU Ambassador unveils model school in Kismayo

European Union Ambassador to Somalia Michele Cervone D’Urso presided over a groundbreaking ceremony for a model school in Kismayo on Sunday 6 March 2016.

Ambassador D’Urso and his delegation comprising of the Federal Minister of Planning Hon. Abdirahman Yussuf Aynte and Federal Minister of Education Mrs Kadar Bashir Ali, was received by Jubbaland President H.E Ahmed Mohamed Islam -‘Madobe’ on arrival in Kismayo.

The EU ambassador said the model school would be a premier education institution in Somalia: “For the EU, what Jubbaland has been doing is very much the beginning of a model for the federal Somalia, it all starts here. And I am even more delighted that we are here today with the Federal government. I think it is the first time donors have come to Jubbaland with the Federal government in a full trilateral partnership,” stated Ambassador D’Urso.

He pledged the European Union’s support to the education sector. “The reason why we are here today, let me just emphasize, is bigger than this project.  I will say there are three fundamental things, which are very unique.  First is the trilateral partnership of Jubbaland, Federal Government and European Union; secondly and very important is that the EU is back, supporting education after twenty years.  This is significant and; thirdly, I come here often for political reasons, security co-operation and stabilization, but today and the coming days, we will be discussing mainstream development co-operation, beyond stabilization,” he added.

The Federal Minister of Education Mrs Khadar Bashir Ali expressed satisfaction with the support that the Federal Government has received from the European Union. She said when complete the school would introduce an evening programme for those who cannot attend school during the day.