FMS finance ministers ‘suspend cooperation’ with federal treasury, cite failed promises

GOOBJOOG NEWS|SOMALIA: Ministers from all Federal Member States in Somalia have severed ties with the Federal Ministry of Finance citing failure by the Federal Government to keep its word on implementation of previous agreements regarding revenue allocation.

Puntland, Galmudug, Jubaland, South West and Hir-Shabelle finance ministers said in a joint statement Wednesday that they were ceasing cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Finance ‘until such time the Federal Finance Minister returns to the framework of law and being enforcing the implementation of the terms of agreements.’

The ministers mentioned five agreements which they said the Federal dMinistry had gone against it world. The agreements are Th Addis Ababa Agreement, Nairobi Agreement, Kismayo Agreement, Mogadishu agreement and Kampala Agreement. The substance of the agreements was not immediately clear.

The protest from the Federal Member States came barely a day after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud returned from a week-long tour of Puntland where he held talks with Puntland president Abdullahi Deni.

This is not the first time FMS ministries have suspended relations with the parent finance ministry in Mogadishu. However, the development is likely to adversely affect President Mohamud’s attempts to rebuild ties with the FMS, especially at a time some FMS presidents are seeking or already executed term extensions.