International Community to provide 60% of Somali polls budget

The International Community will fund 60% of the upcoming polls budget while the deficit will be met through candidate registration fees and Federal Government resources.

The partners which include the EU, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, UK and the US said Friday it is also providing technical support to Federal and State Level electoral bodies which are currently working on the final aspects of the elections including rules and procedures.

They noted the National Leadership Forum should iron out the remaining issues in readiness for the polls which start this month with the election of the Lower House members running from September 24 to October 10.

“With funding on track, the focus now should be on reaching final agreement at the upcoming National Leadership Forum (NLF) in Mogadishu on key outstanding issues. As time for the implementation of the electoral process is becoming critically short, international partners stress the need to abide by the agreed framework for the electoral process,” read a joint statement.

The Upper House members whose elections will take place in the Federal Member state assemblies will be held on September 26 while the Speaker will be elected on October 25, paving way for the Presidential poll October 30.

The partners noted that the funds will be administered through mechanisms under the UN to ‘ensure the electoral process can be implemented without additional delays and that a mechanism for timely disbursement is in place.’

The National Leadership Forum is expected to converge this month for the final meeting which will dispose of pending issues among them the finalization of the Hiirraan/Middle Shabellle state formation process. The state formation process of Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle is set to kick off today and is expected to end in time before the poll dates.