Somali PM says his government ordered US aid cut

Somalia’s Prime Minister Hassan Ali Kheire noted the decree of his government to halt temporarily the US government aid provided to the Somali armed forces to make ensure transparency and accountability is restored in full.

“There were some countries who help us on the salary issue which we agreed upon earlier to carry out research in order to draw  out complete plans stipulating the required help we need and ways of developing the army. Among those countries included USA. We suspended the salary for some of the army personnel through comprehension with America” PM Kheire said.

Addressing the media in Mogadishu in the same venue, PM Kheire also touched on the core developments of his nascent administration among them electronic registration of the army personnel and assessment research on the military.

“We implemented the registration of the armed personnel through electronic device to avert corruption on the fund paid by the government, assessment of the number, quality and armoury possessed by the army and their operation venues among others” said PM Kheire.

On Friday US secretary of defense Jim Mattis expressed his optimism about the improvement attained in Somalia on accountability relating to American assistance to Somali armed forces.

Yesterday IMF official Mohammed Elhage, who leads the IMF’s Somalia work commented on the progress of the incumbent Somali government progress. “From September until now, we see a strong commitment to reform. The authorities are more engaged on what needs to be done.” The international financial institution further commended the budget approved by Somalia’s parliament this week to be in line with fiscal reforms the government committed to when it entered an International Monetary Fund programme in May.

Goobjoog News