BLOGS
Blow to Somalia as U.S. suspends aid to the military over corruption
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The Somalia National Army. The forces are expected to take over their duties after the withdrawal of AU troops in Somalia.
NAIROBI—The United States is suspending food and fuel aid for most of Somalia’s armed forces over corruption concerns and says it has grown frustrated that successive governments have failed to build a viable national army.
This is a blow to the military as African peacekeepers start to withdraw this month meaning Somali forces are supposed to eventually take over their duties.
The U.S. suspension of aid came after the Somali military repeatedly failed to account for food and fuel, according to private correspondence between the U.S. and Somali governments as reported by Reuters.
“During recent discussions between the United States and the Federal Government of Somalia, both sides agreed that the Somali National Army had failed to meet the standards for accountability for U.S. assistance,” a State Department official told Reuters last week, on condition of anonymity.
Between May and June, a team of U.S. and Somali officials visited nine army bases to assess whether the men were receiving food the United States provides for 5,000 soldiers.
“We did not find the expected large quantities of food at any location … there was no evidence of consumption (except at two bases),” the U.S. team wrote to the Somali government.
Documents sent from the U.S. Mission to Somalia to the Somali government show U.S. officials are increasingly frustrated that the military is unable to account for its aid.
An ongoing assessment of the Somali military this year by the Somali government, African Union and United Nations drew similar conclusions.
The U.S. suspension comes at a sensitive time. The AU force – with troops from Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda – is scheduled to leave by 2020. The first 1,000 soldiers will go by the end of 2017.
There has also been concerns that without strong Somali forces, Al-Shabaab could be reinvigorated, destabilize the region and offer a safe haven to other Al-Qaeda-linked militants or Islamic State fighters.
