Italian Investment in Somalia Lauded for Transformative Qualities

[Deeq A.]

Senior Carabinieri officers meeting the Somali Police Commander in Mogadishu.

Mogadishu (PP News Desk) — The Government of Italy and the Federal Government of Somalia have signed several cooperation agreements. It is a new phase for the friendship of the two countries whose cooperation was badly affected by the state collapse thirty years ago. Italy is a key EU member state. The decision to reintroduce teaching of the Italian language in Somalia, the reintroduction of the Italian language service at Radio Mogadishu, and funding Hobyo jetty reflect a new emphasis on transforming the relationship between Somalia and Italy.

The Italian government trained more than 2,800 Somali police officers and granted scholarships for Somali veterinarians to reverse the decline of the veterinary expertise resulting from prolonged civil war and slow post-conflict development strategies. “Similar scholarships granted by the Italian government will benefit graduates from law, agriculture and economics departments of the Somali National University” said Mohamud Ali. Before 1991, Somalia exported hides and banana to Italy, earning the state coffers hard currencies shortly after the former military regime adopted economic liberalisation policies to promote foreign direct investment.

Italy has a long record in agricultural extension and veterinary research in Somalia through the Somali National University before 1991. The civil war affected Italy’s investment in Somalia. In what is now Puntland State of Somalia Italy invested in the construction of Garowe -Bosaso Road and Bosaso Port, two timely initiatives that have boosted economic vitality of Bari, Nugal, Mudug, Sool and Sanaag, five one-time under-invested regions of Somalia.

“Bosaso Port played an important and unsurpassable role in postwar economic development in those regions. It is a topic development economists could research. It shows than a timely investment in infrastructure pays dividends even in times of state collapse. Italy is a friend indeed” added Ali.

© Puntland Post, 2021

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