Brussels, 24 February 2012/ ACP: The ACP Group of States have declared solidarity with member country Somalia, supporting intensified efforts to reclaim national peace and stability after more than a decade of political transition.

During a key visit of the Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia H.E Dr Abdiweli Mohamed Ali to the ACP House in Brussels this week, representatives of the ACP Group’s 79 member countries welcomed the TFG’s four-pillar roadmap currently in place to achieve a stable governmental framework by August 2012. (See photo gallery of the visit)

“We in the ACP want to embrace the New Somalia as a respected player in the world community of nations and a valued member of the ACP. You can always count on our support and on our solidarity,” emphasized the Chair of the ACP Committee of Ambassadors and Ambassador of the Eastern Caribbean States H.E. Shirley Skerritt-Andrew.

At the request of the ACP Committee of Ambassadors, the European Commission agreed late last year to dedicate EUR 60 million of EDF funding for assistance to Somalia on behalf of the ACP Group. A needs assessment survey is currently being carried out to identify priorities for these funds.

The Somali Prime Minister, whose government was formed as part of a one year extension from August 2011 to August 2012 with the specific mandate of ending the political transition period, thanked the ACP Ambassadors and called for their political support in backing the TFG roadmap.

“Somalia has been caught in an endless political transition from 2000 till today. Since 2000, successful transitional governments have been presented with shopping lists of deliverables, numbering close to 20 [but were] too long, too unfocused and to unrealistic to be successful. Our strategy was to streamline the deliverables into manageable and realistic goals and encapsulate them in a concisely mapped out roadmap, with clear timelines and benchmarks,” the Somali Prime Minister told ACP Ambassadors.

The four strategic goals of the roadmap includes political outreach and reconciliation; completion of the constitution-making process and parliamentary reform; delivery of good governance structures; and security.

The Prime Minister declared the TFG was making “significant progress” in each, highlighting efforts to engage local and regional level administration in “bottom up” peace building, streamline parliament, strengthen military and police forces, and put anti-corruption institutions in place.

“We appreciate the support of the ACP nations as we work to enter transition as we get back on our feet. We need your assistance with the European Union and to support the use of Article 94 of the Cotonou Agreement to help Somalia rebuild our institutions,” said the Prime Minister.

“Life is about moving on, and Somalia is ready to move on.”

During the meeting, the delegations of Uganda, Djibouti, Kenya, Benin, Burundi and the ACP Vice Dean of Ambassadors from Tanzania re-emphasized their support for the nation-building measures taken by the Somali TFG. He was welcomed on Monday 20 February at the ACP House by the Chair of Committee of Ambassadors and Acting Secretary General of the ACP Secretariat Mme. Nthisana Phillips.

Somalia was one of the founding members of the ACP Group when the Georgetown Agreement was signed in 1975.

(Pictured: Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia H.E Dr Abdiweli Mohamed Ali at the ACP House in Brussels/ Photo by Alec Singh)

Full Statement of the Chair of the Committee of Ambassadors

Photo Gallery of the Prime Minister's visit to ACP House

– ACP Press