Egypt set to boost Somali National ArmyBy ABDULKADIR KHALIF in Mogadishu |
Wednesday, June 5 2013 at 16:28
MEDIA GROUP
Egypt has held talks with Somalia on the rehabilitation of the latter's
military facilities.
The Commander of the Somali Coast Guard Force, Admiral Farah Ahmed Omar
Qare, told the media that two Egyptian generals had visited the country to
study the ways rehabilitate the Somali National Army (SNA) facilities.
The Egyptian generals arrived at Mogadishu's Aden Abdulle International
Airport on Tuesday and were received by Somali military officials.
The Egyptian officials, who briefed the media, outlined their country's
commitment to assisting in the rebuilding of the war-ravaged infrastructure.
"We will aid Somalia on the rebuilding of the army headquarters and military
hospitals," stated the officials.
"The facilities will also serve the civilian population in the capital
city," they added.
Somali army is one of the institutions that had received promises of support
from various countries and agencies, including the African Union, the
European Union and Turkey.
The collapse of the central government led by General Mohamed Siad Barre in
1991, occasioned the collapse of all the state institutions, including the
military, in the Horn of Africa country.
Almost all the new Somali army recruits were trained in neighbouring
Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda.
Meanwhile, Somalia's deputy minister for Public Works, Ports and Marine
Transport, Nadifa Mohamed Osman, on a visit to Iraq, stated that Tehran
would give $15 million assistance to Mogadishu.
Ms Nadifa told the press on Mogadishu Radio, a state run broadcaster, that
the Iraqi fund would be used to rebuild public service institutions in the
capital.
"Iraq will help Somalia in the rehabilitation of Lazaretti (also known as
Forlanini) Hospital and Somali Institute of Development Administration and
Management (SIDAM)," said the deputy minister.
She underlined that once rebuilt; the hospital would resume taking care of
mental patients while SIDAM would resume training of personnel.