INTERVIEW-Somalia could slide backwards if world loses interest-U.N.
Wed Jun 11, 2014 6:03pm GMT
* U.N. official calls for stronger focus on Somalia
* Security gains must be backed up with development
* Concerned humanitarian aid has "dropped off a cliff"
By Adrian Croft
BRUSSELS, June 11 (Reuters) - Hard-won security gains in Somalia could be
undermined unless the rest of the world steps up support to improve Somalis'
lives, the United Nations' special representative for the country said on
Wednesday.
In the struggle against al Shabaab militants in Somalia, the Somali army and
African Union forces have seized control of 10 or 11 towns from the
Islamists in the last few months, Nicholas Kay told Reuters in an interview
during a visit to Brussels for talks with European Union officials.
"But unless we can consolidate those gains, unless the people in those areas
feel the benefit of being in a government-controlled area, they get better
services, better governance and also their basic needs for food and
medicines are met, unless we can do that, then there is a risk that this
will not be a success," he said.
Kay, a British diplomat, voiced concern that Somalia was losing out on
attention and resources to other crisis-hit countries such as South Sudan,
Central African Republic, Mali and Ukraine.
He said funding for humanitarian work in Somalia had "dropped off a cliff"
even though a top U.N. official had warned of "worrying parallels" between
now and 2010 - the year before a famine which killed hundreds of thousands
of people.
Somalia was entering a critical phase and it was far too soon to reduce the
international effort to help it, Kay said. "Reducing it now could have
severe humanitarian and security consequences in the region," he added.
THREAT TO SECURITY
International donors promised 1.8 billion euros ($2.5 billion) in
reconstruction aid for Somalia at a Brussels conference last September. The
28-nation European Union, already the largest donor to the country in the
Horn of Africa, led the financial pledges, committing 650 million euros.
Even so, Kay said there was around a $750 million funding gap for
humanitarian work in Somalia this year.
Neighbouring Kenya has suffered a series of gun and grenade attacks in
recent months blamed on al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab or its sympathisers,
raising concern about spreading violence.
Kay said al Shabaab had had "a regional intent and capability" for some time
but the regional focus was "probably becoming even more pronounced now as
they are under pressure in Somalia".
"It poses a significant threat to security," he said. "This is an
organisation with an agenda that is beyond just Somalia."
Kay also said that the rest of the world needed to do more to train
Somalia's army to take control of security there.
African Union forces may start to leave Somalia after elections scheduled in
2016 but that depends on Somalia having credible security forces in place
and Kay said he was concerned not enough progress was being made towards
meeting that goal.
"If we don't increase our effort on that, we shan't do it," he said.
The EU and a number of other countries are helping to train Somali security
forces. ($1 = 0.7345 Euros) (Editing by Ruth Pitchford)