By Daisy Ayliffe - 27th March 2006
The EU strengthened relations with Somalia and stepped up aid for the troubled country on Tuesday.
European commission president José Manuel Barroso and development commissioner Louis Michel signed a memorandum of understanding with Somalia’s president Abdullahi Yusuf.
Addressing a press conference in Brussels, Michel assured Somalis that the EU had not forgotten their bloody domestic conflict.
“For 15 years Europe has been supporting Somali people. This memorandum sets out key principles which will govern our co-operation,” he explained.
It is hoped that Somalia’s recently instated transitional institutions will provide the EU with a partner for peace in the troubled region.
“The memorandum gives Somalia the political backing it needs and also recognises the transitional government as a partner,” a commission spokesman explained.
But despite the transitional government Somalia remains a volatile and dangerous place.
In recent weeks the lawless horn of Africa has experienced escalating violence - last week 90 people were killed in Mogadishu following clashes between rival militia.
The EU executive hopes its latest memorandum will mark an important milestone towards the country’s entry into the ACP-EU partnership agreement.
ACP-EU co-operation is based on a pact known as the Cotonou agreement, pact designed to tackle poverty through economic and trade partnerships and improved financial cooperation.
The commission has also mobilised a €200m for the Strategy for the Implementation of Special Aid Somalia (SISAS) and has allocated approximately €10m per year in humanitarian aid.
Next month Michel will present a €70m Somalia recovery programme to member states.
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