Several weeks ago, I attended a briefing in Nairobi about a recent review of the now-infamous ‘Fartaag Report’ – a 2011 report that alleged corruption and misappropriation within the TFG on a significant scale during 2009-2010.
The review provided – as far as possible – an investigation into the veracity of the charges within the Fartaag Report. Its findings made for sobering reading: millions are allegedly being lost from the Somali public purse. To put it another way, if Somalia wasn’t losing this money, it could afford to help pay for its security, reconstruction and the salaries of its own employees. If the TFG were able to tackle the alleged corruption, it could help finance the core business of government. And that, after 20 years of conflict, would be a pretty significant start.
So, it’s against this back-drop that the UK, together with an number of other international partners, is trying to reinforce Somalia’s financial management capability by helping to establish a new facility called the ‘Joint Financial Management Board’.
This facility, which would include the Somali government, the UK and a number of others, is designed with one simple purpose in mind – to strengthen the Somali government’s control of the resources it should have at its disposal. In short, it’s about giving the Somali government the ability to spend its money on its priorities for its people. It’s also about strengthening the levels of mutual confidence between the international community and the Somali government about how all resources are provided to Somalia.
Why does this matter? Because, as security expands, thanks to the outstanding work of AMISOM and the TFG, it’s necessary to ensure that the Somali government has the necessary means at its disposal to sustain that security and strengthen that inalienable contract between state and citizen: the safety of its population.
The ‘JFMB’ will provide a facility whereby the Somali government and its partners, such as the UK, can demonstrate that the money it is receiving from a variety of sources is being put to public use – transparently and accountably. In particular, that the resources are being used on those things that we all take – or should take – for granted from any government: paying the salaries of public sector workers; paying the salaries of security forces; protecting people.
As transparency improves, the government will also be able to build the confidence of the international community and show that the days of the Fartaag report are now behind and that state institutions like the Central Bank and the Ministry of Finance are ready for further support. The sort of support that many of us, including the UK, want to provide. It’s a win-win.
So the JFMB is about underpinning progress. More than that, it’s also a necessary first step to securing long-term finance for the reconstruction and development of Somalia. It’s about renewing trust and building confidence and allaying the concerns of corruption and mis-appropriation. And fundamentally, it’s about enabling the Somali government to continue to fulfil that most essential of responsibilities: protecting its citizens.
What could be important – or more empowering – than that?