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Somalia

Volume 455: debated on Thursday 11 January 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much financial aid his Department gave to Somalia in the financial year 2005-06. (104989)

DFID bilateral aid to Somalia in the fiscal year 2005-06 was £18.75 million. More than 80 per cent. of that was humanitarian assistance in response to the drought in the region and other needs. The remainder went on education, health and promoting improved governance and the rule of law—all things that Somalia desperately needs.

£13,000 was in the form of other financial aid which relates to pensions payments where the UK has take over liabilities from the Somali authorities. None of these funds were provided directly to the transitional federal institutions. Somalia has been without a recognised central Government since 1991.

For statistical reporting purposes, the term financial aid covers poverty reduction budget support and other projects and programmes. A full breakdown of ‘Bilateral Aid for Somalia is published in Table 12.1 of Statistics on International Development 2001/02-2005/06, a copy of which is available in the Library.