Donors raise $213m for Somalia

Category: Africa

Date Added: 24 April 2009

BRUSSELS - International donors raised $213 million (€165 million) on Thursday to help bolster Somalia's security forces and back an African peacekeeping force, a final communique said.

"The United Nations Secretary General welcomed the pledges made by countries participating in the conference, which totalled $213 million in support of the Somali security institutions and the African Union mission...," it said.

Immediately after the four-hour conference in Brussels, EU Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Louis Michel said the donors had pledged "above 250 million if you take into account material aid".

The European Commission, which had announced it would pledge at least €60 million on the eve of the meeting, finally stumped up €72 million, almost half the total.

Some €60 million will go to the AMISOM African peacekeeping mission, which numbers around 4,300 troops, well short of its 8,000 troop target, while €12 million will go to help build up the police force.

Source: AFP