His Excellency Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon today launched the Somalia Development and Reconstruction Facility (SDRF) saying: “my government is ready to take a greater responsibility for the future of Somalia, and to partake in a new paradigm shift in political and socio-economic development. SDRF is the first major step towards the realization of the New Deal dream for the people of Somalia”.
Following the landmark New Deal Conference in Brussels in September, co-hosted by the Somali Federal Government and the European Union (EU), the Compact will serve as the basis and overarching framework for Somali engagement with the international community.
The SDRF will work to enhance coordination of external assistance in a transparent manner and will bind the Somali government and international partners to adhere to a donor code of conduct, helping to maintain the mutual commitments envisioned under the New Deal principles.
Speaking today at the launch of the SDRF, the Prime Minister, said:
“The Brussels conference represented an important milestone in the implementation of the New Deal process for Somalia. It is important to keep the momentum and move quickly towards the implementation of the commitments outlined in the Compact. Today’s launch of the SDRF is a major first step toward the realization of the New Deal dreams for the people of the Somalia.
“The SDRF will enhance coordination and alignment of external assistance in a transparent manner and will be increasingly used in-country systems overtime. The Compact explicitly assumes the Somali government and the international partners to adhere to certain critical donor code of conducts to maintain the mutual commitments envisioned under the New Deal principles.
“Eight months ago, it would have been impossible to imagine the significant progresses we have made together in the implementation of the New Deal process for Somalia. After numerous consultations, discussions, debates, and hard-work today we have an inclusive Compact for the people of Somalia, and we took the first step in the formation of the overall SDRF structure. We are thankful to the hard work of those involved in the process of the New Deal and the unwavering support from our international partners.
“We now have an unprecedented opportunity to re-build our nation and I must underscore that this is not a single event, but an evolving process that requires all of our commitment as a nation and the support and good will of the international partners.”
