Ambassador Kate Foster has stepped in to stop the support for the most important Galmudug development project – Hobyo-Galkio Road

HM_Galkio office Ambassador Kate Foster has stepped in to stop the support for the most important Galmudug development project – Hobyo-Galkio Road

The Committee for Development and Community Awareness-Raising(CODCAR), also known as GOB in Somali, is a legally registered charitable organization authorized to operate in Galmudug by the Minister of Interior and the local government of the Regional State of Galmudug.

GOB’s mission is to support the development of economic infrastructure and social services and to provide/facilitate humanitarian aid. Consistent with its mission, GOB’s primary objective is to build the Galkaiyo to Hobyo derelict and impassable 260 km road. To date, 150 km of the gravel road has been constructed between Hobyo and Elgula. Remaining is another 120 km from Elgula to Galkaio.

The Hobyo-Galkaio road project is even more important to Galmudug and the community in this critical time Galmudug is facing serious economic and security challenges for lack access to the Hobyo harbour to export and import goods to create economic opportunities and job to reduce the current rampant poverty and attain stability in the region. We have come to know that the UK Ambassador has blocked the project. Below is some background.

On September 19, 2019, Chairman Prof. Shirwa accompanied by three members representing the GOB Foundation and with support from the Galmudug administration, met with the senior SSF management and the donors and presented the ongoing Galkaio -Hobyo Road Project and the power of Community Driven Development, and requested support as to overcome the challenges the project is facing due to lack of reliable equipment. The meeting was hosted by the Norway Embassy and attended by embassies, development agencies and representatives from the World Bank and African Development Bank.

The subsequent follow up meetings with the Somalia Stability Fund and other donors have yielded the desired outcome and after the donors (Norway, Sweden, KfW, the UK, the Netherlands, Denmark and the EU) have approved the delivery of the required equipment, the procurement process was initiated, and an Invitation for Quotations (IFQ) was advertised by SSF on January 24, 2020. Due to delays caused by COVID 19 and the SSF mandate extension, the IFQ was readvertised, and qualified suppliers were identified.

As this longstanding commitment that is pivotal for ongoing and future development initiatives in Galmudug is 60 percent complete, we understand that Ambassador Kate Foster want to rescind the previous donor approval and reinstate the abandoned and unilateral development embargo on Galmudug and Hirshabelle.