Somalia issues new anti-corruption directives

By Mohammed Dhaysane

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) - Somalia's cabinet ministers met in the capital Mogadishu on Thursday and issued anti-corruption directives aimed at enhancing public financial management, fostering meritocracy, and ensuring accountability.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has endorsed the Cabinet's anti-corruption directives and described the move as a “major step for accountability in Somalia”.

Mohamud said that the focus is combating corruption, and urged immediate implementation of the directives.

"Tackling corruption is not only a moral imperative but also a prerequisite for sustainable development and a just and equitable Somalia. We are determined to build transparent and accountable systems that serve the Somali people," Mohamud said.

Experts believe that it had been difficult to shift political will or wider incentives when it comes to corruption in Somalia.

Omar Mahmood, a senior East Africa analyst for research organization the International Crisis Group, said the government is signaling that corruption remains a major impediment to better governance and service delivery in Somalia.

"There have been many government commitments to tackle corruption over the years, but the fact remains that is had been difficult to truly shift political will or wider incentives when it comes to corruption in Somalia," he told Anadolu over the phone.

He added that without finding a way to address it, the government will struggle to make meaningful progress, just as previous governments before them.

Mohamed Husein Gaas, director at Raad Peace Research Institute based in Mogadishu, told Anadolu that government’s announcement of an anti-corruption policy is a welcome move that is notable for its symbolic impact and its reassurance to the Somali people.

However, he said due to the nature of corruption in Somalia, the government must take concrete and sustained actions to combat the corruption.

“The timing of this initiative appears critical, but it may also demonstrate the government's recognition of the severity of corruption and its harmful consequences for the nation,” he said.

Somalia is ranked one of the most corrupt countries in the African continent and sits bottom of the Corruption Perception Index by Transparency International in 2022.