6,800 Somali Cops To Receive Stipends From EU

By Dipo Olowookere

As part of the long-standing commitment from the European Union to financially support the Somali security sector, some 6,800 men and women of the Somali Police Force will this week receive a stipend (salary top up).

“We recognise that the provision of a regular and accountable salary payment is the responsibility of the government, however, as Somalia’s main development partner, the EU is contributing these stipends in order to ensure that police officers are adequately compensated for providing increased security, law and order,” said the EU Head of Delegation and Ambassador to Somalia Veronique Lorenzo.

The EU stipends will be paid from the Central Bank of Somalia directly to the bank accounts of the individual police officers, making the delivery of the salary/stipends faster, easier and more transparent.

This initiative, the EU explained, supports progress made on the security sector reform agenda, which the Federal Government of Somalia has committee to and which aims to build effective and transparent administrative systems within the security sector.

This new system will reduce loopholes for misappropriation and enable government funds to be efficiently used and accounted for.

The latest EU’s support includes monitoring and technical capacity building and advice provided by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), working to ensure that robust fiduciary controls are in place.