Somalia & EU Sign MOU to Boost Cooperation
The Islamic Republic News Agency reports:
The European Commission and the Somali Transitional Federal Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Brussels Tuesday turning a new page in EU-Somalia relations. “It is really a milestone that marks the commitment of Somalia of becoming an active member of the community of nations after all the difficult moments that Somalia has had in the past,†President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso told reporters this afternoon. Barroso and Louis Michel, EU Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, signed the MoU with Somalia’s President Abdullahi Yusuf and Prime Minister Ali Ghedi. “We are very happy to sign this document because it opens the door for Somalia to the community of nations,†said Yusuf Ahmed. On his part Ghedi said it was an “historic event.†The signing of the MoU is an important step towards possible accession of Somalia to the ACP-EU Partnership agreement, known as the Cotonou agreement. Louis Michel said “this is a very important step in the coming home to the international community for Somaliaâ€. The European Commission has played a vital role both financially and politically for the establishment of the transitional institutions following the Somali peace process initiated in October 2002.