MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News) – Somali Prime Minister, Hassan Ali Khayre has today held talks with the Vice President of the World Bank, Hafiz Ghanim in Mogadishu.
Ghanim arrived in the country today to commission the opening of the new World Bank offices in Mogadishu for the first time since the fall of the Somali central government in 1990.
The two officials talked about Somalia’s debt relief bid and the rebuilding of the Horn of Africa nation.
Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre thanked the World Bank for its support to the Somali people and the government and assured that the government would continue with its efforts to ensure Somalia’s dept is relieved by February 2020.
The meeting was also attended by IFC regional director for Africa, Ms. Jumoke Jagun-Dokonmu and officials from the Somali government.
After the meeting, the Minister of Finance Abdirahman Duale Beyle and the vice president of the World Bank jointly briefed the media on the outcome of the meeting.
The Vice President of the World Bank Hafiz Ghanim said he was delighted at the visit to Somalia and that it is a reflection of the World Bank’s commitment to supporting Somalia, the good work the government has done and the improvement of the country’s financial institutions. Hafiz Ghanim thanked government officials for showing good leadership.
Since last year, Somalia has been struggling to win the confidence of the International Community to secure lucrative benefits such as debt relief worth $4.6 billion owed to the World Bank, Internationally Monetary Fund and others.
Somalia has not made a service or amortization payment since civil war broke out more than 25 years ago.
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