N.O.R.F Posted July 9, 2007 At the UN, Somalia's Gedi Asks for $32 Million, Denies Restricting Opponents' Travel Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at the UN UNITED NATIONS, June 28 - Somali citizens, even members of the parliament, "cannot just overnight go to the airport" and leave the country, Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi said Thursday at the UN. Inner City Press twice asked Gedi about some of those blocked from traveling. The first time, Gedi said "your question is truthless." The second time, confronted with the names of Osman Ali Hassan Atto and Abdirashid Mohamed Hidig , Gedi said, "They didn't have permission from parliament." Asked if they would now be given permission, Gedi said "that is between the MPs and the Speaker." Former defense minister Col. Barre "Hirale" Adan Shire, who was targeted with a car bomb earlier this week, has accused Gedi and President Yusuf of being behind it . Inner City Press asked Gedi about the charge. "Normal banditry," he said in response. Currently in Somalia there are 1500 Ugandan troops, Gedi said. There have been pledges of troops for an African Union force, from Burundi, Ghana, Malawi, Benin and Nigeria. One correspondent asked if during Gedi's talks with the UN Security Council, any other country had expressed a willingness to contribute troops to a UN force. Gedi answered that the time to contribute would be if and when the Security Council passes a resolution authorizing a UN force for Somalia. Given the UN's experience in Somalia in the early 1990s, and the continued violence there, such a move by the Security Council appears unlikely. Speaking to reporters Thursday morning, the UK's Permanent Representative to the UN Emyr Jones Parry said, "we will support" a UN peacekeeping force for Somalia if Gedi "goes out and promotes national reconciliation." Gedi later confirmed that the budget for the twice-postponed National Reconciliation Congress is $32 million, of which $8 million has now been pledged by the European Commission and the United States. (The question of who has been paying the TFG's police was not able to be asked, but the question is pending.) Gedi said that the meeting will begin on July 15 in Mogadishu. We'll see. For now, the proposed budget of the National Reconciliation Congress, as provided to Inner City Press by Mogadishu sources, who say that the numbers are inflated -- NATIONAL RECONCILIATION CONGRESS BUDGET In US dollars USS I. PREPARATORY ACTIVITIES: 250.000.00 1. Preparation, publication and Distribution of NRC documents 2. Appointment of Key Sub-committees 3. Recruitment of Key Personnel 4. Identification of NRC sites in Mogadishu 5. Establishment of contacts with external consultants, Advisory Board, Resources Persons and international organizations II. OFFICIAL LAUNCHING OF NRC ACTIVITIES 4,000.000.00 1. Development of Peace, Reconciliation and Communication Package 2,000,000.00 a) Mobilization of national media b) Organization of workshops, seminars, public Debates .etc c) Organization of poetry and drama scripts and Organization of theatre d) Promotion of Qur'an reading, poetry recitation, Sports and inter-regional folklore contests. e) Awareness campaign materials: T-shirts, bill-board, postcards, and calendars .etc 2. ACTIVITIES OF JUMP-STARTING THE NRC AT REGIONAL LEVEL: 2.000.000.00 a) Visits and tours of Federal MPs and National Commissions to their constituencies. 800,000.00 b) Provision of support funds to regional and district administrations for the selection process. 1,200,000.00 III. ESTABLISHMENT OF NRC FACILITIES 6,000.000.00 1. Rehabilitation and remodeling of NRC Conference Halls. 2,300,000.00 2. Plenary, Committees and Secretariat seating and working facilities 700,000.00 3. Rooms, chairs, tables, etc a) Ventilation system ( Air-conditioners, fans, etc) b) Public address systems c) Electric generators d) Technical equipments) Computers with heavy duty printers and photocopy machines, fax machines, internet access and accessories). e) Water and sanitation at NRC sites. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF SECURITY SYSTEM 500,000.00 a) Gate-scans b) Handheld detectors c) Walky-talkies d) Vehicles with mounted Radio. 5. TRANSPORT 2,500,000.00 Purchase of: a) Large buses b) 4-wheel drive picks for security support c) Ambulances d) Motto-cycles for traffic and security use IV. NRC GENERAL MEETING 8,400.000.00 1. ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT 500,000.00 a) National Governance and Reconciliation Committee b) TFIs Support Organs (Ministerial Committee, Parliamentary Committee and National Reconciliation Commission). c) Secretariat d) Operational Sub-committees e) Support personnel 2. NRC TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1,000,000.00 a) Local Advisory Board b) Post-conflict societies's Reconciliation Experts ( Rwanda, South-Africa, etc). c) International Consultants on reconciliation strategy d) International Technical assistance e) Security Support 3. PARTICIANTS 6.000.000.00 a) Transport 1,500,000.00 i) Participants ii) Diaspora iii) Post-conflict resource persons b) Accommodation and catering: 4,500,000.00 i) Participants ii) Observers 4. PROCUREMENT AND OPERATIONAL EXPENSES 900.000.00 a) Opening and Closing Ceremonies 100,000.00 b) Office rent and facilities for the Preparatory Committee 20,000.00 c) Vehicle rentals ( buses, lorries And cars 100,000.00 d) Fuel and lubricants 150,000.00 e) Stationery and supplies 50,000.00 f) Medicare 150,000.00 g) Communication charges 50,000.00 h) Public relations and entertainment 200,000.00 i) Consumables 30,000.00 j) Miscellaneous 50,000.00 V. PUBLICATION AND DISTRIBUTION 50,000.00 OF NRC RESOLUTIONS VI.PREPARATORY ACTIVITIES FOR THE REGIONAL/DISTRICT GOVERNANCE AND RECONCILIATION COUNCILS 100,000.00 SUB-TOTAL 18,800,000.00 VII. UNFORSEEN EXPENSES (about 10%) 1,880,000.00 TOTAL 20,680.000.00 Estimated Budget for the Regional/District Governance and Reconciliation Councils as follow-up of the NRC at National Level (58% of twenty million six hundred eighty) 12,000,000 GRAND TOTAL 32,680,000 Source: Inner City Press Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jacaylbaro Posted July 9, 2007 what a breakdown Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gordon Gekko Posted July 9, 2007 Almost as much as Riyaales personal budget. Their catching up. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Faarax-Brawn Posted July 9, 2007 Originally posted by Gordon Gekko: Almost as much as Riyaales personal budget. Their catching up. Where two Somaliland citizens post & talk about the TFG,the topic shall be about Riyale. Brilliant post or silly spin? :confused: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kashafa Posted July 9, 2007 ^ Lol, that was funny, and kinda true, going by the rumours of Riyaale's sudden um wealth.....but at the same time, it's the tired old defend-by-pointing-fingers-at-'the others' approach. "You thought we're some greedy-@$$ embezzelers out for a quick buck from the UN......Look at HIM !!!" Bada-bim Bang Another example: "You think we're traitors to the Somali cause ? Look at them(Riyaale & SL), they wanna secede and destroy our way of life(gasp!)" lol, same ol shit. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Faarax-Brawn Posted July 9, 2007 Originally posted by Kashafa: ^ Lol, that was funny, and kinda true, going by the rumours of Riyaale's sudden um wealth.....but at the same time, it's the tired old defend-by-pointing-fingers-at-'the others' approach. "You thought we're some greedy-@$$ embezzelers out for a quick buck from the UN......Look at HIM !!!" Bada-bim Bang Another example: "You think we're traitors to the Somali cause ? Look at them(Riyaale & SL), they wanna secede and destroy our way of life(gasp!)" lol, same ol shit. What do they call this in Psych? Its been a good 5+yrs since i took my pysch 101. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kashafa Posted July 9, 2007 ^ I think they called it: tired old defend-by-pointing-fingers-at-'the others' approach ... been a lil while for me too. Former defense minister Col. Barre "Hirale" Adan Shire, who was targeted with a car bomb earlier this week, has accused Gedi and President Yusuf of being behind it . Inner City Press asked Gedi about the charge. "Normal banditry," he said in response. Later on in a follow-up session, the dentally challenged PM said "Well basically, we were eliminating undesirable elements, like the Honourable Ex-Defense Minister, who for some yet-unknown-reason, refused to join in the glorious pacification of Mogadisho by smiling Ethiopian troops, my in-laws, if you must really know" Jokes aside tho, 32 million dollars is an obscene amount of money for a reconcilliation conference(that nobody's gonna attend in the first place) I appreciate the honesty of some TFG-supporters(this is one cubersome alternative to dhabo-dhilif, I'm tryna be nice tho, give me something that's easy to type ), can they shed some light on who exactly is gonna get what ? I mean, I wanna know how much my representative in the TFG is getting ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
General Duke Posted July 9, 2007 32 million is an adequite figure, you have over 1300 delegates to attend plus the security, food housing and so on. 32 million injection into the local Mogadishu economy should not alarm the secessionist one bit. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N.O.R.F Posted July 10, 2007 Originally posted by Gordon Gekko: Almost as much as Riyaales personal budget. Their catching up. Waa runtaa. Riyaale uu hunguri badanyahey but I thought our Somali 'economist' would do better than that. Save the strawman comments and give us your thoughts on GBP 16m being spent on a conference. You can build 2 decent airports and a decent highway with that sort of money. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gordon Gekko Posted July 10, 2007 I was ironic buddy. Easy with the hostilities. Regarding the budget, I believe its considerably inflated. Giving the living costs of Mogadishu including costs of all logistics needed, the price tag would've been at the very least $15m lower. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fabregas Posted July 10, 2007 maybe it's for the raisins and banana's in the bariis, plus the colouring oops don't forget the khat(provided by Ethiopia and Kenya) that should $10 million dollars. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gordon Gekko Posted July 10, 2007 So far Barack Obamas Presidential Campaign raised $32.5 million as of July 1, beating the TFG Recon Conf. by just $500K. Hillary Clinton managed to scrape together $21 million for the second quarter this year, being behind A/Y & Geedi some hefty $11m. Jokes aside though it seems to have slipped through some ppl here that although I'm a TFG supporter, I can also at times can be critical of the entity I support. It is constructive criticizm that improves organizations, just as practice makes perfect. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jacaylbaro Posted July 10, 2007 Budget breakdown should not be this we see here ,,, i expected more professional one indicating all the expenses bit by bit. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N.O.R.F Posted July 10, 2007 ^^Its not a detailed breakdown ninyow. If there was no occupation it would cost less tha 500k GBP 'value engineering' Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
General Duke Posted July 10, 2007 ^^^Adeer you seem to be sounding desperate, what does it matter if the world gives 32 million or 3 million to the NRC? Why hate saxib. The money will be spent in Mogadishu. As for value how much do you get for paying Riyaale $400,000. per anum Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
