Speeches

Matthew Offord – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2015-10-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of political and economic progress in Somalia.

Grant Shapps

During my recent visit in July, I saw the complex challenges that Somalia faces after more than two decades of conflict. Despite this, real progress is being made in reaching a political settlement, tackling the threat posed by Al Shabaab, and rebuilding the economy and the state. Credible elections next year will be a further important step forward. As one of Somalia’s leading international partners, we are doing everything we can to support the completion of the federal map, the electoral process, and the economic development of the country.