Voting delays risk starving Somalia of budget funds

A key IMF-supported programme funding military wages and other essential services in Somalia could expire in May if there are any further delays to elections, the chief International Monetary Fund representative in the country said.

The programme will terminate automatically if a new government is not in place to conclude a review of it by May 17, Laura Jaramillo, the IMF mission chief for Somalia, told Reuters.

Elections had been scheduled for a year ago but were delayed when President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed tried to extend his four-year term by two years, a move thwarted by parliament.