JEDDAH, 8 November — The Somali government said it wanted to see Saudi companies take the lead in the reconstruction and rehabilitation effort in the country and confirmed that efforts are under way to launch the reconstruction drive.
Ismaeel Mahmoud Hureh, foreign minister in the caretaker government, has written to the Saudi Development Fund informing them of preparations being made to start the project.
A number of local firms have been recommended to conduct surveys and identify work priorities, including government buildings damaged during the civil war.
SDF provided a SR150 million soft loan to the Somali government to help in the reconstruction process.
Hureh said the Saudi government has also provided SR15 million cash assistance to the government in Mogadishu.
Two Saudi companies, Arcoma of Jeddah and Architect Center of Riyadh in addition to a Somali firm, Al-Ahli for General Trading and Consulting based in Mogadishu, have been asked to provide management and consulting services, said M. Direih, a project consultant.
The three companies were found to have met the required qualifications in addition to showing readiness to start work and finalize the project report in cooperation with SDF and relevant authorities in Somalia.
Direih said the three companies will undertake the preparatory work to qualify the Saudi contractors and suppliers, many of whom have shown interest in the project.
The Somali Embassy in Riyadh, which earlier filed reservations about a meeting held in Jeddah last week on the reconstruction projects, has since withdrawn its reservations saying it has cleared up the matter with Mogadishu.
