Maat Study Reveals the Impacts of Qatari Interventions in Somalia

The Maat Foundation for Peace, Development and Human Rights has released an analytical study entitled “ social and economic conditions in Somalia". The study deals with monitoring the economic and social rights impact of the Qatari intervention, especially on the level of the rights to security and development.

The study monitored what Qatar is doing in Somalia in terms of supplying arms and supporting the terrorist al-Shabab movement in Somalia. It also dealt with Qatar's control over the National Intelligence Agency "NISA" to achieve its political ambitions, as well as its intervention through the trap of humanitarian aid, which has led to insecurity and the deterioration of social and economic rights in the country. 

The study also examined the impact of the Qatari intervention in Somalia, starting with the funding of armed groups in the country, in addition to the Qatari investments in Somalia as a means of controlling the country’s foreign policies under the pretext of mutual cooperation.

Abdul Rahman Pasha, director of the research team at the African Affairs and Sustainable Development Unit at Maat Foundation stated that there is a need to put an end to Qatar’s interference in the affairs of Somalia, given that this interference impedes donors' efforts aimed at developing social and economic rights in the country.

Pasha recommended international and regional bodies to impose collective economic sanctions on Qatar in order to stop it from supporting terrorism in Somalia.

Meanwhile, Pasha pointed to the need to pressure the Qatari government to stop supporting corruption in the governmental agencies of Somalia that has negative effects on moral values, political life and economic and social aspects.

Pasha recommended the various stakeholders to press the international human rights mechanisms, especially the Human Rights Council, to report the human rights violations committed by Qatar for which Somali citizens are paying the price.