Somali PM attends Global Education Summit, meets UK Prime Minister Johnson
The summit seeks to raise at least $5bn across five years to transform education in the world’s most vulnerable countries including Somalia, giving 175 more million children the chance to learn.
Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble today (29, July) met the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the margins of the Global Education Summit held in London.
The summit seeks to raise at least $5bn across five years to transform education in the world’s most vulnerable countries including Somalia, giving 175 more million children the chance to learn.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Johnson lauded Prime Minister Roble for his leadership in the upcoming elections, and urged the rapid delivery. Mr. Johnson reiterated the UK’s support to a timely and credible elections.
The two leaders also discussed the education sector in Somalia. Access to education in Somalia is low. The UK’s Girls’ Education Challenge programme has supported over 100,000 Somali girls access primary school, accelerated basic education and non‐formal course tailored to their needs. We recently announced additional contribution through a $15 million partnership with USAID, which will support a further 40,000 Somali girls.
Prime Minister Roble also met the UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, where they discussed Somali elections and regional security.
The British Ambassador to Somalia, Kate Foster, said:
I’m very pleased that Prime Minister Roble was able to attend the Global Education summit and meet Prime Minister Johnson. Without access to schooling and effective teaching, many children are at risk of falling behind and dropping out of education permanently. The UK will continue to support Prime Minister Roble and the Somali government in their commitment to ensuring Somali children have access to good education.
The two leaders also held discussions on progress towards the upcoming elections slated for October.
Somalia is also one of the countries most affected by climate change, despite contributing so little to global emissions. Challenges such as flooding and droughts drive displacement, which in turn generates further climate vulnerability.
While in London, Prime Minister Roble also met the UK’s COP26 envoy Dr John Murton and the UK Special Envoy for Famine Prevention and Humanitarian Affairs, Nick Dyer. They discussed the risk humanity faces from climate change and underscored UK support for communities in Somalia affected by climate change.
Note to Editors
- The UK has committed over $600million of new UK aid for GPE which will go towards helping the 1.1 billion children across these countries over the next five years.
- Since its establishment in 2002, GPE has contributed to getting 160 million more children into school including doubling of girls’ enrolment in the countries they work in.