In talks with Somalia’s Minister for Human Development, Roberta Metsola MEP said that the thousands of Somali nationals who left their country to be granted protection by Malta have expressed their desire to see a strong Somalia that enables them to return to their families and communities and to be part of Somalia’s rebuilding efforts.

Dr Metsola hailed the recently launched UNICEF and EU “Go To School” campaign in Somalia, which aims to provide education to one million Somali children. MEP Metsola urged all partners to work to ensure that the positive momentum in Somalia is sustained in order to raise the quality of life for the people of Somalia.

She also held discussions with Maryan Qasim, Somalia’s Federal Minister for Human Development and Public Services in the margins of the Brussels Conference on “A New Deal for Somalia” and co-hosted a photo exhibition on the ‘Children of Somalia’ with UNICEF in the European Parliament.

The exhibition of unique photographs is about the rarely seen everyday lives of Somali children – the way they view their own world and what has become ‘normal life’ for them after two decades of conflict and war. Some of the photos are taken by Somali children themselves as part of a UNICEF sponsored photography project, on issues important to them such as water and nutrition. They photograph their families, friends and homes and provide an insight that is rarely seen by the outside world. Other photographs taken by professional photographer Kate Holt, give a broader perspective on Somali children – their lives in camps for the internally displaced, the basic schools, their recovery from severe acute malnutrition and illnesses and the impact of the recent polio outbreak.

Officially opening the exhibition MEP Metsola said that the Brussels Conference shows the engagement of the international community and the commitment of the Somali Government to improve life for its people in Somalia.

MEP Metsola said that above all it is the children that give hope.”The exhibition illustrates how creative they can be if they are given a chance. They are the future of Somalia.”

The exhibition was also attended Alexander Rondos, EU Special Representative to the Horn of Africa and Sikander Khan, UNICEF Representative for Somalia.

Source: Malta Independent