The European Union will pay the salaries of the Somali Police Force, an official said.

The new EU Ambassador to Somalia, Ms Veronique Lorenzo, stated Thursday that the 6,800 police officers will receive the payment next week.

She added that the regular salary payment to the police force was the responsibility of the Somali government, adding that the EU assistance was meant to boost the morale of the force.

Proper order

“This payment by the EU is intended to encourage the police to boost the security, law enforcement and restoration of proper order,” said Ms Lorenzo.

Without specifying any amount, the ambassador stated that the money would be channelled through the police force’s account at the Central Bank of Somalia.

“This will be easy, speedy and transparent act,” she added.

Pilot scheme

The diplomat, who presented her credentials to Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud last week, said the intervention would support the police’s agenda to reform the security sector.

The Somali ministry of Finance and the EU have recently announced a new salary payment modality, promising a pilot scheme to be applied to a section of the security sector before a complete roll out.

Somalia was struggling to rebuild the state institutions after more than two decades of civil war, with the EU being one of its main supporters in the recovery.