10/3/2024 Washington, D.C. (International Christian Concern) — The U.S. government on Tuesday
agreed to provide $68.5 million in aid to Somalia, a financially struggling nation, despite the country’s open support for Hamas and ongoing persecution of Christians.
In November 2023, Somalia Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre asserted in a
public speech that Hamas isn’t a
terror organization but rather a group of freedom fighters. Barre also
stated that Jews and Israelis are “children of pigs and monkeys.”
“Let them say what they want,” Barre stated in his speech. “Hamas is an Islamic liberation movement. They are righteous … [We’re] now being forced to accept that Hamas is a terrorist group. We’ll never accept this. We’ll never say this.”
Hamas has been resoundingly condemned on the world stage for slaughtering 1,200 innocent civilians in Israel on October 7, 2023, and labeled a terrorist organization by the United States.
While those in the audience cheered the prime minister’s speech, others
condemned it. According to the African news outlet, the Horn Observer, “Barre’s remarks … not only sparked outrage but … also raised concerns about Somalia’s stance on international relations and its future trajectory.”
In addition to receiving backlash for Barre’s support of Hamas, the nation has a history of persecuting Christians. Attempting to spread any religion other than Islam is illegal, and the country is riddled with terrorists, known as
al-Shabab, who
hunt down and kill Christians.
Furthermore, the U.S. Department of State’s 2023
report on Human Rights Practices stated that Somalia has participated in “serious government corruption.” In June 2023, the Office of the Auditor General found that various Somali officials embezzled $21 million from revenues related to work and visa permits.
In 2023, Somalia ranked as the
most corrupt nation on the Corruptions Perception Index, a list compiled by Transparency International, an independent, non-profit corruption watchdog group.
According to the
Somali Digest, “the implications of Somalia’s corruption issues are far-reaching. Beyond the immediate impact on governance and public service delivery, the persistent corruption erodes trust in public institutions, hampers economic development, and undermines efforts to build a stable and secure society.”
The decision to provide tens of millions of dollars to a nation engaging in widespread corruption, persecution of Christians, and public support of Hamas terrorism is questionable at best.
Since 1995, ICC has served the global persecuted church through a three-pronged approach of assistance, advocacy, and awareness. ICC exists to bandage the wounds of persecuted Christians and to build the church in the toughest parts of the world.
