Former colonial powers funded 31 percent of Somalia’s initial budget.

Evidence

Although the United Nations ‘experiment’ in Somalia, as it has often been called, had certainly succeeded in providing the new state with an effective administrative and political framework, neither the southern nor the northern regions were yet economically viable. In recognition of their outstanding economic requirements both former colonial powers had agreed to continue to supply aid and assistance. Britain had promised £1-1/2 million for the first year after independence, and thereafter an annually negotiable amount. This financial aid was accompanied by a six months’ programme of technical assistance such that Britain would for six months continue to pay the salaries of those former colonial officials who elected, at the request of the Somali government, to stay on after independence. Italy promised a more substantial annual grant of about £3 million, paid partly in the form of salaries to a team of Italian ‘experts’ serving with the Somali government. The commercial link between the two countries, which brought the southern regions into the European Common Market, was to be continued through the banana monopoly and the heavy dependence of Somalia upon Italy for imported goods. — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 423 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Independent Somalia would need foreign aid for up to twenty years — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 385; Italian Somalia ran at a large budget deficit throughout direct rule; Post-independence Somalia remained economically dependent on British and Italian aid — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 423

Related

• Post-independence Somalia remained economically dependent on British and Italian aid (similarity 0.91)
• Great-power expediency delivered Somalia back to Italy for ten years (similarity 0.90)
• Somalia became independent despite not being economically viable (similarity 0.87)
• Independent Somalia would need foreign aid for up to twenty years (similarity 0.87)
• Somalia stayed non-aligned and aid-rich despite the N.F.D. loss (similarity 0.84)
• Italian-ruled Somalia ran persistent budget deficits after thirty years (similarity 0.84)

Broader Connections

• Post-independence Somalia remained economically dependent on British and Italian aid #corroborates (0.60) — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 423