In brief
- On May 26, 2013, Wardheer News reported that Iraq's Ministry of Construction and Housing had announced designs for three projects in Somalia valued at $15 million.
- The three projects named in the report are a Public Works building, a Technical Training Institute and a hospital in Mogadishu for psychiatric and mental diseases.
- The report does not establish whether construction ever started, whether the designs were delivered, whether funds were disbursed, or what the current status of any of the three projects is.
On May 26, 2013, Wardheer News reported that Iraq's Ministry of Construction and Housing had announced a project to design three architectural projects for Somalia valued at $15 million. The report, added by Layla Mohammed and datelined Baghdad, said the statement was received by IraqiNews.com on Sunday.
According to the ministry's announcement as reported by Wardheer News, the three projects are a Public Works building, a Technical Training Institute and a Mogadishu hospital for psychiatric and mental diseases. The architectural and engineering designs, the announcement said, were set by the Iraqi Ministry of Construction and Housing according to latest technical specifications. The ministry's senior Undersecretary, Istabraq Ibrahim, was named in the report.
The ministry said the projects came in compliance with a Council of Ministers resolution allocating $15 million, and that implementation came due to several mutual meetings between both sides during which requirements were identified to prepare the designs to start the work for the planned projects. The report does not give the date or number of that resolution, nor does it identify which Somali authority, if any, took part in the meetings.
The $15 million figure carries the ministry's attribution. The report does not distinguish whether that sum covers design work alone, construction, or a total project cost, and it does not state which currency the amount refers to. It also does not state a contract value, an implementing contractor, a tender date or a construction timeline.
What the report does not establish
The Wardheer News report establishes an announcement and a set of design claims. It does not establish that any of the three projects was built, started, completed or inaugurated. It does not establish that the $15 million was spent or disbursed. It does not establish that designs were delivered to Somalia or implemented on the ground. It does not identify the location of the Public Works building or the Technical Training Institute beyond the mention of Mogadishu for the hospital.
The underlying ministry statement may predate the Wardheer News publication date; the report does not give the statement's own date. Nothing in the report describes the projects as a government-to-government agreement between Iraq and Somalia.
What happens next depends on records that the 2013 report does not contain: a tender notice, a contract award, a disbursement record or a completion certificate for any of the three named works. Until such records surface, the announcement remains an announcement, and the status of the projects is unknown.
Frequently asked questions
What types of projects are being designed?
According to Iraq's Ministry of Construction and Housing as reported by Wardheer News, the three projects are a Public Works building, a Technical Training Institute and a Mogadishu hospital for psychiatric and mental diseases.
Where in Somalia will they be located?
The report identifies only the hospital as being in Mogadishu. It does not give the locations of the Public Works building or the Technical Training Institute.
Who is funding the projects?
The report says the projects came in compliance with a Council of Ministers resolution allocating $15 million. It does not state whether any funds were disbursed or spent.