Kit for Somalia under Meridian programme

Somalia – one of the many African countries benefiting from UEFA and European football's assistance under its Meridian Project programme – has received a consignment of football kit from the English Football Association.

Meridian support
A delegation from the Somali Football Federation, led by senior vice-president Mohiadin Hassan Ali, visited The FA's headquarters in London to receive the kit, which the English association agreed to provide in support of the Meridian programme.

Helping development
UEFA and its African counterpart CAF have been involved on the Meridian Project since 1997. Under the project, Europe and Africa have pledged co-operation to help the development of African football, and two African associations are chosen every two years to receive direct UEFA assistance. European and African associations are also involved in individual partnership programmes.

Active participation
The Somali visit to The FA also involved members of the Somali-UK Sports and Cultural Association. "We welcomed the visit by representatives of the Somali FF," said FA Head of International Relations Jane Bateman, "as well as the opportunity to meet members of the UK-based community, which numbers some 80,000 with an active participation in football."

Immense value
"We presented the delegation with a sizeable amount of football kit, under the umbrella of the Meridian Project, which will be of immense value in a country which has been ravaged by war," she added.

Unifying force
Football is recognised as a unifying force, and Somalia is no exception amid its troubled history. It is said that rival rebel groups in the country have been known to put down their guns and play football as a kind of ceasefire. "The biggest problem for football is establishing it in an organised way," said a spokesman for the Somali-UK Sports and Cultural Association. "The shortage of resources means that organised recreational activity in schools is lacking."

Workshop series
"Most of the FA's work in Africa is co-ordinated through the confederation CAF," explains Bateman. "We have recently embarked on a series of workshops to which each African nation in CAF is invited, including Somalia."

Committed to partners
"We are also very committed to our partners in the Meridian Project, Botswana, Malawi and Lesotho. Outside of these two initiatives, we offer support and materials where possible, and hope to be in a position to assist Somalia in this way," she added.