Somali parliament orders contracts suspended

MOGADISHU, Somalia -- Somalia's parliament on Thursday ordered the government to suspend several security and infrastructure contracts with foreign companies because the agreements did not have parliamentary approval.

Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed told parliament the contracts were signed before he took office in October and asked for four weeks to investigate them. Deputy Speaker Abdiwali Mudey granted Mohamed's request.
One of the contracts debated Thursday concerns an Uganda-based company, Saracen International.
Numerous Somali officials have identified it as the security contractor involved in a controversial program to train and fund anti-piracy forces in Somalia. An ex-CIA deputy station chief and a former U.S. ambassador are also involved in the program. Read More