The EU's engagement with Somalia has intensified over the years, with the EU remaining the largest donor both in terms of political engagement as well as financial and technical support and expertise.  Since 2008 the EU and its Member States provide €3.7 billion to the country in development and humanitarian aid as well as peacekeeping operations. 

The Somali Compact provides the overarching framework for coordinating political and development efforts for peace and state building activities. 

A large part of EU development funding to Somalia is financed by the European Development Fund. The cycle of 2014-2020 amounts to €286 million. It focuses on 3 sectors:

• State building and peace building.
• Food security and resilience.
• Education. 

Under the previous cycle of funding from 2008-2013, the EU dedicated €422 million to programmes in Somalia, with the main focus on state building, education, economic development and food security. One particular project with a budget of €30 million, the Education Sector Development Programme, is partly implemented in Somaliland, an autonomous region in the north of Somalia and addresses all levels of education, including primary and secondary education, technical and vocational education and training, higher education, teacher training and capacity building of education administrations. So far, 31 new schools, 194 wash facilities and 30 girl-friendly spaces have been built, and the programme has rehabilitated and furnished 167 classrooms.   

Furthermore, Somalia is a beneficiary of actions under the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa, in particular related to peace-building efforts, the management of migration flows and displacement, in support of displaced persons within Somalia, as well as of returnees of Somali refugees from neighbouring countries. 

The EU is also a leading supporter of Somalia in a wide range of areas, in particular on security with 3 Common Security and Defence Policy missions in the country:

• EUNAVOR ATALANTA.
• EUTM Somalia.
• EUCAP Somalia.

These missions and operations play a significant role in supporting Somalia's efforts to become a peaceful, stable and democratic country and to take progressive ownership over its own national security. The EU has consistently supported the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) which has been operating for 10 years now and with €1.73 billion. The EU is currently increasing its security support to the country, reorienting it to more direct support to the Somali institutions. 

Additional support to Somalia is channelled through other EU initiatives, in particular through the Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace the Africa Peace Facility, the Global Public Goods and Challenges programme and the European Instruments for Democracy and Human Rights.