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14 March 2024
Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Joyce Msuya and FAO, Deputy Director-General, Beth Bechdol joint mission to Somalia
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Press Release
08 March 2024
On International Women’s Day, UN calls for investing in Somali women’s participation and representation
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Press Release
29 February 2024
Somalia launches new Joint Resilience Programme to benefit a million people in Puntland and Galmudug states
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The Sustainable Development Goals in Somalia
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Somalia:
Story
13 June 2023
Working together for a prosperous and peaceful Somalia
After five consecutive seasons with less rainfall than expected, Somalia is facing a climatic event not seen in its recorded history.
The current drought, one of the longest and most severe in Somalia, reflects the accelerating pace of climate change across the region. The impact on communities has been devastating.1.4 million people have been internally displaced and forced to leave their homes. An estimated 8.25 million people – nearly half of Somalia’s population – now require immediate lifesaving humanitarian and protection assistance in order to survive. On top of this, the moderate rains received in March of this year have led to flash flooding, affecting 175, 000 people, of whom 130,000 have been displaced.
Aside from recurrent drought and climate induced emergencies, Somalia is facing other deep-rooted yet interlinked challenges, including violent conflict, corruption, poverty and rising numbers of internal displacement. For the Resident Coordinator and the UN country team, breaking these chronic cycles of crises and tackling the root causes of displacement, insecurity and climate induced emergencies and support Somalia’s development ambitions been a key overarching priority.
Central to these efforts is the recognition that none of these challenges can be addressed in isolation; but rather require a cross-pillar approach – in order words ensuring that the UN’s humanitarian interventions in Somalia are closely aligned with development planning and measures to protect human security.
So how was this put into practice on the ground? 1. Joint action through taskforces In 2020, the United Nations in Somalia set up a series of taskforces to address the three priority areas of Climate Adaptation and Water Management – Droughts and Floods, Durable Solutions for Displacement-Affected Communities and Anti-Fraud and Anti-Corruption. These taskforces aim to better coordinate humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding actors, both within and outside the UN, through programmatic support and improved information-sharing.
The Water Management Taskforce for example, brings different UN entities in Somalia together to find joint solutions to drought and flood management, including mapping out critical water sources and planning for a short, medium, and long-term response. In addition to this, thanks to the support from the UN, the government launched the National Coordination Facility in March 2023 which provides a platform for all actors to come together to implement the goals of the National Water Resources Strategy and strengthen Somalia’s leadership on water management. 2. Localize the SG’s Action Agenda on Internal Displacement Somalia is one of the 16 UN Member States selected to pilot the Action Agenda on Internal Displacement, an overarching roadmap launched by the UN Secretary-General in 2022, to resolve, prevent and address internal displacement crises around the world. This year, the Resident Coordinator’s Office has convened the UN country team and relevant partners to discuss how to implement the agenda locally and tackle the specific factors driving internal displacement in the country.
As part of these efforts, the UN country team launched a flagship project ‘Saameynta’ in March 2022 which pools expertise and resources from the UN and partners to support internally displaced families find permanent homes. Through this intervention, local authorities are now better placed to address urban displacement and support the development of new policies on land ownership to reduce the risk of forced eviction while improving the access to land for IDPs.
To compliment these efforts, the UN country team is also supporting national authorities implement the National Durable Solutions Strategy which emphasizes the need to build partnerships and alliances in order to find localized and area-specific solutions, including ensuring access to sustainable livelihoods and employment, protection against eviction and access to the justice system. Image Caption: UN Secretary-General António Guterres meets with a family residing at the ADC camp for internally displaced people in Baidoa, in April 2023. Photo: © UN Photo/SouravSarker 3. Harnessing the potential of young people With an estimated 75 percent of its population under the age of 35, Somalia has a young population which is helping boost the resilience of communities through innovative entrepreneurship. Young people’s contributions are leading to a vibrant private sector, the expansion of digital literacy and the inclusion of more women in the country’s economic, social and political life. Harnessing the potential of young people represents a critical step in Somalia’s path towards peace and prosperity, and key priority for the UN country team.
This is why an 18-member UN Somalia Youth Advisory Board was established as a mechanism to improve the relevance, mobilization, and outreach efforts of different UN initiatives among young people in Somalia and help agencies improve their response to the needs of the young people across the country. 4.Tackle insecurity and corruption Alongside efforts to scale-up climate adaptation and find local solutions to displacement, the UN country team has also focused on tackling the pervasive issue of corruption. Through the Anti-Fraud & Anti-Corruption Taskforce, the UN is promoting a multi‐stakeholder dialogue aimed at addressing corruption-related concerns within the UN family and providing guidance to the Government and other stakeholders. The taskforce is also engaged with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to link its financial support to Somalia with conditionality that encourages transparency and integrity.
Beyond this, the UN has played a critical role in helping Somalia accede in 2021 to the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), the only legally binding universal anti-corruption instrument.
The UN is also supporting different Somali stakeholders follow the steps of the ‘Implementation Review Mechanism’ (IRM); a key driver of institutional change which ensures that UNCAC’s standards are effectively implemented. Image Caption: The UN in Somalia is supporting national authorities tackle internal displacement through ensuring access to sustainable livelihoods and employment. Photo: © FAO Looking ahead, this cross-pillar approach will continue to guide the work of the UN in Somalia; offering an effective framework to deliver on the commitments set out in the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), and help realize the collective aspirations of the Government’s ninth National Development Plan, in particular capitalizing on the country’s improved security situation and the entrepreneurial spirit of its young population.
Most importantly, this approach ensures that no matter the scale of future challenges, the needs of people and planet will remain at the very centre. Link to the original piece.
The current drought, one of the longest and most severe in Somalia, reflects the accelerating pace of climate change across the region. The impact on communities has been devastating.1.4 million people have been internally displaced and forced to leave their homes. An estimated 8.25 million people – nearly half of Somalia’s population – now require immediate lifesaving humanitarian and protection assistance in order to survive. On top of this, the moderate rains received in March of this year have led to flash flooding, affecting 175, 000 people, of whom 130,000 have been displaced.
Aside from recurrent drought and climate induced emergencies, Somalia is facing other deep-rooted yet interlinked challenges, including violent conflict, corruption, poverty and rising numbers of internal displacement. For the Resident Coordinator and the UN country team, breaking these chronic cycles of crises and tackling the root causes of displacement, insecurity and climate induced emergencies and support Somalia’s development ambitions been a key overarching priority.
Central to these efforts is the recognition that none of these challenges can be addressed in isolation; but rather require a cross-pillar approach – in order words ensuring that the UN’s humanitarian interventions in Somalia are closely aligned with development planning and measures to protect human security.
So how was this put into practice on the ground? 1. Joint action through taskforces In 2020, the United Nations in Somalia set up a series of taskforces to address the three priority areas of Climate Adaptation and Water Management – Droughts and Floods, Durable Solutions for Displacement-Affected Communities and Anti-Fraud and Anti-Corruption. These taskforces aim to better coordinate humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding actors, both within and outside the UN, through programmatic support and improved information-sharing.
The Water Management Taskforce for example, brings different UN entities in Somalia together to find joint solutions to drought and flood management, including mapping out critical water sources and planning for a short, medium, and long-term response. In addition to this, thanks to the support from the UN, the government launched the National Coordination Facility in March 2023 which provides a platform for all actors to come together to implement the goals of the National Water Resources Strategy and strengthen Somalia’s leadership on water management. 2. Localize the SG’s Action Agenda on Internal Displacement Somalia is one of the 16 UN Member States selected to pilot the Action Agenda on Internal Displacement, an overarching roadmap launched by the UN Secretary-General in 2022, to resolve, prevent and address internal displacement crises around the world. This year, the Resident Coordinator’s Office has convened the UN country team and relevant partners to discuss how to implement the agenda locally and tackle the specific factors driving internal displacement in the country.
As part of these efforts, the UN country team launched a flagship project ‘Saameynta’ in March 2022 which pools expertise and resources from the UN and partners to support internally displaced families find permanent homes. Through this intervention, local authorities are now better placed to address urban displacement and support the development of new policies on land ownership to reduce the risk of forced eviction while improving the access to land for IDPs.
To compliment these efforts, the UN country team is also supporting national authorities implement the National Durable Solutions Strategy which emphasizes the need to build partnerships and alliances in order to find localized and area-specific solutions, including ensuring access to sustainable livelihoods and employment, protection against eviction and access to the justice system. Image Caption: UN Secretary-General António Guterres meets with a family residing at the ADC camp for internally displaced people in Baidoa, in April 2023. Photo: © UN Photo/SouravSarker 3. Harnessing the potential of young people With an estimated 75 percent of its population under the age of 35, Somalia has a young population which is helping boost the resilience of communities through innovative entrepreneurship. Young people’s contributions are leading to a vibrant private sector, the expansion of digital literacy and the inclusion of more women in the country’s economic, social and political life. Harnessing the potential of young people represents a critical step in Somalia’s path towards peace and prosperity, and key priority for the UN country team.
This is why an 18-member UN Somalia Youth Advisory Board was established as a mechanism to improve the relevance, mobilization, and outreach efforts of different UN initiatives among young people in Somalia and help agencies improve their response to the needs of the young people across the country. 4.Tackle insecurity and corruption Alongside efforts to scale-up climate adaptation and find local solutions to displacement, the UN country team has also focused on tackling the pervasive issue of corruption. Through the Anti-Fraud & Anti-Corruption Taskforce, the UN is promoting a multi‐stakeholder dialogue aimed at addressing corruption-related concerns within the UN family and providing guidance to the Government and other stakeholders. The taskforce is also engaged with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to link its financial support to Somalia with conditionality that encourages transparency and integrity.
Beyond this, the UN has played a critical role in helping Somalia accede in 2021 to the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), the only legally binding universal anti-corruption instrument.
The UN is also supporting different Somali stakeholders follow the steps of the ‘Implementation Review Mechanism’ (IRM); a key driver of institutional change which ensures that UNCAC’s standards are effectively implemented. Image Caption: The UN in Somalia is supporting national authorities tackle internal displacement through ensuring access to sustainable livelihoods and employment. Photo: © FAO Looking ahead, this cross-pillar approach will continue to guide the work of the UN in Somalia; offering an effective framework to deliver on the commitments set out in the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), and help realize the collective aspirations of the Government’s ninth National Development Plan, in particular capitalizing on the country’s improved security situation and the entrepreneurial spirit of its young population.
Most importantly, this approach ensures that no matter the scale of future challenges, the needs of people and planet will remain at the very centre. Link to the original piece.
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23 December 2021
Somalia is on the path of recovery, but real challenges remain
I arrived in Somalia in September 2019, two decades after having worked here previously. I knew that I was taking up a challenging assignment, but I was also looking forward to seeing Somalia’s progress. Afflicted by decades of conflict, recurrent climatic shocks, disease outbreaks and poverty, Somalia was often called a ‘failed state.’ The narrative is now changing, and although fragile, Somalia is on a path to stability and the resilience of the Somali people is second to none. That said, we are not under any illusion: significant challenges remain, and we must work even harder to preserve the gains made to date. Somalia’s upward trajectory is evident in the construction boom, as one analyst noted -- the sound of the hammer is replacing the sound of gunfire in Somalia’s capital.
The UN has been closely supporting the Somali people since the birth of the Republic in 1960. Currently, the UN's various mandates are implemented through 26 Agencies, Funds and Programmes (both resident and non-resident), one political mission (UNSOM) and one logistical support mission (UNSOS). The UN’s commitment towards the Somali cause is articulated in detail in the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF 2021-2025), mirroring the priorities of Somalia’s Ninth National Development Plan (NDP-9).
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN marshalled support to help the Somali government respond to the virus outbreak. We continue to support the Somali authorities in seeking to defeat this pandemic and encouraging people to get vaccinated. Elections are also on-going in Somalia. The UN is supporting the process to ensure that elections are held in a peaceful and transparent manner, while at the same time advocating for 30 per cent women’s quota in the Somali legislature.
While these are encouraging signs of progress, we must not forget Somalia’s long-standing challenges. According to UN’s projections for next year, an estimated 7.7 million Somalis (nearly half of the country’s population) will require humanitarian assistance and protection. Women and children continue to bear the brunt of Somalia’s complex humanitarian crises, especially among the internally displaced communities. In light of the current serious droughts, the Somali government declared a humanitarian state of emergency on 23 November. Yet, neither the government nor the humanitarian community has adequate resources to respond. With a few days remaining in the year, the 2021 Humanitarian Response Plan which seeks US$1.09 billion remains only 70 per cent funded. Additional resources are urgently needed to prevent the dire humanitarian situation from becoming a catastrophe, so we continue to engage partners on this subject. In this regard, I undertook missions to Europe in October and to the Gulf in September. Throughout my interactions with partners, I stressed the need for additional funding to address Somalia’s escalating humanitarian crisis and elaborated on how inaction not only risks a reversal of the gains but puts the lives of millions of Somalis in jeopardy.
Through my field visits in Somalia, I have also seen first-hand the grim realities of adverse climate conditions. Somalia is no doubt on the frontline of climate change. The recurrent droughts and floods are driving widespread displacement, rapid urbanization, hunger, malnutrition and poverty. Climate change is also increasingly seen as the driver of conflict and a threat to the country’s security as the struggle over meagre resources deepens divisions. In addition, the loss of traditional livelihoods makes people vulnerable to recruitment by armed groups such as Al-Shabaab. Somalia is currently experiencing a third consecutive season of below-average rainfall, with nearly 80 per cent of the country experiencing drought conditions, water shortages and livestock deaths. One in five Somalis does not have enough water to cover his/her basic needs. On a positive note, as part of the efforts to mitigate the climate emergency, the government, with the support of the United Nations, has recently adopted an ambitious Nationally Determined Contribution to achieve global climate targets, in which Somalia committed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent by 2030.
Somalia’s crises are multifaceted, and they require comprehensive solutions from all stakeholders. It is our collective responsibility to support the efforts of the Somali people to cope with these crises and find lasting solutions that build resilience against future shocks. We must not fail the people we pledged to serve.
Adam Abdelmoula, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, held a press conference on Monday, 20 December on the situation in Somalia, where the UN and partners is launching a nearly $1.5 billion Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP). Roughly 7.7 million people in the country will need assistance and protection in 2022, a 30 per cent rise in just one year.
Written by Adam Abdelmoula, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia
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Story
29 February 2024
Muna Ibrahim Dakhtar: Setting Leadership example for Somali women Journalists
Hargeisa – Two days a week, before dawn, when the streets of Hargeisa are still empty, and the tea sellers are only just starting to set up their stalls, a solitary figure rushes through the waking city. She wastes no time. With a determined gait, her movements indicate focus and haste. Her rush is understandable – she has to be ready to go to air at 6:30 a.m. for two hours of programming and presenting each day on the city’s most popular broadcaster: “Hello, dear listeners. Welcome to the morning programme of Radio Hargeisa. My name is Muna Ibrahim Dakhtar, and I will be your host this morning.” And so it goes every Monday and Wednesday, with Ms. Dakhtar making her way from her home in the Idaacadda neighbourhood before the sun has risen, focused and determined. She has been in this role since 2011 and the early starts are not a bother. “I always make sure to arrive at the office one hour before going on air rather than being even a minute late,” she says. From Gabiley to HargeisaBorn in Gabiley in 1992, Ms. Dakhtar has been working as a journalist for thirteen years. She had initially aspired to become a doctor when she was younger but, as she continued her studies, the appeal of journalism grew.After completing her primary and secondary education in the city, she earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from Gollis University and a master's degree in public administration from the Hargeisa Civil Service Institute. “When I was preparing my bachelor's degree there was no faculty of journalism in Hargeisa. When it came to my master's degree, I sought to acquire knowledge related to management and leadership,” she says. Ms. Dakhtar has been working for Radio Hargeisa – the world’s oldest Somali-language radio service since 2011. The station was established in 1943 and has continued to thrive to this day. Ms. Dakhtar was already known to listeners as she had previously made a name for herself hosting family and women affairs programmes, on both local radio and television. She also worked with BBC Media Action, the UK news service’s international development charity, for three years, producing and hosting a women’s entrepreneurship programme, in collaboration with Radio Hargeisa. Her prior experience includes posts in Royal 24 TV and Horyaal 24 TV. The hours are long and the remuneration is far from lucrative, but Ms. Dakhtar’s motivations are deep – she hopes to inspire women to enter the field of journalism and to raise awareness of women's potential. “I want to change the negative attitudes of the public towards women, and I believe the best way to do that is through journalism,” she says, adding that she is glad that her career path took her away from business and into journalism. Ms. Dakhtar is also aware of the responsibility involved in being a prominent local figure in her field, which has around 100 women in it. With this in mind, Ms. Dakhtar tries to set an example for other Somali women who may be considering a career in the media. Through her social media platforms, which include 20,000 followers on Facebook, she gives her audience insight in her work, often posting photographs of her in her workplace, going about her day. New chapter The responsibility on Ms. Dakhtar’s shoulders racked up a notch last year. In August, she was one of 120 journalists trained in conflict-sensitive reporting by the Somaliland Journalist Association (SOLJA) with the UN’s support. “I gained knowledge and skills related to conflict-sensitive reporting and effectively conducting high-profile, challenging interviews. I hope the UN will continue with more training for the journalists in Somaliland,” Ms. Dakhtar says. Little did she know that her association with SOLJA was to soon intensify, making a bit of history in the process. At the end of 2023, she took part in the elections for SOLJA’s new executive secretary. She had previously served on its Board of Directors from 2021-2023. She prevailed against stiff competition from 17 male candidates vying for a seat on the Board of Directors and another two seeking the executive secretary role, Her victory was the first time SOLJA had a woman in that position since its inception in 2003. Her three-year term started in January 2024. SOLJA is an independent, non-governmental organization (NGO) bringing together journalists in Somaliland, with 38 media outlets and an 800-strong body of media workers making up its membership. Its mission is to protect and promote the rights of the press, expand freedom of expression, and strengthen its members' knowledge and skillsets. “It doesn’t come as a surprise – Muna was a perfect fit for the position. She is not only a professional and popular broadcaster but also a strong leader who is perfectly capable of heading any organisation,” says SOLJA’s Executive Director, Ismail Ahmed Ismail. In an interview with Horn Cable TV after her win, Ms. Dakhtar spoke about her journey to the position and the hard work and preparation it entailed. “The results of the election mean a lot not only for me but for all aspiring women journalists. I am now part of SOLJA's executive leadership, contributing to decision-making," she said. Adding to those comments from 2023, she says, “I aspire not only to be a good journalist but also a good leader in the media industry.” Her priorities for the NGO include professionalisation and capacity-building for Somaliland journalists, with a special focus on empowering female journalists and enhancing their skills. Women journalists Enormous challenges confront the female journalists of Somaliland – primarily attitudinal barriers stemming from journalism often seen as a men-only field, and a related lack of appropriate media training. “Women journalists are hard-working but often engage in short-term training instead of pursuing college or university degrees. I encourage girls to study journalism at higher levels,” she says. Ms. Dakhtar encourages women to maintain a positive attitude and not compromise on pursuing their career goals. “My journey stands as evidence that, despite obstacles, women can advance and attain higher positions,” she says, adding that her motto in life is encapsulated in words said by former US First Lady Michelle Obama, “There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.” UN support According to the United Nations, it is essential that the media promote gender equality, both within the working environment and in the representation of women. Journalists’ associations have a key role to play in this work, not least by ensuring that equal treatment for all media workers remain on media’s agenda. In past reports, the world body has noted that in many locations women are strongly represented in newsrooms but media are still very male dominated when the top positions are examined. Women are marginalised in the news both in the content of the jobs they do and in the opportunities they have to make their way in the profession. Sometimes, they are even marginalised in the unions that represent them.The United Nations supports media development through its work with various media associations. Throughout 2022 and 2023, the UN Integrated Office in Hargeisa supported six training courses, including one in Borama, which were implemented by SOLJA, the Women Journalists Association (WIJA) and the Female in Media Organisation (FIMO). The sessions focused on conflict-sensitive reporting and practical skills for female journalists. One of the gatherings served as a space for female journalists and aspiring politicians to hone in their public speaking skills and provide media training for their future careers.
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29 February 2024
Somalia successfully completes Digital Fitness Programme, shares insights
Somalia successfully completes Digital Fitness Programme, shares insightsAuthors: Nonso Jideofor, Digital Fitness Programme Co-Facilitator (UNDP Chief Digital Office); Aizhan Kapysheva, Digital Fitness Programme Co-Facilitator & Head of Solutions Mapping (Accelerator Lab, UNDP Kazakhstan); Hodan Abdullahi, Head of Exploration (Accelerator Lab, UNDP Somalia); Ahmed Mohammed Abdirizack, Youth Delegate (Accelerator Lab, UNDP Somalia)The Digital Fitness Programme (DFP) recently took place in Somalia over the course of five days. Twenty-two participants worked on both new and existing projects to harness digital solutions. Some of the solutions will contribute to future projects while others will complement ongoing programmatic work. Additionally, new initiatives emerged from this endeavour, including:Improving the national digital identity process for Somali peopleSupporting rural communities to adopt conservation practicesStrengthening civic education by working with public servantsEnhancing public health planning using data from private and public sector One highlight that all participants mentioned was the adoption of an open, collaborative and systematic problem-solving approach. They expressed confidence in using this process for future programme design, even considering it a transformative practice. “Inspired by Mogadishu, nestled on the coast of the Indian Ocean in the Horn of Africa, which was the location of the workshop, we kicked off this digital fitness journey and committed on Day 1 to learn together. And indeed, every day unfolded as a collaborative learning experience with the remarkable team at UNDP Somalia.”~Aizhan Kapysheva, DFP Co-FacilitatorSo why the Digital Fitness Programme?UNDP's Digital Strategy for 2022-2025 urges us to "get ahead of the ever-evolving digital reality, equipped with the knowledge and tools to support our partners in this time of rapid change." It goes beyond learning specific technologies; it aims to instigate a broader behaviour change in how UNDP personnel approach digital technology. UNDP adopts an ethical, human-rights-based, inclusive approach to digital transformation. The objective of how we work internally is always to cultivate an inclusive environment for learning and the effective exchange of ideas among team members. DFP instills a digital mindset, particularly at the country level, where Country Office (CO) personnel are the driving force for change and connection with partners on the ground. Photo: UNDP SomaliaBelow are three reasons why DFP is a unique instrument for a digitally native way of working:Looking beyond digital: At first glance, one might assume that DFP is solely about digital skills, tools and methods. However, the DFP serves as a time for a country office to foster connections, test a user-centric approach and view everyday problems through a new lens. Conversations in Somalia spanned diverse thematic topics, such as water security, human identity and digital health systems, emphasizing cultural norms to spur change.Focusing on technology as a tool: UNDP's decentralized presence in over 170 countries and territories positions DFP as an opportunity to dive into specific country contexts. For Somalia, digital identity meant more than helping government improve revenue mobilization and resource allocation. It touched on data privacy, ethics, public safety and if certain data found its way into the wrong hands. The DFP approach made it possible to focus on the appropriate use of technology. Combining digital expertise with programme knowledge: DFP's human-centered design approach encourages participatory processes, facilitating collective learning and addressing bottlenecks using innovative approaches. The Somalia workshop created an interactive space that encouraged teamwork and sparked creativity. For the first time, colleagues gained clarity into what others were working on and methodologies that they would apply to other aspects of their programmatic work that wasn’t being worked on during the DFP.
“The programme not only addressed priorities in our Country Programme Document, but the facilitation method is also something that we should adopt when designing our next one and other project designs and implementation. The participation and co-designing are noteworthy and remarkable.”~ Golda Keng, Adaptive Management Coordinator, UNDP SomaliaHow does it work? The DFP is designed to bring together global best practices in digital with UNDP’s unique capacity to deliver impact. The programme is aimed to ensure UNDP makes the best use of digital to amplify our development impact. The DFP is structured into four blocks, presenting digital standards and discussing their application:Discover and ideate: Systems thinking and problem identificationDesign: Needs assessment and understanding the digital dividePrototype and test: Importance of testing, open source and cases where the digital component may not be necessaryCreate and launch: Final section covering digital standards like building the right team, measuring success and long-term planningFor Somalia, we had four teams, from different portfolios and projects. Each team worked on a digital solution, going step-by-step through the four blocks. This culminated in a Pitch Day, where teams presented their digital solutions to colleagues and the Regional Representative.
“The Digital Fitness Programme was a valuable learning experience for all of us. It demonstrated the power of digital technologies to connect, communicate and collaborate across borders and cultures. It also showcased the potential of UNDP as a global network of knowledge and innovation.”~ Lionel Laurens, Resident Representative, UNDP SomaliaPhoto: UNDP SomaliaWant to learn more about our fitness marathon? Reflections from UNDP Somalia underscored the programme's value, emphasizing the power of digital technologies to connect, communicate and collaborate globally. Witnessing UNDP Somalia colleagues test and innovate was both incredible and humbling. The DFP stands as a practical tool for every country office to test how digitalization can amplify UNDP's impact. Designed and run by the Chief Digital Office (CDO), it serves as a knowledge exchange platform, with plans to spread insights globally. Today, 28 country offices have hosted CDO facilitators, with the Accelerator Labs, the world's largest and fastest learning network on sustainable development challenges, playing a crucial role. To deliver transformational development outcomes, UNDP must continue to address the urgent need to stay current with digital thinking. DFP is a starting point, emerging as a valuable tool amidst constant technological innovations.
“The programme not only addressed priorities in our Country Programme Document, but the facilitation method is also something that we should adopt when designing our next one and other project designs and implementation. The participation and co-designing are noteworthy and remarkable.”~ Golda Keng, Adaptive Management Coordinator, UNDP SomaliaHow does it work? The DFP is designed to bring together global best practices in digital with UNDP’s unique capacity to deliver impact. The programme is aimed to ensure UNDP makes the best use of digital to amplify our development impact. The DFP is structured into four blocks, presenting digital standards and discussing their application:Discover and ideate: Systems thinking and problem identificationDesign: Needs assessment and understanding the digital dividePrototype and test: Importance of testing, open source and cases where the digital component may not be necessaryCreate and launch: Final section covering digital standards like building the right team, measuring success and long-term planningFor Somalia, we had four teams, from different portfolios and projects. Each team worked on a digital solution, going step-by-step through the four blocks. This culminated in a Pitch Day, where teams presented their digital solutions to colleagues and the Regional Representative.
“The Digital Fitness Programme was a valuable learning experience for all of us. It demonstrated the power of digital technologies to connect, communicate and collaborate across borders and cultures. It also showcased the potential of UNDP as a global network of knowledge and innovation.”~ Lionel Laurens, Resident Representative, UNDP SomaliaPhoto: UNDP SomaliaWant to learn more about our fitness marathon? Reflections from UNDP Somalia underscored the programme's value, emphasizing the power of digital technologies to connect, communicate and collaborate globally. Witnessing UNDP Somalia colleagues test and innovate was both incredible and humbling. The DFP stands as a practical tool for every country office to test how digitalization can amplify UNDP's impact. Designed and run by the Chief Digital Office (CDO), it serves as a knowledge exchange platform, with plans to spread insights globally. Today, 28 country offices have hosted CDO facilitators, with the Accelerator Labs, the world's largest and fastest learning network on sustainable development challenges, playing a crucial role. To deliver transformational development outcomes, UNDP must continue to address the urgent need to stay current with digital thinking. DFP is a starting point, emerging as a valuable tool amidst constant technological innovations.
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Story
30 January 2024
Enhancing access to high-quality education for Somali children
Galkayo – For many children in Somalia, going to school and receiving a good education is still a dream out of their reach.
More than three million Somali children are out of school. In many areas across the country, parents are not able to fund their children’s education.
In addition to poverty, long distances to school, safety concerns, social norms favouring boys’ education, and lack of teachers, particularly female teachers, and the low availability of sanitation facilities, these factors stop parents from enrolling children, particularly girls, in school.
As part of Somalia’s development, the United Nations is working with educational authorities to change this – but that support extends to Somalis who have taken action.
One of those Somalis is Aisha Ahmed Hussein, also known as ‘Aisha-Gesdir.’
In Galkayo, the capital city of the Mudug region in the Somali Federal Member State of Puntland, Ms. Hussein is making a difference.
Her experiences with her own early childhood education, coupled with a desire to contribute to her country’s development and an entrepreneurial streak, led her to establish the Aayatiin Early Childhood Education, Care and Development Centre in 2016.
‘From a young age, I've always been drawn to children. During my own childhood, I would play teacher while my siblings played the role of students. Helping and teaching children has always been my passion. I've longed to support Somali children with love, guidance, and education, hoping to prepare them for a better future,” says Ms. Hussein.
Education needs
The mother of two grew up during Somalia’s civil war in the Burtinle district of Puntland's Nugaal region.
Like many Somalis of her generation, she grew up without access to government programmes that provided free education due to Somalia’s civil war.
Despite this, her parents were keen for her to obtain an education. They provided her with private tuition at nearby madrasas, during which she learned to memorize the Quran, before eventually enrolling her in a school once conditions allowed.
Ms. Hussein graduated from Burtinle Secondary School in 2009 and, a year later, completed a one-year diploma in community development from the Puntland State University of Science and Technology. In 2011, she also obtained a diploma in financial management from the Somali Institute of Management and Business Administration in Galkayo.
The activist and entrepreneur’s educational journey was not over.
In 2015, Ms. Hussein earned a bachelor’s degree in education and community development from Cavendish University in Uganda. That same year, she also completed a post-graduate diploma in leadership from Makerere University, also in Uganda.
Upon her return to Somalia in 2016, she began laying the foundations of the Aayatiin Early Childhood Education, Care and Development Centre – with minimal support.
“Some people in my community initially predicted that I would fail due to my lack of experience in this profession and the challenging nature of managing young children. However, I chose to ignore their negative comments and continued with my strategy,” she says.
Due to financial constraints, Ms. Hussein first set up the in a rented house. Enrolment was slow at first, but the situation gradually changed.
“In our first year of operation, we had 18 pre-schoolers enrolled. However, the number of learners at our school gradually increased. Once the community became more aware of the value of early education, parents started bringing their children to us. The number of students now stands at more than 155, with ages ranging from three to five,” she says.
Four years after opening the centre, Ms. Hussein’s grassroots efforts drew attention beyond her immediate community.
“The Galkayo community generously donated a large plot of land, measuring 2,400 square meters. The community’s generosity in providing us with this land motivated us to seek assistance from the government and UNICEF, who eventually established a school specializing in early childhood education,” recalls Ms. Hussein. “In 2020, Puntland's Ministry of Education and UNICEF constructed a new building for my school.”
The new building includes an office, three classrooms and four bathrooms, and is has been a significant step forward for the early childhood school.
“Within Puntland, this is the very first nursery school that is supported by the government. Despite the fact that there are other private schools that are comparable, this one would serve as a model for complete institutions that are concerned with early childhood education and where the curriculum is now being finalized,” Puntland’s Deputy Education Minister, Abdirahman Yusuf Dujana, said at the centre’s official opening in 2023.
The main funding for the school comes from the UN Children’s Fund’s (UNICEF) Early Childhood Education Programme, which aims to bridge pre-primary and primary student learning expectations. The programme focuses on the critical developmental milestones, skills, and concepts that children achieve during this period of their lives, from social-emotional skills to the foundations of numeracy, literacy and critical thinking.
In addition to its nearly 160 students enrolled, the school employs 13 teachers and administrative staff. Parents sending their children there pay $15, depending on their financial situation; around 40 per cent of all the enrolled students pay no fees.
Inclusivity aims
Ms. Hussein is rightly proud of how far the centre has come. But she is not resting on her laurels – she is advocating locally on the benefits of early childhood education for the benefit of the children and their families, as well as the country overall.
“Somali parents, for various reasons, do not send all their children to school. The primary reason is the financial burden, but many others do not understand the importance of education, and parents are unaware of their children's whereabouts,” Ms. Hussein says.
In addition to financial obstacles and raising awareness, the education activist is also making efforts to ensure education is available to as many children as possible – including disabled children and those from marginalized communities.
“One of the school’s greatest achievements so far is fostering a climate of equal opportunity for all students, including those from marginalized communities. We have provided a portal for parents who desire their communities to have access to quality education,” Ms. Hussein says.
“Nearly a dozen students with special needs are enrolled in our school, and we are planning to increase the number, but there are significant challenges,” she adds. “We are advocating for an increase in the number and acquisition of the required equipment to meet their special needs. We believe that many disabled children are kept at home because their parents are shy or feel burdened by sending their kids to school.”
Ms. Hussein is grateful for the support received so far, and is hoping for more as the school grows.
“We hope to build a school equipped with all the necessary educational resources, such as a library, playground, feeding centre, dining rooms, clean water, electricity, and other amenities for both elementary and preschool students,” she says.
“Unfortunately, we do not have these resources – I hope that we can continue to work towards making it even better. Additionally, the school is located about three kilometres from the city centre, making transportation particularly challenging for students, especially girls,” she adds.
UN support
According to the United Nations, education is the basic building block of every society – it is the single best investment countries can make to build prosperous, healthy and equitable societies. It is not only a right, but a passport to human development that opens doors and expands opportunities and freedoms.
Article 26 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that ‘Everyone has the right to education.’ In addition, the fourth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) is centred on ‘Ensuring Inclusive, Equitable, and Quality Education’ for all. Part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the SDGs are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and improve the lives and prospects of everyone everywhere, and were adopted by all UN Member States in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda, which sets out a 15-year plan to achieve the SDGs.
In Somalia, UNICEF works closely with the Federal Government’s Ministry of Education, as well as its counterparts at the Federal Member State level, to support education-in-emergencies programming and the integration of displaced communities as part of their education service delivery whenever possible.
"Early childhood education is the foundation of knowledge; if it is properly addressed, other educational systems will thrive. If a child's first few years of education and discipline are effective, it will have a big positive impact on their entire life,” notes UNICEF Education Officer Said Mohamed Hassan.
“This school serves as a model for early childhood education,” he continues, “and we anticipate that many such schools will be established throughout Somalia. Primary and secondary education will be of good quality if we focus on building these types of institutions.”
They also support the capacity development of education authorities at all levels, as well as school communities and children, to mitigate risks, build resilience to shocks, and respond to and support the recovery of crisis-affected children while addressing underlying chronic vulnerabilities.
Addressing the education needs of children affected by emergencies is one of UNICEF’s priorities. Working with partners, the UN children’s agency has constructed 134 temporary learning spaces in 12 drought-affected districts across Somalia, thanks to funding from the Global Partnership for Education and the United States Agency for International Development. The children are provided with clean, safe drinking water and learning materials and the teachers are given a monthly incentive allowance.
In the meantime, Ms. Hussein’s own academic journey continues – she is now a year into an online Master's degree in Education and Community Development from Cavendish University Uganda.
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30 October 2023
Marking UN day, top officials reaffirm commitment to Somalia’s state- and peacebuilding efforts
Mogadishu – Marking the recent United Nations Day, the world body’s top officials in Somalia today reaffirmed its support for the Somali government and people as the country continues with its state- and peacebuilding efforts.
“As you will all be aware, there are many, many challenges in the world at the moment… [including] numerous challenges on the continent of Africa and some of the challenges we face in Somalia – but the United Nations stands there ready to support in all these challenges,” said the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, Catriona Laing.
“We have been here in Somalia pre-independence. We have been here through some of the very tough times that Somalia has faced,” added Ms. Laing, who also heads the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM).
The UN Special Representative was speaking at a news conference in the Somali capital, Mogadishu.
She was accompanied by the Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representatives for Somalia, Anita Kiki Gbeho and George Conway, with the latter also serving as the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator, and the Head of the UN Support Office for Somalia (UNSOS), Aisa Kacyira.
Celebrated annually on 24 October, UN Day marks the anniversary of the entry into force in 1945 of the UN Charter. With the ratification of this founding document by the majority of its signatories, the United Nations officially came into being.
“It is an important anniversary, and it is an occasion to recommit with hope and determination to build a better world for all of our aspirations,” said Ms. Laing, who recently returned from UN Headquarters in New York City, where she had briefed the Security Council at its latest meeting on the situation in Somalia.
In her remarks to the media in Mogadishu, she highlighted various developments that are currently among the top areas of focus for the United Nations in Somalia.
Political
On the political front, the UN Special Representative flagged issues surrounding the National Consultative Council (NCC), which brings together the leaders of the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and its Federal Member States (FMSs).
In May this year, the NCC had set out four specific proposals for a future electoral system with moves to: a presidential system, a two-party system, a ‘one person, one vote’ electoral model throughout the country, and dates for local council elections and alignment of FMS terms of office. The proposals continue to dominate political debate.
“We are at quite a crucial moment where we need to agree collectively, under the leadership of the Government, [on] the way forward on elections, the kind of models that Somalia will pursue, the timeline, the sequencing of elections, and of course, very importantly, to try and bring Puntland back into this process because it will be very hard to complete not just elections, but the whole legislative framework and the process around developing a constitution for Somalia,” Ms. Laing said.
She stressed the importance of Somalia’s Constitutional Review Process continuing.
“Without a constitution, a country will find it very hard to move forward. A constitution [is] essentially the ‘rules of the game’ which govern how a country is legislated, is governed. And Somalia really needs that constitution to be nailed down; as you know, it is still working on a draft constitution,” the UN Special Representative said.
The conflict in Laascaanood also figured in the top UN official’s remarks. She noted that the situation remains difficult and tense, despite the situation on the ground being relatively calm and displaced people starting to return home.
“The underlying drivers of this conflict, which resulted in a number of people killed and a number of prisoners taken, need still to be resolved,” Ms. Laing said, while flagging that the United Nations has been engaging with all parties involved in the conflict.
“The three messages are, number one, please make progress on the detainee exchange as a confidence-building measure. Secondly, it’s important for everyone to commit to no more violence, and thirdly, of course, to find a peaceful solution to the disputed territory,” she added.
Security
Addressing developments on Somalia’s security front, the UN Special Representative noted that the FGS recently requested a three-month technical pause to the latest stage of the drawdown of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), while it engages in a major military effort against the Al-Shabaab terrorist group.
“This is in recognition that the Government was facing challenges conducting the counter-offensive while also generating enough troops to take over the Forward Operating Bases that are held by ATMIS. This time is being used wisely to do some reconfiguration, some resetting, and to replan the military strategies,” Ms. Laing said.
According to Somalia’s security plans, ATMIS will be drawing down its troops over the next 14 months before completely departing at the end of 2024, with the Somali Security Forces (SSF) assuming prime responsibility in this area. A high-level conference on Somalia’s post-2024 security architecture and its needs is scheduled to take place at UN Headquarters in December this year.
While on security matters, the UN Special Representative spoke about the importance of what happens in areas where the SSF drives Al-Shabaab terrorist out.
“It’s important to note that reclaiming areas from Al-Shabaab is, of course, only step one, although a very important step. Those areas need to be stabilised, and people need to see the benefits of the Government returning to provide services for the people to enable their livelihoods to progress, to ensure justice is delivered – and that work is called stabilisation. The United Nations is providing the coordinating forum around stabilisation. It is very important to consolidate those security gains,” she said.
In her remarks to the media, Assistant Secretary-General Kacyira said UNSOS expects to continue its wide-ranging, steadfast support to ATMIS and the SSF throughout the remainder of ATMIS’ time in Somalia, and with a focus on leaving the SSF well-prepared for its responsibilities.
“It is of key importance that they are trained and equipped accordingly – through the UNSOS-administered Trust Fund in support of the SSF, we do our very best in implementing priorities set by the Somali Government in this regard. We are, for example, training Somali Security Forces in the spheres of aviation operations, aviation security and medical, evacuations and management of other logistics-related fields,” she said.
UNSOS’s logistics support throughout the security transition includes the handover of ATMIS’ Forward Operating Bases to the SSF, along with equipment at these locations. The latter includes water points, generators and water treatment plants.
“All this is done in the spirit of building capacity and sustaining operations and supporting security,” the Assistant Secretary-General added. “As we go through this transition, I would like to take this opportunity to say that UNSOS remains committed to carrying out its role as a strategic enabler for its clients, for the ultimate benefit of Somalia.”
Women
When speaking about the UN’s support for increasing Somali women’s participation in society, including in peacebuilding and decision-making processes, the UN Special Representative emphasised that women play a very important role in security, and there can be no lasting peace unless women are involved in resolving underlying tensions and drivers of conflict.
“I’ve heard directly myself from many of the female leaders here in Somalia – brave women who stand up for women's rights, who are doing pioneering work – and they urged me strongly and my team to continue to advocate with the Government, with Parliament and so on, on the importance of women having their rightful place at all the top tables, including crucially in politics, because women need to see other women in strong political leadership roles,” Ms. Laing said. “Let's all commit to work together to continue on ensuring that women have their rightful seat at the table.”
The top UN official also drove home the importance of achieving the target of a quota of at least 30 per cent for women’s representation in parliament “to break this cycle, to get enough women at the table, for women to represent the views and rights of other women.”
At Somalia’s last federal electoral process in 2022, the target of the 30 per cent quota was not achieved. The final percentage of parliamentary seats held by women was just 21 per cent, down from 24 per cent in the previous electoral cycle in 2016.
Human rights
On the issue of human rights in Somalia, the UN Special Representative welcomed recent legislative achievements, such as the Federal Government’s approval of a Disability Rights Bill, a Child Rights Bill and a Juvenile Justice Bill.
“A very important issue in Somalia is the age of a child. We now have for the first time an age verification policy, which is the first formal procedure for age assessment in the country to confirm that a child is actually under 18. The UN has provided technical support to all these bills,” Ms. Laing said.
“But there is more to be done,” she continued. “So, on the age of a child, for example, the next step is to harmonise all the legislation and policy around embedding formally that a child is under 18, and that affects things like child marriage, the age at which a child can legitimately join the military, and so on. So that is a really important next step.”
In her remarks to the media, in relation to the Disability Rights Bill, Deputy Special Representative Gbeho highlighted the UN’s support for the National Disability Agency over the last two years – including support for its first-ever disability needs and perceptions survey.
“We supported them to undertake a perception survey, so they can understand the issues that people with disabilities face in Somalia,” she said. “When I was in school, I had a professor and he used to tell us: ‘If you cannot measure it, you cannot manage it.’ If we do not understand the challenges that people with disabilities face, there will be no way we can support the Government to resolve these issues.”
In August 2019, following extensive consultations and advocacy, the FGS ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This momentum resulted in the fast-tracking of a national mechanism, with the inauguration of the National Disability Agency (NDA) in 2021. Subsequently, the NDA led and consulted on the drafting of the Disability Rights Bill which was promulgated in July 2023.
Despite its recent creation, the National Disability Agency is a fully functioning institution and UNSOM has been its main partner supporting its capacity building, facilitation of donor funding and technical assistance.
Within human rights, on the topic of freedom of expression, UN Special Representative Laing noted its importance to the world body.
“This is an area we keep a very close watch on. We’ve done three reports on ensuring that the Government adheres to its obligations to ensure that all of you as journalists can do your jobs freely and report so that people understand what is going on and without any intimidation,” Ms. Laing said.
The right to freedom of expression is a fundamental human right, enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and it is widely considered to be essential to any functioning democracy.
Economic development
On economic development, the UN Special Representative welcomed Somalia’s progress within the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank’s Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative.
“I am pleased to say that the final piece of the jigsaw was met recently, and Somalia should be moving to the completion point in December. This will enable Somalia to access much larger soft loans and grants, and that will be important for Somalia's economic development,” Ms. Laing said.
“So, investment, for example, in your coastline, your very important coastline, which will enable you to drive forward from an economic perspective,” she added.
The IMF and World Bank launched HIPC Initiative in 1996 to ensure that no poor country faces an unmanageable debt burden.
In 2005, to accelerate progress toward the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, the HIPC Initiative was supplemented by the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative. This allows countries completing the HIPC Initiative process to receive 100 per cent relief on eligible debts by the IMF, the World Bank and the African Development Fund.
Rule of law
In her remarks to the media, Deputy Special Representative Gbeho also elaborated on the UN’s support for Somalia’s rule of law, justice and corrections, which includes supporting the strengthening of police and community policing throughout the country.
“We have also worked very closely with Government, with civil society, with our sister UN agencies on the Joint Justice and Corrections Programme. This has so far supported the provision of legal services to close to 18,000 beneficiaries in Somalia – the majority of these beneficiaries have been women,” Ms. Gbeho said.
“We have also supported the establishment of 16 alternative dispute resolution centres throughout this country and 13,000 cases have been resolved as a result,” she added.
Humanitarian concerns
Somalia’s dire humanitarian situation figured prominently in the news conference.
The Horn of Africa country has been experiencing a long and severe drought – its worst in 40 years – which has also involved significant risks of famine. At the height of the humanitarian response over the past two years, more than 6.3 million Somalis were receiving some form of UN assistance. This support included assistance with food, hygiene, water, sanitation and more.
“It was an important part of preventing the country from falling over the brink from a protracted drought into famine conditions,” said UN Deputy Special Representative Conway.
In 2022 and early 2023, the UN and its partners engaged in a robust humanitarian response, which helped. However, while recent rains have ameliorated the situation and food insecurity across the country has improved, challenges remain.
Currently, there are millions of people who are still food insecure and in need of assistance. The situation is projected to deteriorate further until December, mainly due to the enhanced Deyr rains exacerbated by the El Niño phenomenon.
El Niño is expected to cause flash and riverine floods in large parts of the country.
“We estimate right now about four million Somalis are living at different levels of food security crisis. And that is a lot. That is a very high number. And 3.8 million Somalis are internally displaced across the country. That number itself increased by a million people over the course of the protracted drought,” said Deputy Special Representative Conway.
“So right now, today in addition to the baseline of humanitarian need in the country, we are very concerned about the impact of El Niño on the Deyr rainy season,” he continued. “We have already in the past two weeks seen flash flooding happening in a number of cities throughout the country. We have seen river levels rising… The estimates that we have right now are that the rains are likely to be the worst that we’ve seen in at least 20 years, with the most recent worst rains in 1997.”
According to estimates from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), around 1.2 million Somalis could be impacted by flooding over the course of the next three months, with 1.6 million hectares of land also inundated as a result. Somalis in camps for internally displaced people, and the host communities for those camps, are expected to be disproportionately affected.
Mr. Conway noted that UN humanitarian agencies have been working with the FGS, in particular its Somalia Disaster Management Agency, and also with FMS-level humanitarian affairs ministries on preparedness measures to try to reduce the impact on Somalis.
“We’ve done a lot of work to help government, local governments and state governments identify evacuation areas, in high ground areas, provided maps and provided data. We are doing monitoring of river levels in support of the Government in order to give early warning notice to communities so that they can be informed if they have to move,” Mr. Conway said.
“And we are providing packages of early response support to those communities that are directly impacted in the areas of food or cash or hygiene or water or sanitation or the other areas that that we are focused on,” he added. “It's important to note that we have allocated significant resources to this response. Right now, we have $50 million allocated immediately towards the rapid response.”
However, the UN’s humanitarian support faces hurdles.
Somalia’s 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan, seeks more than $2.6 billion to meet the priority needs of 7.6 million people. Currently, the plan has received less than half of the sought-after amount, and partners are having to prioritise the most vulnerable in areas with the greatest severity of needs.
“It sits at about 39 per cent funded, as of today. And that is compromising our ability to scale up the response as much as we would have preferred and we are appealing to donors to come in with their generous support to enable us to ensure that we're responding to the needs as they are likely to manifest over the course of the next months,” Mr. Conway said.
Development
Away from humanitarian issues, the Deputy Special Representative also addressed Somalia’s broader development, including the need to find long-term solutions to recurrent crises caused by climate shocks, such as flooding and drought.
“These are cyclical in Somalia, and the cycles are getting shorter and shorter and the impact is getting higher and higher. And what that necessitates from the Somali authorities, supported by the international community, including the United Nations, is to invest in solutions to reduce the risks for the future, to reduce humanitarian needs for the future through targeting the types of development deficits that have been a structural challenge for the country over recent decades,” Mr. Conway said.
“There’s been far more money spent on humanitarian response than on investment in development in the past two decades,” he added, while also welcoming progress on the HIPC Initiative.
Mr. Conway noted that completing the HIPC Initiative process will enable an expansion of the development agenda in Somalia – one that addresses the underlying drivers of cyclical crises and risks and builds greater resilience of Somali citizens and Somali institutions to be able to better manage these crises in the future.
“We are seeking to rebalance our engagements from principally humanitarian to much more developmental engagements to reduce, again, risk for the future. We do have a development cooperation framework that we’re supporting the Government across multiple areas. Much of the work that we do is directly joined with the Mission structures in support of the state-building agenda, justice, the rule of law and others,” the Deputy Special Representative said.
“We're making increased investments into climate adaptation, into environmental management, into certainly the stabilisation agenda and expanding basic service delivery systems into newly-accessible areas where people have not had access to recurrent service delivery, some for a very long time – over a decade,” he added. “And we have opened a new funding window called the Somalia Joint Fund, which has now become operational.”
UN Day
The aim of UN Day is to amplify humanity’s common agenda and reaffirm the purposes and principles of the UN Charter that have guided the organisation for the past 78 years.
In 1945, representatives of 50 countries met in San Francisco, in the United States of America, at the UN Conference on International Organisation to draw up the UN Charter, the founding document of the United Nations.
The UN Charter was signed on 26 June 1945 and came into force on 24 October that year, when a majority of signatories ratified it, officially bringing the UN into existence. Since its founding, the UN’s mission and work have been guided by the purposes and principles contained in the Charter.
In his message for the Day, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres noted that while the world body is guided by timeless values and principles, it must never be frozen in time.
“That is why we must always keep strengthening ways of working and applying a 21st century lens to all we do. On this United Nations Day, let us commit with hope and determination to build the better world of our aspirations. Let us commit to a future that lives up to the name of our indispensable organisation. We are a divided world. We can and must be united nations,” he said.
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03 September 2023
A round-up of activities of the UN system in Somalia in August 2023
Shelter | UN-HABITAT to build 200 shelters for displaced people in Baidoa
UN-Habitat began a building project which will see 200 houses constructed via an owner-driven approach by internally displaced people in Baidoa on a piece of land donated by the municipality.
This was after the shelter stakeholders, as well as the Mayor of Baidoa, presided over the commissioning of the construction, following the approval of the first prototype.
The two-room standard design prototype – jointly developed by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and UN-Habitat, and agreed on by the respective local and state authorities – was constructed by local masons through proper training from NRC technical engineers.
All construction materials are being procured locally to boost the economy. Skilled labourers and interested beneficiaries will be provided with on-the-job training for the construction of their shelters, equipping them further for the construction industry.
The project was funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.
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Security | UNSOS reaffirms UN commitment to transition process
The Head of UNSOS, Assistant Secretary-General Aisa Kirabo Kacyira, affirmed the UN’s commitment to enhancing collaboration to ensure a successful transition process for Somalia’s security sector.
The senior UN official had been speaking while on a visit to Jowhar, the administrative capital of Hirshabelle, where she had journeyed as part of a high-level delegation of officials from the Federal Government of Somalia, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and the UN. The security transition involves the handover of primary responsibility from ATMIS peacekeepers to Somali security forces.
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Humanitarian | OCHA highlights World Humanitarian Day
OCHA coordinated the observance of World Humanitarian Day – which is marked on 19 August annually – with a virtual event which brought together senior Somali government officials, representatives from non-governmental organisations and donors, as well as UN officials.
Testimonies from aid workers were shared, highlighting experiences and challenges. Participants reiterated the need to protect aid workers and facilities, in line with humanitarian principles. In-person observances were held in Puntland, Galmudug, Banadir and Somaliland.
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Climate change | UNDP builds flood walls in Belet Weyne
Climate change is worsening floods along the Shabelle River, causing huge disruption and threatening lives and livelihoods, particularly in Belet Weyne and its surrounding areas in the Federal Member State of Hirshabelle.
In response, UNDP began work on new flood protection infrastructure for Belet Weyne, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
Across Somalia, GEF funds also support UNDP’s work on integrated water resources management, benefiting more than 350,000 agro-pastoralists with projects that empower national institutions to formulate policies and pastoralists to implement action on-the-ground.
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Climate change | FAO begins preparations ahead of El Nino
With the UK, FAO launched a $3.8 million anticipatory action and preparedness initiative in Somalia ahead of an expected El Niño event.
The project, called ‘Badbaado’ (transl.: “to salvage from calamity’), will help to protect vulnerable rural communities from the worst impacts of a potential flood disaster.
The project, which is expected to benefit over 1.2 million people in Somalia, is a critical initiative that will help reduce the risk of a major humanitarian disaster in the country, according to FAO. It will focus on three main areas: improving flood defences, early warning systems and preparedness actions.
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Health | UNFPA and UNOPS support establishment of national blood bank
The Somali National Blood Bank was inaugurated in Mogadishu, through a collaboration between UNFPA, UNOPS, WHO and the governments of Sweden, Switzerland, Finland, Italy and Somalia.
According to UNOPS, the blood bank promises to reshape the healthcare scenario by addressing one of its most critical challenges: access to safe blood supply and transfusion services. UNFPA added that the initiative addresses healthcare challenges by ensuring a steady supply of safe blood products for surgeries, emergencies, and maternal care.
Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, the facility is designed to screen, prepare, and securely store blood and blood products, ensuring both safety and quality. The blood bank's capacity of 50 units per day and storage capacity for 6,500 units fill a vital gap in Somalia's healthcare system, enhancing maternal care and emergency responses.
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Displacement | IOM provides aid to 920,000 displaced people and host communities
With the EU, IOM successfully completed a one-year transformative project to provide life-saving assistance to more than 920,000 displaced people, as well as host communities, in Somalia.
In response to the country’s urgent humanitarian crisis, as part of the six million euro project, IOM focused its efforts on providing essential aid to affected individuals residing in displacement sites across Somalia. The UN’s migration agency delivered camp services, water, hygiene kits, shelter solutions and cash assistance to those in need.
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Nutrition | WFP joins high-level roundtable on home-grown school feeding
WFP took part in a ministerial roundtable in Mogadishu to map out the transition to a national home-grown school feeding programme for Somalia.
WFP works with the Somali government to implement home-grown school feeding, whereby ingredients for meals are sourced from local food producers and retailers. According to WFP, this not only helps build Somalia's future human capital by improving educational outcomes, but also boosts local economies by linking farmers to new markets.
WFP has noted that there is a great opportunity for the Somali authorities to expand on these benefits by taking full ownership of a school feeding programme on a national scale.
The roundtable marked an important step towards realising this vision, with the Ministries of Finance, Agriculture and Irrigation, and Education, Culture and Higher Education all making strong commitments. WFP pledged to support the transition through technical assistance, resource mobilization and advocacy.
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Health | WHO supports vaccination campaign against cholera
WHO supported a five-day cholera vaccination campaign rolled out in the so-called ‘Mandela triangle,’ which covers five districts of Jubaland that border Kenya and Ethiopia.
The campaign aimed to protect more than 600,000 Somalis and involved staff going house-to-house in the ‘Mandela triangle,’ where drought conditions contributed to 11,704 suspected cases and 30 deaths by July this year.
The campaign involved 788 teams of health workers and social mobilizers, supported by WHO, UNICEF and the federal and state ministries of health. Gavi provided the vaccines and the funding for this vital intervention.
The campaign reached 535,789 people, with a slightly higher proportion of females than males. More than 90 per cent of the target population were vaccinated, according to WHO.
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Development | UNIDO launches two new business units in Galmudug and Puntland
UNIDO launched two new Enterprise Development Units (EDUs) in Galmudug and Puntland, as part of the expansion of its Productive Sectors Development Programme (PSDP) project.
The two EDUs are in the cities of Galkayo and Bosaso – in the Federal Member States of Galmudug and Puntland, respectively – and have already begun their first ‘Training of Entrepreneurs’ (ToE) sessions to train and support local, aspiring businesspeople.
In Galkayo, the EDU had 20 participants, including youth and women, in its ToE session in August. In Bosaso, some 25 people are taking part, with the ToE there due to end in early September.
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Youth | UNSOM engages young Somalis on peace and security
To celebrate International Youth Day and promote the Youth, Peace and Security Agenda, UNSOM partnered with various youth organisations to hold dialogues among young Somalis in major cities across Somalia.
Overall, the dialogues involved 465 young women and men from different backgrounds who discussed peace and security issues and developed recommendations and action plans for youth involvement in peacebuilding and decision-making processes.
The gatherings provided a platform for youth to express their opinions, share their challenges, and propose solutions for peace and security in Somalia. The outcomes of the dialogues will help inform UNSOM’s work on youth empowerment and engagement.
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Press Release
10 March 2024
On International Women’s Day, UN calls for investing in Somali women’s participation and representation
Mogadishu –On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the United Nations today called on the Somali authorities to invest greater effort in ensuring women’s inclusion in politics and making the minimum 30 per cent quota for women’s parliamentary representation a reality.“The minimum 30 per cent quota will go a long to helping promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in Somalia. Despite numerous challenges, Somali women continue to make significant contributions to peacebuilding and reconciliation – this is through service as Members of Parliament, on civil society organisations and on youth associations, to name a few – but there needs to be even more investment of resources to build on this progress as investing in women is a cornerstone for building inclusive societies,” said the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, Catriona Laing.“Somali women continue to remind stakeholders that ensuring inclusion and the 30 per cent quota in legislation is an achievable request given commitments already made by Somali leadership in the past,” she added.Somali women leaders have been engaging stakeholders – including the National Consultative Council, religious and traditional leaders, the Speakers of Parliament, the Independent Constitutional Review Commission and the Oversight Committee – on the need for legislation and mechanisms to implement and achieve the women’s quota.In Somalia, the UN supports the Federal Government in its efforts to increase women’s political participation and enact laws that strengthen the protection of women and girls, that comply with Somalia’s human rights obligations and meet international human rights standards. The UN also partners with the Federal Government and civil society to end harmful practices such as female genital mutilation.The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is ‘Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress.’ The occasion has been observed around the world since 1875 to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, as well as to mark a call to action for accelerating gender equality.
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Press Release
29 February 2024
Somalia launches new Joint Resilience Programme to benefit a million people in Puntland and Galmudug states
MOGADISHU, 21 February 2024: The Federal Government of Somalia has today launched the next iteration of the “Joint Resilience Programme”, which aims to improve resilience to economic and climate related shocks among households and local communities in four districts in Puntland and Galmudug states. Funded by the Government of Germany through KfW with an initial allocation of EUR 30 million, the Programme will target one million people in North Galkayo and Galdogob districts in Puntland state and Dhuusamarreeb and South Galkayo districts in Galmudug state and will be implemented over 18 months in a first phase.The programme aims to increase access to inclusive, child-friendly education, school water and sanitation (WASH), health and nutrition for children at pre-primary and primary levels, reduce micronutrient deficiencies among young children and pregnant and breastfeeding women, enable households to improve food security and livelihoods through diversified agricultural production and income generation, and strengthen government systems to promote quality health, nutrition, education and WASH services in schools and health facilities.Targeted individuals include school-aged children, internally displaced children, vulnerable adolescents, and pregnant and breastfeeding women. The Programme will be overseen by the Ministry of Planning, Investment, and Economic Development and implemented by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP) together with the relevant ministries of the two state governments, district and local authorities, and non-governmental organizations. “The launch of this new phase of the Joint Resilience Program marks a significant step towards strengthening the resilience of communities in Puntland and Galmudug states of Somalia. The joint action of WFP and UNICEF will play a central role in addressing the effects of climate-related shocks, food security, nutrition, education, and health,” said Hon. Mohamud Abdirahman Farah, Minister of Planning, Investment and Economic Development “As we look forward to strengthening coordination and collaboration between all stakeholders in the effective implementation of the program, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to the German government for their generous funding in fostering the resilience of communities in the Galmudug and Puntland regions.”“We believe that this new Joint Resilience Programme will continue the success of the previous phases by combining the strengths and expertise of various partners in a comprehensive and multisectoral approach. Close cooperation between UNICEF, WFP and the Somali authorities on federal, regional and local level will be essential for achieving the expected improvements in the lives of the Somali people,” said Mrs. Alena Kern, Head of Development Cooperation at the German Embassy in Somalia.This new programme expands on the results achieved in Phases I, II, and II of the first Joint Resilience Programme, which has been implemented in Benadir region and Jubaland state since 2018 and is phasing out in late 2024. These include:Reduced acute malnutrition rates in Dollow among children under five years from 13 per cent in 2019 to about 10 per cent in 2022.100 treatment centers operating to treat acutely malnourished children affected by drought.Improving the health of 300,000 children and 160,000 breastfeeding mothers and preventing further malnutrition.95 per cent of the 45,000 children in schools supported by the Programme have not dropped out of school. Out of these, 35,000 continue to benefit from nutritious school meals.“Most children in Somalia continue to endure climate related shocks and protracted conflicts with alarming regularity and often with far-reaching consequences on their health and well-being,” said UNICEF Representative Wafaa Saeed. “The Joint Resilience Programme has been able to achieve this success because of the leadership of the Government of Somalia, the generous support of the German government, and the collaboration of WFP. Through the years, this partnership has delivered critical, lifesaving support to vulnerable children and women and enabled them to cope better with shocks and crises, and we are delighted with its extension to the four districts.”“This Programme builds on the strong foundation established by the Joint Resilience Programme and will enable the steady shift from humanitarian response to enhanced resilience and build the capacity of communities at the frontline of the climate crisis to respond to shocks,” said WFP Somalia Country Director Elkhidir Daloum. “Working with UNICEF and partners, this lifecycle approach will meet the needs of mothers, infants, school aged children and adults, while strengthening the resilience of local food systems. I thank the Government of Somalia for their leadership, and the Government of Germany for their sustained support to this critical Programme.”
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Press Release
30 January 2024
Humanitarian partners seek US$1.6 billion to assist 5.2 million people in Somalia in 2024
Mogadishu, 30 January 2024 – Today, the United Nations in Somalia, humanitarian partners together with the Federal and State Governments released the 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP), which seeks US$1.6 billion to assist 5.2 million people out of 6.9 million who need lifesaving humanitarian and protection assistance in Somalia.
“In addition to climatic shocks, conflict and insecurity, widespread poverty and disease outbreaks will continue to drive humanitarian needs this year,” said Mr. George Conway, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia. “Humanitarian and development partners will strengthen complementarity and work towards collective outcomes that will help reduce needs, risks and vulnerabilities, increase resilience and ensure that future shocks do not lead to catastrophe.”
In 2023, Somalia was hit by shocks including devastating drought, unprecedented heavy rains and flooding, and new displacement. As a result, millions are continuing to suffer from hunger and malnutrition. While the situation has improved since 2023, 4.3 million people - almost one fourth of the population – remain acutely food insecure and two in five children under the age of 5 suffer from acute malnutrition. An estimated 3.8 million people are internally displaced, and a cholera outbreak is spreading in several districts.
“More than 80 per cent of the displaced are women and children and face serious protection risks,” said Mr. Mohamud Moalim, Commissioner, Somalia Disaster Management Agency (SODMA). “The Somali Government is concerned about the humanitarian situation that is worsened by climate-induced crises. We are determined to address the underlying causes of Somalia’s crises, improve livelihoods and build long-term durable solutions.”
In 2024, humanitarian partners will implement a more stringently targeted response, with a focus on assisting populations in most severe need. The response is tailored to ensure realistic planning and strict response boundaries. The funding requirements reflect a 37 per cent reduction from $2.6 billion that was required to meet the needs of 7.6 million people in 2023.
“I am very appreciative of the Government and humanitarian partners work to support people in need in Somalia,” said Mr. Conway. “Humanitarian partners reached up to 8.4 million people cumulatively in 2023 and are committed to building on these achievements.”
For further information, please contact:
Mohamud Moalim| Commissioner | SODMA
Crispen Ruhasha | Head of Office | UN OCHA Somalia| rukasha@un.org| Tel. +252 618 960 054
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Press Release
30 January 2024
UN condemns deadly mortar attack on Aden Adde International Airport area
Mogadishu – The United Nations in Somalia strongly condemns a mortar attack which killed a member of the UN Guard Unit on Thursday.
“The UN Guard Unit plays an integral role in ensuring the safety and security of UN staff working in support of Somali peace- and state-building. We condemn this act of violence, and our thoughts are with the family and colleagues of the victim during this difficult time,” said the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, Catriona Laing.
A number of mortar rounds landed inside the Aden Adde International Airport area, in which the UN Compound is located, on Thursday night. In addition to the death of a UN Guard Unit member, the mortar rounds damaged infrastructure. Al-Shabaab has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack.
The UN in Somalia calls for those responsible to be brought to justice, and remains committed to supporting the people and government of Somalia in their efforts to build peace and stability in the country.
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Press Release
22 September 2023
Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. Hamza Abdi Barre, Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia
The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Hamza Abdi Barre, Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia, on 21 September 2023.
The Secretary-General welcomed efforts by Somalia’s leaders to advance key state-building priorities. The Prime Minister highlighted the progress achieved on the security, political and economic fronts. The Secretary-General and the Prime Minister also discussed the progress achieved on security, the fight against Al-Shabaab and United Nations support.
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