About UNDP in Somalia

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in nearly 170 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations.

UNDP in Somalia promotes Somali-led development solutions which address root causes of recurrent humanitarian crises and which set the stage for sustainable development. We support the Government of Somalia, local authorities, and civil society with development programmes that address the following focus areas: disaster reduction and resilience, peacebuilding and conflict resolution, people-centred governance and rule of law, economic recovery and environmental protection, and protecting and empowering women.

Achievements

Since 1991, the United Nations Development Programme has been helping the people of Somalia to recover from years of conflict while setting the country on the path to development.

Access to some parts of the country remains extremely difficult due to the fragile security situation. To address this challenge, UNDP works with the Government, non-governmental organizations and civil society groups to reach communities in all regions of the country, and deliver development projects that benefit all Somalis.

Somalia has made huge strides in peacebuilding and development in recent years.  In 2016 it held an electoral process that saw a peaceful transition of power,  and following advocacy by Somali civil society groups with the support of the UN,  twenty-five percent of people elected to parliament were women. A joint Government led, UN supported reconciliation, peacebuilding and federalism process led to four new federal member states, Galmadug, Hirshabelle, Jubaland and South West State, emerging during 2015-2017. During 2016 the country also developed the 2017-2019 National Development Plan (NDP), with the support of UNDP, which prioritised Somali led development goals and objectives.

In 2018, Somalia, in alignment to key milestones in its National Development Plan (NDP) and an Inclusive Politics Roadmap, has moved forward its preparations for an envisaged 2020 universal suffrage elections, and is undertaking a review of its 2012 provisional constitution.  Key activities supported by UNDP and UN partners include the development of an electoral model, preparing an electoral law, progressing federalism and reconciliation discussions, and completing the review of the first fifteen chapters of Somalia's provisional constitution.

The Government of Somalia has also progressed the protection of human rights, with support from a new UN Joint Programme on Human Rights. It ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in October 2018, and the Government has approved bills to establish a Human Rights Commission and a Disability Rights Agency. Somalia was also elected to the UN Human Rights Council in 2018, giving it an opportunity to engage with human rights issues on the global stage.

Somalia has established a new National Economic Council, supported by UNDP, which held its first high-level National Economic Policy Forum in November 2018. The Council supports the development of a national investment strategy, improved financial governance, tackling corruption and enhancing regional economic cooperation. In December 2018, UNDP and the Federal Ministry of Justice also signed a landmark agreement to develop a comprehensive approach to tackling corruption and improving systems for national integrity.

UNDP, together with the World Bank and European Union, in the aftermath of the 2016-2017 drought, supported the Government to prepare a Drought Impact Needs Assessment, launched jointly with the 2018 Humanitarian Response Plan, at an event attended in Mogadishu by the UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner; the UN Under Secretary General and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mark Lowcock; and World Bank Senior Vice-President Mahmoud Mohieldin.

In partnership with the World Bank, the European Union, and UN partners, the Country Office supported the Government of Somalia to develop a Resilience and Recovery Framework (RRF), which was launched at the Brussels Somalia Partnership Forum in July 2018. The RRF aims to prioritise investments to break the cycle of recurrent humanitarian emergencies, by addressing root causes of recurrent famine risk, as part of a joint humanitarian - development way of working.

In May 2018, an International Conference on Charcoal, supported by UNDP, UN Environment and FAO, with funding from the EU, Italy and Sweden, was held in Mogadishu.  The conference saw the development of a roadmap for curbing charcoal trade and use, which proved successful in stepping up the efforts to curb the illegal trade of charcoal and promote alternative sources of energy and livelihoods. Alongside work on charcoal reduction, UNDP is also supporting the Government of Somalia and Somali communities to develop water infrastructure projects and improve environmental governance and resource management, with the support of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and other donor partners.

The Country Office has supported all branches of Government to promote progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, including supporting the National Federal Parliament to advance the 2030 Agenda, as part of the Arab States region, ‘Parliaments for Agenda 2030’ programme in partnership with the Islamic Development Bank.  The Country Office also developed an innovative SDG 16 monitoring initiative focusing on assessing impact for citizens of Rule of Law initiatives. Under these initiatives UNDP supports the Government to increase access to justice, security and rule of law across the country with the support of donor partners such as Japan, the European Union, Germany and the Netherlands.