Somali NGOs voice their country’s needs

 This Autumn will see the drafting by the European Union (EU) of a Communication on the Horn of Africa, including Somalia. The EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Catherine Ashton, is also due in the region in September. Ahead of both, Somali Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) working in different parts of the country with EU partners assess their country’s humanitarian and development needs.

 
 New insecurity has been created by Islamic-based insurgency groups including al-Shabab which has declared allegiance to al-Qaeda, the Islamic group allegedly linked to international terrorist activities. NGOs point out differences between the autonomous areas of Puntland (North East Somalia) and Somaliland (North West) where they report relative peace, particularly so in Somaliland. The country’s Transitional Federal Government (TFG) is installed in Mogadishu in South and Central Somalia where conflict continues between government troops and extremist militants. Additional peacekeeping forces were pledged for the country by the African Union (AU) at its July Summit.

“In a country like Somalia, most of which is too dangerous for officials to visit, the EU must listen to the Somali NGOs who are the local experts and can help policy-makers shape better policies”, says Noah Gottschalk, Oxfam’s EU Humanitarian Officer. The NGO points out that piracy may be a symptom of instability in Somalia but 3.2M Somalis, or nearly half the population, are in need of urgent humanitarian aid.

Peace in Somaliland
 
“In the so-called North-Western zone, in development circles known as Somaliland, where peace and stability have prevailed for over a decade, international support should be scaled up in order to nurture the existing peace and encourage the exemplary democratic structures in that area – bearing in mind that there has been a free and fair election and smooth transition of power”, says a representative of an NGO based in Hargeisa, Somaliland, who cannot be named for security reasons.

He adds: “The peace dividend should be encouraged but at the same time; those who need humanitarian support in conflict areas should not be neglected, otherwise an exodus to more stable areas will occur which will ultimately endanger the peace and security of those areas. Capacity building should focus more on advocacy, peace-building, conflict resolution”.

A representative of one NGO working in South and Central Somalia where insurgency is rife who also wishes to remain anonymous, wants to see more funds for youth programmes, “We are hiring youths between 18-30 to work on the rehabilitation of canals and road clearance. They are paid about US$54 per month which is really good money”, he says. He remarks that the current situation in the region is almost worse than in the time of the warlords.

 A strong civil society

“It is critical and important to build the capacity of Somali civil society as they are the only non-profit organisations that bring checks and balances to the country, particularly in the context of Somalia, where the public sector is weak and it is mandatory to have a strong and capable civil society that lays down the foundation of a strong nation in the country and good democratic and governance practices”, says Jama Mohamed, Director of the Nairobi-based Somali Organisations for Community Development Activities (SOCDA).
 
“This can only be achieved through the installation of good leadership, the building of committed and capable security forces and restoring the justice system in the country”, he adds. “During the stabilisation period the proliferation of political groups, as well as regional and international interferences, have to be firmly contained. Traditional reconciliation processes fully-owned by the Somalis have to be initiated. This process has to address the security and safety of Somali people, political participation process and the future governance in the country.”

The same NGO Director says: “It is important for Somalis to own the process and all stakeholders to participate in order to have indigenous and culturally-respected constitutions that become part of Somali traditional codes”.

The aforementioned Hargeisa-based NGO is also concerned about the environmental effects of charcoal exports from southern Somalia to the Middle East, calling on importing countries to urgently implement a ban. “Interventions in alternative energies and supporting technically and financially institutions involved in alternative energies are a matter of paramount importance. With the ongoing destruction of the environment, the livelihoods of local communities are endangered”, says the NGO representative.

Noah Gottschalk sums up: “The EU should invest more in building the capacity of local NGO workers who risk their lives on the frontline to give Somalis a better life. They’re the heroes, the ones not only providing for basic needs like food and water, but also offering alternatives to so many people who would otherwise resort to criminal activities like hijacking ships for a living”.

EU: Somalia’s biggest donor
The EU is the biggest donor to Somalia with a current ongoing financial contribution of €180M for governance and security, education, economic development and food security. Since 2007, it has further provided €99.5M to the African Union’s peacekeeping mission to Somalia (AMISOM). It is at the forefront of EUNAVFOR Atalanta, an EU naval mission to deter and repress acts of piracy off Somalia’s coast and has mounted the European Union’s Training Mission for Somalia (EUTM) which is working with Uganda, the United States and the AU to create the embryo of a future Somali army. On 27 July, the EU allocated a €35M humanitarian package for the country to provide food aid, medical aid, water and sanitation and on 2 August pledged a €15M relief package for Somali populations at the Dabaab refugee camps in Kenya’s north east province, the location of the largest group of refugee camps in the world.

See:
www.eunavfor.com
www.ec.europa.eu/development/

Debra Percival