Somalia directs aid agencies to coordinate with mandated gov’t bodies

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: Somali government has directed local and international agencies dealing with humanitarian and refugee issues to coordinate with the relevant government agencies in the implementation of their programmes.

The Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Interior in letters seen by Goobjoog News urged the respective agencies to consult with the government agencies before rolling out their programmes.

“it is essential that all international and local partners in the field of humanitarian and emergency responses liaise and coordinate with SoDMA,” Prime Minister Hamze Barre said in a letter dated May 23 addressed to local and international partners in the humanitarian sector.

He noted that SoDMA was reinstated in 2022 to deal with all humanitarian issues, disasters and emergency responses in Somalia in line with the Somali Disaster Management Agency Law (no. 17) which was passed by parliament in 2016.

The PM said the coordination was necessary to ‘avoid duplication of aid efforts across the country and to improve coordination and liaison.’

In a separate letter dated March 6, Interior Minister Moalim Fiqi also urged local and international agencies dealing with refugee and IDP issues to work closely with the National Commission for Refugees and IDP noting the agency was the focal point on the matter in Somalia.

“We would also like to remind all agencies that the commission has the authority to coordinate and manage all matters related to refugees and IDPs, including the development and implementation of policies and programs,” Fiqi said. “Any agency wishing to undertake activities related to refugees and IDPs should coordinate with the commission.”