Prime Minister Shirdon launches the Somalia development and reconstruction facility

29 Oct 2013

Prime Minister Shirdon launches the Somalia development and reconstruction facility

Mogadishu – Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon today launched the Somalia Development and Reconstruction Facility (SDRF), a new financing mechanism outlined in the Somali Compact that is intended to streamline development assistance support the development of strong, country-owned systems.

"The SDRF will enhance coordination and alignment of external assistance in a transparent manner and will be increasingly used in country systems over time," Prime Minister Shirdon said at the launch in Mogadishu. "We now have an unprecedented opportunity to re-build our nation and I must underscore that this is not a single event, but an evolving process that requires all of our commitment as a nation and the support and good will of the international partners."

The SDRF will be made up of a High Level Partnership Forum, which will serve as the main platform for dialogue and policy discussions on Compact implementation, and a Steering Committee, which will provide strategic oversight and guidance for the SDRF and the implementation of the New Deal Compact. Both bodies will have representation from the Somali government, Somalia’s regions, the United Nations, the European Union, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the World Bank, the African Development Bank and bilateral donors.

In addition, the Federal Government of Somalia and development partner groups will set up technical forums to support sectoral policy formulation, planning and programmatic coordination.

"The launch of the Somalia Development and Reconstruction Facility shows the momentum generated from the Brussels Conference is still going forward," said Philippe Lazzarini, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia. "Today's launch of the coordination mechanism is a promising start to a challenging way ahead. Next must come delivery."

The Federal Government of Somalia will further strengthen its aid coordination capacities through the establishment of an Aid Coordination Unit, which will provide strategic advice and technical support to the overall government institutions to promote the effective utilization of aid resources in order to attain the results planned as per the priorities of the Somali Compact.

"We welcome the launch of the Somalia Development and Reconstruction Facility, a crucial step in efforts to meet the objectives of the Somali Compact," UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia, Nicholas Kay, said following the launch. "The United Nations will continue to work hand-in-hand with the Federal Government of Somalia to promote Somali-owned systems that make the best use of development assistance."