AGRICULTURE | FAO steps up efforts to mitigate and avoid disastrous consequences in Somalia after worst desert locust outbreak in 25 years

Locusts are a severe threat to Somalia’s fragile food security, with the recent weather in East Africa having created conditions that favour their rapid reproduction. A FAO operation is in progress in Puntland as locust swarms continue to move southwards in central and southern areas of the country, threatening the upcoming ‘Gu’ cropping season, for which FAO is currently elaborating a strategy based on scenarios and assessments results. FAO has reminded international partners on the need to invest in infrastructure, technical capacities and institutions, while brokering concerted efforts in the Horn of Africa to avoid a regional plague.

www.fao.org/emergencies/countries/detail/en/c/151690

URBANIZATION | UN Habitat launches Berbera Urban Development project to boost key port’s economy and governance

With a focus on inclusive local governance, urban waste management and livelihood and entrepreneurship, a EU-supported project implemented jointly by UN Habitat and the Berbera municipality was launched this month and will run until 2023. Being a port city, this project will play a part in positioning Berbera as a strategic and vibrant economic zone not only in Somaliland but in the larger Horn of Africa region.

https://bit.ly/2tT84vF

URBANIZATION | UN Integrated Office backs launch of Durable Solution Strategy for Mogadishu region

In Mogadishu, one of the fastest growing cities in the world, the UN Integrated in Somalia supported the launch by the Benadir Administration of its Durable Solutions Strategy, a tool to address the next steps in solving the challenge of urban displacement in the region. The launch was convened by the Mayor of Mogadishu and Governor of Benadir and attended by a number of high-level national and international partners.

https://dsu.so/

MIGRATION | IOM organized Regional Ministerial Forum on Harmonizing Labour Migration Policies in East and Horn of Africa

IOM organized the Regional Ministerial Forum on Harmonizing Labour Migration Policies in East and Horn of Africa, bringing together ministers from countries in the region to discuss the harmonization of labour migration policies for safe, orderly and regular migration and the protection for migrant workers. During the closing ceremony of the event, held in Nairobi, Somalia’s Minister for Labour and Social Affairs, Sadik Warfa, signed the Joint Communique.

https://www.iom.int/countries/somalia

HUMANITARIAN | OCHA launched $1.03 billion Humanitarian Response Plan to help Somalis in 2020

OCHA organised the launch of the 2020 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for Somalia. The HRP seeks $1.03 billion to provide food, water, healthcare, protection and livelihood support to three million people out of 5.2 million that need humanitarian assistance in Somalia this year. The number of people to be assisted is 12 per cent less (400,000 people) than the 3.4 million people targeted in 2019, and the total funding required has also decreased by 11 per cent from $1.08 billion in 2019.

https://www.unocha.org/somalia

STABILIZATION | With assistance from MOIFAR and UNDP, South West State’s Dinsoor formed its first district council for decades, with the highest female representation in Somalia

Through their ‘Support 2 Stabilization’ project, Somalia’s Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation (MOIFAR) and UNDP have been providing long-term help to South West State’s Dinsoor district to establish district councils, including assistance with reconciliation activities and power sharing arrangements. This month’s formation of a district council is its first in decades and shows that political solutions are possible in highly challenging areas. Made up of 11 men and 10 women, it has the highest level of female representation (47%) of any district council in Somalia.

https://www.so.undp.org/

MATERNAL HEALTH | UNFPA supported 92 students to complete a two-year midwifery course

This month, 92 students completed a two-year course in midwifery at schools in Galgadud, Kismayo and Mogadishu which are supported by UNFPA and managed by the Federal Ministry of Health of Somalia. Students came from their villages for the course, and are required to go back to provide services in health facilities within their communities upon graduation. Somalia has one of the highest maternal mortality rates at 732 per 100,000 births.

https://somalia.unfpa.org/

DISPLACEMENT | UNHCR and partners relocate 100 families to permanent shelters near Galkayo

As part of its efforts to offer durable solutions to displaced families, UNHCR relocated 100 families from their makeshift homes to permanent shelters in Wadajir village, in Galkayo. The relocation to was done in collaboration with the Puntland government and implementing partner Danish Refugee Council. The village of Wadajir is a UNHCR-funded integrated shelter project, providing homes to more than 200 families.

https://www.unhcr.org/somalia.html

CHILDREN | Danish ambassador’s visit to UNICEF-supported centre culminates in $17 million contribution to uphold the protection rights of Somali children

The Danish Ambassador to Somalia, Mette Knudsen, visited a UNICEF-supported vocational training centre in south-western Somalia where young people, some of whom were forcibly recruited by Al-Shabaab, are taught job training skills. The ambassador underscored the Danish government’s strong commitment to uphold the protection rights of Somali children and announced an additional contribution of $7.4 million to UNICEF – bringing its total contribution to $17 million. A large portion will go towards supporting former child soldiers rehabilitate and reintegrate back into their communities. In addition, UNICEF, government counterparts and partners will provide a broader range of protection services to children and women whose rights have been violated, including supporting gender-based violence survivors and preventing exploitation of children on the move.

https://www.unicef.org/somalia/media_22389.html

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | UNIDO-led project receives $2 million from Italy for Productive Sectors Development Programme

Through the Multi-Partner Trust Fund, Italy has provided $2 million to kick-start the Productive Sectors Development Programme for Somalia. Led by UNIDO, the programme will be implemented by the Somali government and the UN's Food And Agriculture Organization and International Labour Organization. It will contribute to the country’s economic growth by strengthening its productive sectors at th macro-, meso- and micro-levels of the economy to promote investment in infrastructure and in the private sector, stimulate sustainable production, foster inclusive economic growth and job opportunities, particularly among youth and women.

https://twitter.com/unidosomalia

EXPLOSIVE HAZARDS | UNMAS provided training and equipment to Somali Police Forces to manage and mitigate the threat of explosive hazards

As part of its efforts to build the capacity of Somali Police Forces to tackle the challenge of explosive hazards in Somalia, including improvised explosive devices (IEDs), UNMAS provided technical training in Explosive Ordnance Disposal for three teams from Mogadishu and Puntland.

https://unmas.org/en/programmes/somalia

POLICING | UNOPS supports the training of 385 new community police officers to bolster peace and security in South West State

Some 385 new community police officers have been deployed throughout the Lower Shabelle region in South West State to help bolster peace and security efforts. Their deployment is part of the New Policing Model in Somalia, and is supported by the Joint Police Programme — a multi-stakeholder partnership led by the Federal Government of Somalia and funded by the European Union, UK, and Germany, and supported by UNOPS, UNDP, UN Police and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

https://bit.ly/2RfWymH