Somali Observatory for Humanitarian Affairs The Voice of Reality.. The Eye of Humanitarian Truth in Somalia
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LAS ANOD — The Federal Government of Somalia has launched a new national project to strengthen urban resilience to climate change with funding of US$12 million, under a program running through 2030 to improve cities’ preparedness for growing environmental risks. Supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the initiative aims to implement a package of interventions designed to promote sustainable natural resource management and enhance urban resilience to climate impacts. However, the project documents show that the Northeastern Administration was not included among the beneficiary areas, despite the project’s broad geographic coverage across the country.
The initiative includes integrated programs focused on improving water management systems, reducing flood risks, restoring ecosystems, strengthening sustainable urban planning, and supporting green initiatives in cities. It also seeks to build the capacity of local institutions to prepare climate adaptation plans and improve disaster risk management, helping reduce losses caused by increasingly frequent climate-related events, including droughts and floods that have affected Somalia in recent years.
According to the implementation plan, the project will cover Banadir, Puntland, Galmudug, Hirshabelle, South West State, Jubaland, and Somaliland, targeting 17 cities, including Mogadishu, Garowe, Bosaso, Galkayo, Hargeisa, Burao, Berbera, Borama, Dhusamareb, Hobyo, Beledweyne, Jowhar, Baidoa, Hudur, Kismayo, Garbaharey, and South Galkayo. More than 850,000 people are expected to benefit directly through activities aimed at strengthening urban resilience, improving natural resource management, and reducing the impacts of climate-related hazards.
The Federal Government said the project forms part of a broader national strategy to promote sustainable development, strengthen climate adaptation, and expand partnerships with international environmental partners. At the same time, the exclusion of the Northeastern Administration has renewed debate over the distribution of internationally funded development projects, particularly amid continuing political and administrative challenges affecting the implementation of national programs in some parts of the country.
The development follows the exclusion of the Northeastern Administration from another community development program worth more than US$30 million, financed by the World Bank in partnership with the Federal Government. The repeated exclusion has raised questions about the criteria used to determine beneficiary areas and whether project allocation is based primarily on levels of need and climate vulnerability or on other considerations. Observers say equitable access to development and climate initiatives remains essential for promoting balanced development and long-term stability across Somalia.
Somalia is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change, facing recurring droughts, floods, and environmental degradation that continue to affect livelihoods and infrastructure. As a result, climate resilience programs supported by international partners have become a key component of national development efforts. Experts emphasize that the long-term success of such initiatives depends on transparent, needs-based project allocation that reaches the most vulnerable communities and strengthens the country’s overall capacity to adapt to future climate challenges.
