Somali Observatory for Humanitarian Affairs The Voice of Reality.. The Eye of Humanitarian Truth in Somalia
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GAROWE – Yesterday, Thursday, Puntland Deputy Leader Elias Osman Lugatoor held talks with a high-level United Nations delegation led by the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Somalia, George Conway, on ways to strengthen the humanitarian response and accelerate the delivery of assistance to the most vulnerable groups, amid challenges resulting from delayed rainfall and recurrent drought impacts affecting several areas of the state.
During the meeting, held at the office of the Puntland Deputy Leader in Garowe, the two sides reviewed developments in the humanitarian situation and the increasing pressures that climatic conditions are placing on local communities, particularly households that rely mainly on pastoralism, agriculture and natural resources. They discussed the importance of strengthening coordination between the Puntland authorities, United Nations agencies and humanitarian organizations to ensure that needs are accurately identified and that interventions are directed toward the most affected areas and groups.
Lugatoor stressed the importance of combining an urgent humanitarian response with long-term programs aimed at strengthening community resilience, emphasizing the need to prioritize water, food security, health, nutrition and livelihood protection sectors. He explained that addressing the impacts of drought is not limited to providing emergency assistance, but requires supporting water sources and basic services and protecting the economic activities of the population, helping affected households cope with recurring climate shocks and reducing their reliance on emergency assistance.
For his part, George Conway underscored the importance of continued direct coordination between the United Nations and the Puntland authorities, contributing to monitoring humanitarian developments and updating intervention priorities according to needs on the ground. He noted that an effective response to the impacts of drought requires a flexible approach that combines urgent assistance with programs supporting livelihoods and strengthening communities’ capacity to withstand shocks, in addition to improving information-sharing and coordinating efforts among the various stakeholders.
The two sides stressed the importance of unifying efforts among local institutions, UN entities and humanitarian organizations, and strengthening planning, information-sharing and monitoring mechanisms in order to improve the efficiency of available resources and ensure that assistance reaches those in need in a timely manner. The meeting was attended by a number of members of the Puntland Council of Ministers and the Director General of the Office of the Puntland Government Presidency, where humanitarian priorities and ways to develop the existing partnership were discussed to support the current response and pave the way for more sustainable interventions in the coming period.
It is worth noting that Somalia faces recurrent humanitarian crises linked to fluctuations in rainfall seasons and prolonged periods of drought, affecting water availability, food security, livestock and livelihoods, particularly in pastoral and agricultural areas. Puntland faces similar challenges, making increased investment in water, health and nutrition services, food security and livelihood protection key priorities for the humanitarian response. In this context, the partnership between local authorities, the United Nations and humanitarian organizations is becoming increasingly important in moving from crisis response toward supporting recovery and building resilience, helping affected communities cope with recurring climate shocks and strengthening their capacity for self-reliance.
