Background and objectives:
Somalia is emerging from a long period of conflicts and instability. Growing regional differences have marked the last decade. The self-declared Republic of Somaliland has built its own institutions and legal framework, including democratic elections for local councils and is de facto functioning independently. The self-declared Federal State of Puntland is following a similar democratisation process: In May 2005, local councils were selected for the first time through broad consultation and community participation. Around the same time, UN-HABITAT embarked on a countrywide urban development programme (SUDP), focusing on urban governance and urban management at the municipal level.
The results have been encouraging and demonstrate that a difference can be made for local authorities, communities and civil society, even in the absence of an operational national government. The DFID-funded component aims to broaden the scope and areas of intervention of the SUDP, and supports priority actions identified during the inception phase for which initially only limited funding was available.
The overall objective of the intervention is to contribute to the social and economic recovery of Somalia, in all its regions, by providing urban governance and management instruments conducive to equitable growth, enhanced financial sustainability, improved access to land and services, democratisation and participatory decision making, enhanced public accountability and transparency.
Activities:
The main activities included:
- Thematic support to increase the scope of urban planning and municipal finance activities
- Support to the resettlement and secure tenure of IDPs in Bossaso
- Upgrading of urban services (including water supply, street lighting, road access) in IDP settlement areas; self-help shelter construction for and by IDP-communities in Bossaso
- Participation in the Somalia Joint Needs Assessment
- Joint Programming of activities for IDPs
- Public infrastructure projects in Gardo and Odweyne
Results:
The results achieved were:
- Improved urban governance and management capacities of local authorities
- Increased access to basic urban services by IDPs
- Completion of urban and land & tenure sections of Joint Needs Assessment
- Joint Programming Proposals developed.
- Urban planning and municipal finance systems improved.
- Gardo Municipal Offices rehabilitated and upgraded; Market facility in Odweyne completed
