 | UN Under-Secretary General Anna Tibaijuka with Mr. Mohamed Ali Nur |
The Executive Director, Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka, has assured the Government and people of Somalia of the organization’s continued support in its quest for stability and sustainable urbanization. Mrs. Tibaijuka gave the assurance today while receiving the credentials of the country’s new Permanent Representative to UN-HABITAT, Mr. Mohamed Ali Nur. The Executive Director recalled that the organization has been active in the Somali urban sector for more than 25 years and added that its activities in Somalia have been quite extensive. She noted that the UN-HABITAT’s activities expanded rapidly during the past ten years under her leadership. Mrs. Tibaijuka also informed the envoy that UN-HABITAT is currently active in Somalia in reconstruction; governance and service delivery; and in shelter delivery for internally displaced persons (IDPs). With particular reference to IDPs, the Executive Director said that the organization is involved in the improvement of living conditions of IDPs in Jowhar and Baidoa in South-Central; improved shelter and basic services for IDPs also in Jowhar and Baidoa; and in protection, reintegration and resettlement of IDPs in Bossaso (Puntland). Other areas are peace building, integration of IDPs and returnees, shelter construction and employment generation in Hargeisa and Garowe in Somaliland and Puntland. Mrs. Tibaijuka stated that the organization was also involved in community-based district rehabilitation in all districts of Mogadishu (South-Central) and in municipal finance activities in Putland. She noted that there are about 35 Somalis working in UN-HABITAT and expressed the hope that the country continues to stabilize, so that the people of Somalia can enjoy peace and happiness. The Executive Director wished the Mr. Nur successful tenure and presented him with some flagship publications of UN-Habitat, including her personal book: “Building Prosperity.” She said that she wrote the book as a capacity building tool when she discovered that many educational institutions neglect the teaching of housing finance. Responding, Mr. Nur expressed appreciation to the Executive Director for the briefing and also for the good work that UN-HABITAT was doing in his country. He assured the Executive Director that he would help foster the organization’s work in Somalia. |
