PRESS RELEASE
Somalilandsun – Ahead of the 2nd international Somalia Conference taking place in London on 7 May, The Humanitarian Forum and Somalia Relief and Development Forum (SRDF), in partnership with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) will be holding a roundtable meeting on 25 April in Mogadishu.
The meeting will bring together senior representatives of Somali non-governmental organisations (NGOs), UN agencies and International NGOs to discuss the priorities of Somali civil society, and collectively develop recommendations to Somali and international governments.
The meeting will:
• Provide a platform for discussing the vital humanitarian perspective in parallel to the political discussions that will happen in London
• Provide feedback and share results of consultations that took place across Somalia in April 2013 to highlight development priorities of civil society organisations
“I believe in a Somali solution for Somali issues. Through these meetings, we want to ensure the Somali voice is heard by decision makers in Somalia and the international community,” says Dr Hany El Banna, Founder and President of The Humanitarian Forum.
“Local networks and Somali NGOs have gathered on many occasions to formulate priorities and key messages for policy makers. Bringing together Somali and international NGOs is fruitful and rewarding as sharing experiences and insights enhances the quality of the assistance provided by individual organisations,” says Rahma Ahmed, Executive Manager at SRDF.
To better understand the local issues facing Somali society, SRDF and The Humanitarian Forum carried out consultations with local civil society organisations in Puntland, Somaliland, and South Central. The consultations emphasised the need for balanced aid to address short term and long term developmental needs, and enhanced coordination between donors, international NGOs, local organisations and governments.
Moreover, the majority of organisations highlighted unemployment, lack of security, poor health and education as the main factors that affect households in their area. Other findings included the need for good governance, peace and access to justice to achieve progress, development and prosperity in the country. The majority of organisations also agreed that those in dire need of aid were not being assisted due to a lack of security in their area. The consultations’ findings and recommendations will be discussed and addressed during the meeting.
Supported by Islamic Relief Deutschland, this meeting is part of an ongoing effort to encourage greater collaboration between NGOs from around the world to address fundamental challenges affecting Somali people, and effect positive change for the future of Somalia.
ENDS
More information
For more information please contact Rahma Ahmed, Executive Manager at SRDF: rahma.ahmed@srdf.org.uk
About The Humanitarian Forum
The Humanitarian Forum is a global network of key humanitarian and development organizations from Muslim donor and recipient countries, the West and the multilateral system. We improve the effectiveness and efficiency of aid by addressing identified gaps between humanitarian communities through training, dialogue and cooperation, working internationally and in partner countries like Indonesia, Libya and Yemen.
About SRDF
The Somali Relief and Development Forum is an umbrella organisation supporting Somali-led charities registered in the UK. We work through our membership organisations to provide a platform for relief and development projects and advocacy missions. Whilst our main focus is on the operational side – delivering humanitarian aid and development projects – we are also a forum for debate and discussion that puts the Somali voice at the forefront for a sustainable and more prosperous future for all Somalis
