|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| >> AFR Regional Overview >> Somalia Overview | |||||||||
IntroductionThis year, USAID is requesting funds for and notifying the Somalia program separately from the larger Greater Horn of Africa Initiative (GHAI). In past years, Development Assistance (DA) activities funded in Somalia were grouped together with other activities in the remaining eight countries that comprise the Greater Horn. The results sought and reported were thus not Somalia- specific. With this change, it will become easier to understand and track what USAID implements and proposes to fund with DA in Somalia. In this transition year, however, Somalia-specific performance measures and targets are still being finalized for the Somalia-specific objectives. In 2001, the Integrated Strategic Plan for Somalia set the goal: "A More Secure, Less Vulnerable Somalia in Transition Towards Sustainable Development." This strategy supports the "building blocks/peace dividend" approach to Somalia, which rewards the accomplishments of regional administrations-relative stability, militia disarmament or control, expanded civil society, participatory governance structures, and security. At the same time, the critical needs of the most vulnerable Somalis-those affected by drought and conflict-must be met. Development Assistance, Child Survival and Disease (CSD), International Disaster Assistance (IDA), food aid, refugee assistance, and mine action funds all aim to promote a more secure, less vulnerable Somalia in transition towards sustainable development. Somalia in the year 2000 is a very different place from the Somalia seen by Americans in 1993. The chaos that followed the massive United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM) intervention has been replaced by security and stability in the north of the country and glimmers of hope for peace in the central and southern areas. Two regions in the northwest and northeast, known as the Republic of Somaliland and Puntland, have successfully established civil administrations that have maintained security and stability in the regions. Furthermore, in the central regions of Bay and Bakool, the Rahanweyn Resistance Army (RRA) has created functioning civil administrations. In the south and the area around Mogadishu conflict continues, including battles between various warlords and militias, looting, hijacking, hostage-taking and other violent crimes. These uncertain conditions adversely affect vulnerable households, as security and access for members of the international community is limited. During the year 2000, a new peace initiative sponsored by the President of Djibouti increased hope that peace and stability might be a possibility in Somalia. The Djibouti-sponsored peace initiative led to a peace conference held in Arta, Djibouti. The Arta conference began as a civil society initiative and later incorporated clan leaders, politicians of the former Siad Barre regime, and some warlords who participated as individuals rather than faction leaders. Intensive negotiations culminated in the adoption of a transitional charter for a national government, the creation of a clan-balanced transitional national assembly and the election of a transitional president, all mandated to carry out a 3-year transition towards establishment of a federal government for all of Somalia. Unfortunately, the Transitional National Government has not yet been able to credibly establish itself in Somalia. The Development ChallengeWhether progress towards peace and restoration is rapid or slow, Somalia faces a difficult road to recovery. The destruction and looting of nearly all infrastructure during the civil war and subsequent conflicts has put Somalia near or at the bottom of United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) Human Development Index in terms of life expectancy, per capita income and child mortality. Somalia also faces persistent food insecurity because of its fragile environment, droughts and flooding. Food insecurity is also exacerbated by the low purchasing power of most Somalis, who lack employment opportunities. Civil strife has also resulted in substantial population displacement. In some areas, mines or fear of mines continue to inhibit investment and productivity. More importantly, most militias in the South have not been demobilized - thereby feeding a crime problem that cannot be handled by the weak law enforcement and judicial administration or by traditional clan-based methods. Security and access continue to be the most challenging obstacles to the implementation of humanitarian and development programs in southern Somalia. In addition, the near-total closure of education systems during the civil conflict has created a "lost generation" of Somalis who lack even a basic education. Nevertheless, in the midst of this morass, there are some bright spots. Indigenous non-government organizations (NGOs) are flourishing in some areas, and building the institutional capacities of these nascent organizations offers some promise for a viable and peaceful Somalia in the years to come. Other DonorsUSAID is the second largest donor after the European Union (EU). The EU provides assistance in several sectors, including rural development, livestock production and marketing, irrigation infrastructure, food aid through the World Food Program (WFP) and international NGOs, physical infrastructure, education, small-and-medium enterprises and employment creation. Other major donors include the UN, Italy, the Netherlands, Denmark, France, Britain, Canada, Belgium, and members of the Arab League. The 150 donors and international NGOs in Somalia work within the unique and effective Somalia Aid Coordination Body (SACB). An Executive Committee coordinates among agencies on sensitive issues like access and security. SACB sector committees-governance, food security and rural infrastructure, health and nutrition, water and sanitation, and education-coordinate sector policy, planning, technical interventions, monitoring, and information gathering. FY 2002 ProgramIn FY 2001 and FY 2002, USAID anticipates providing similar levels of emergency food aid and international disaster assistance to the most vulnerable populations in the conflict-prone southern areas of Somalia. Activities will include targeted food distributions, vaccinations to prevent or impede epidemics, rehabilitation of health clinics and delivery of medicines, rehabilitation of wells and boreholes, distribution of seeds and tools, and community-based food aid projects to rehabilitate irrigation canals and roads. Emergency programs are approved on a year-by-year basis as emergencies occur, thus future funding levels are not projected. Development Assistance and CSD funds will be targeted to a limited number of activities in the stable areas of northwest and northeast Somalia, i.e., Somaliland and Puntland, to achieve the conflict mitigation and economic growth objectives. Ongoing programs to rehabilitate water and health facilities will continue, as will programs to build the capacity of civil society organizations and strengthen the judiciary at the regional level. USAID-funded conflict mitigation and reconciliation activities will also continue through an NGO. USAID will also launch a new activity to promote small-scale activities that increase economic opportunities and thereby promote growth. The Special Objective in the Somalia Integrated Strategic Plan, "Foundation established for emerging Somalia administration to consolidate transition," is not currently funded and will not be funded unless a USG policy decision is made to provide direct support to the Transitional National Government. Activity Data Sheets
|
 |
|||
|
