Editorial

This edition of the Stability Fund newsletter highlights the diversity of the work we do in Somalia and the different approaches we take to identifying and implementing projects.

The ‘Lighting up Galkayo’ initiative is an example of our area-based work, where we aim to contribute to governance and peacebuilding in a particular part of Somalia – a city or a region for example.  In Galkayo, the Stability Fund is aiming to support projects that bring north and south together to ‘Think Galkayo, Act Galkayo’. The first of these was solar street lighting – a line of light connecting south to north.

The SOMGIT drip irrigation project is an example of our sector-based work.  This time last year, we published a call to Somali businesses to develop ideas for contributing to stability.  SOMGIT, one of two successful applicants, is now helping farmers in Middle Shabelle improve their livelihoods and is introducing new farming technologies to increase productive capacity.

Our support to the process of forming the Interim South-West Administration is an example of the Fund’s ‘Government Window’ work.  The Government Window – currently funded by the UK and Sweden – enables the Federal Government to identify specific stability, conflict reduction or local governance objectives it wants to achieve and, with Stability Fund help, realise those objectives. In this case, the Federal Government requested Stability Fund assistance to support the negotiations process in Baidoa, which led to the formation of Somalia’s newest interim administration.

It is through these three approaches – area-based, sector-based and Government Window – that the Stability Fund makes difficult decisions about how to contribute to reducing conflict and strengthening governance in Somalia.