Photo credit: Tobin Jones/UN

Somalia and Somaliland

Our work in Somalia and Somaliland

After decades of civil war and state collapse, there are now reasons for optimism about Somalia’s political future following the formation of a permanent federal government in 2012 and the indirect election of a new president in February 2017. To the north, Somaliland has enjoyed greater stability since declaring independence in 1991, and in November 2017 it held a successful presidential election that was judged fair and representative by domestic and international observers. However, Somaliland still faces challenges including election delays and border disputes, and the entire Somali region faces frequent droughts and resource shortages that have led to hunger, poverty and displacement.

Our work

Saferworld has been working to promote peace, democratisation and good governance in Somalia and Somaliland since 2004. We support civil society’s involvement, particularly women’s and youth groups, in crucial decision-making processes on peace, security and development. With partners, we help community groups to identify and address their own safety concerns, work to improve police services and make recommendations on security policy. We also work with democratic institutions such as electoral management bodies and political parties to help improve the quality of elections and civic and voter education. Finally, we conduct research and advocacy nationally and internationally to identify drivers of conflict within the Somali region and strategies to address them, for instance bringing to life Sustainable Development Goal 16 in Somaliland, and promoting civil society voices around the London Somalia Conference.

In Somalia and Somaliland we are working on:

Governance and democratisation – we support civil society’s crucial role in observing elections, increasing civic engagement and improving voter education.