MOGADISHU, Somalia – In a troubling escalation inside the Somali government, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has become embroiled in a crisis involving major mismanagement and accused siphoning of off climate funding.
The acts of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Lt General Bashir Mohamed Jama, his principal advisor Abdullahi Godah Barre, and Director General Yusuf Samatar are at the heart of the dispute.
According to Ministry sources, these people have been identified as coordinating defiance of a presidential decision, putting donor faith and the integrity of climate financing management in Somalia at risk.
As per Ministry sources who spoke with Shabelle Media Network on the condition of anonymity, the trio has shamelessly ignored a Presidential decision issued on June 25, 2024. This decree created a new National Climate Fund and appointed an Executive Director to lead it. Contrary to this directive, Minister Jama, persuaded by Godah Barre and pressed by Director General Samatar, established a separate National Climate Finance Unit. He then appointed a Coordinator, handpicked by Godah Barre, to lead this new unit. This conduct not only generated major government uncertainty, but it also aroused serious worries about the possibility of diverting funds destined for crucial climate programs.
A high-level foreign partner raised concern about who to trust: the President’s appointed Executive Director or the Coordinator of the Minister’s newly constituted unit. “The situation is alarmingly murky and it’s unclear whose authority is legitimate – The President or the Minister, which complicates our investment decisions,” a partner said.
This issue highlights a worrisome governance pattern in which personal objectives and unscrupulous behaviors trump obedience to legal and presidential orders. A source from the ministry voiced disappointment, saying, “It’s unprecedented for a minister and his team to so openly defy a direct presidential order.” This demonstrates a worrisome attempt to misuse the agency for personal financial advantage.
The insider continued, “The Minister, Principal Advisor, and Director General are aware of their limited time in office and appear desperate for a ‘quick fix’ of money. The chosen Coordinator appears to be solely responsible for facilitating and diverting finances for the trio.
The gravity of these claims has prompted international funders, particularly the Green Climate Fund (GCF), to seek formal guarantees from Minister Jama that the monies will be managed responsibly and without misconduct. However, the problem has already halted the signing of new Letters of Agreement (LOAs) with UN agencies, which are critical for money flow. “Since the new Minister took office, not a single LOA has been signed,” a ministry source complained. “Donors are understandably hesitant; they’re deeply concerned about the potential misuse of their funds.”
Furthermore, Godah Barre’s position as the technical focal point for climate finance has heightened tensions. According to ministry insiders, Barre has been aggressively pressing donors and threatening to blacklist those who ignore his financial demands. This confrontational style, which is also used by Director General Yusuf Samatar, has created major concerns about the ministry’s ethical standards and operational integrity.
A ministry official, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of job security, described the dire situation: “We’re dealing with a high-ranking military officer who knows little beyond financial extraction, a principal advisor obsessed with collecting donor money, and a Director General obsessed with profiting from his remaining months in office. Now their obvious avarice has brought them into direct contradiction with the President’s commands.”
This scandal jeopardizes not just the critical climate financing required for Somalia to handle its significant environmental difficulties, but it also seriously affects the federal government’s reputation in managing foreign donations and resources. The international community, according to two sources, is closely following the situation, hoping for prompt action that will restore transparency and rebuild trust in Somalia’s commitment to effective climate change management.
Shabelle Media Network has reviewed the letters of appointment and the structure of the National Climate Finance Unit, which were prepared by Godah Barre and subsequently approved by Minister Jama. Shabelle will discuss these findings in their upcoming exposé.
