MOGADISHU, July 8 – Somalia’s federal government has launched a $12 million international climate resilience project covering 17 cities across the country, but areas administered by the Northeastern Administration were not included among the project sites.
The initiative, funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), will run from 2026 to 2030 and aims to strengthen urban resilience to climate change.
According to project documents, implementation will take place in the Banadir region, Puntland, Galmudug, Hirshabelle, South West, Jubaland and Somaliland. The selected cities are Mogadishu, Garowe, Galkayo, Bosaso, Hargeisa, Burao, Berbera, Borama, Dhusamareb, Hobyo, southern Galkayo, Beledweyne, Jowhar, Baidoa, Hudur, Kismayo and Garbaharey.
The project is expected to directly benefit more than 850,000 people through investments in water management systems, flood mitigation, ecosystem restoration, sustainable urban planning and urban greening initiatives.
The federal government said the programme is designed to help Somali cities better withstand the growing impacts of climate change while improving environmental sustainability and urban infrastructure.
The launch comes after the Northeastern Administration was also excluded from a separate community development programme worth more than $30 million that was financed by the World Bank in partnership with Somalia’s federal government, highlighting continuing disputes over the administration’s participation in federally coordinated development initiatives.
