MOGADISHU, Somalia – A widening scandal of corruption, abuse of power and extortion has emerged within Somalia’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, raising grave concerns about the integrity of the country’s climate financing mechanisms. At the centre of the controversy is the Director General of the Ministry, Yusuf Abdirahman Samatar, who has allegedly been exploiting his position to manipulate climate funding, pressure international financial institutions and coerce organisations into paying bribes to secure their participation in critical environmental and development projects.
Confidential sources within the Ministry, who have corroborated this information with our investigative team, describe an alarming pattern of misconduct that threatens the credibility of Somalia’s engagement with multilateral financial institutions, including the African Development Bank (AfDB), the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This corruption scandal, according to one of the top officials in the Ministry, is not just a matter of bureaucratic malpractice but a direct attack on global efforts to finance climate resilience and sustainability in Somalia.
The Ministry of Finance is the only government entity authorised to engage directly with multilateral financial institutions. However, in flagrant violation of this mandate, the Director General of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change reportedly pressured the Nordic International Support Foundation and Acacia and Dialogue Center – both organisations intending to apply for funding from the AfDB – into accepting his involvement in their application to the AfDB Climate Action Window Call for Proposals: Technical Assistance Sub-Window. This was despite the fact that the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has no jurisdiction over such matters with AFDB, which legally fall under the Ministry of Finance.
In a letter dated 18 January 2025, reviewed by Shabelle, Samatar wrote to the AfDB Regional Director for East Africa, seeking to influence funding allocations and project implementation for Nordic International Support Foundation and Acacia and Dialogue Center. Sources confirm that this letter was written by the Director General with the knowledge of Minister of Environment and Climate Change General Bashir Mohamed Jama and his principal advisor, Godah Barre. The intent, according to a senior official in the Ministry who spoke under the condition of anonymity, was to exert control over the disbursement of climate funds should the AfDB approve the proposed project. “This unlawful intervention signals an attempt to siphon funds for personal and political gain,” the official said.
Beyond bureaucratic overreach, the Director General has been implicated in direct extortion. In one alarming case, a civil society organisation, the Rural Education and Agriculture Development Organization (READO), which sought accreditation under the Green Climate Fund (GCF), was reportedly informed that it would have to pay an upfront “bribe” of $200,000 before the Ministry would issue the necessary support letter. In the discussions, READO was allegedly warned that its accreditation process would be obstructed, effectively holding climate finance engagement hostage for personal enrichment. Shabelle attempted to reach READO for comment but has yet to receive a response. However, a source close to the matter confirmed that NGOs should be wary of further repercussions.
Further investigations reveal that Shabel, a company involved in a previously endorsed project that a UN agency was set to implement with Shabel, has been subjected to manipulation by the Director General. He is allegedly creating deliberate obstacles to force changes in the project design phase to benefit his personal interests. By demanding a stake in project execution, he reportedly insists that either he or his close associates be embedded in the project’s funding mechanisms. “People are trying to tell him that this level of misconduct undermines the very purpose of climate financing, which is meant to support sustainable development and environmental protection rather than personal profiteering, but seems a restless man,” said a source familiar with the case.
Several UN agencies have also reportedly been pressured by the Director General to include companies with no prior involvement in project implementation. One such case involves Blue Flag, a company that was not initially listed in a UN-supported project but which Samatar reportedly favoured and sought to forcefully integrate into the initiative. When UN officials tried to explain, the Director General allegedly engaged in what looks like intimidation tactics, further eroding trust in Somalia’s institutional governance of climate finance.
Private financial entities such as Salam Bank and the National Union of Somali Journalists have also been threatened with extortion. Although both institutions have yet to respond to inquiries from Shabelle, it is understood that the Director General allegedly demanded payments, warning that failure to comply would lead to ministerial disruption of their accreditation processes. According to sources, Samatar falsely claimed that paying a fee to the Ministry was mandatory, likening it to the accreditation application fees required by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). Both institutions reportedly refused to comply with his demands. “This brazen act of coercion is the new face of the Director General. Even we, as staff, are deeply worried – not just about his actions, but about the implications for government accountability,” said one Ministry employee, who had initially hoped that the Minister’s military background would ensure discipline and transparency.
The international climate finance framework, including mechanisms such as the Green Climate Fund, Global Environment Facility and the Adaptation Fund, is built on transparency, accountability and rigorous oversight. Any country engaging in systemic corruption within these funding channels risks suspension, financial penalties and loss of accreditation, severely hampering its ability to access future climate finance, according to a financial expert familiar with multilateral institutions.
Furthermore, Somalia’s obligations under international financial agreements – including those with the World Bank and the IMF – are at risk if such blatant abuses of power continue unchecked. The misuse of authority by the Director General, sanctioned by the Minister himself and his principal advisor, constitutes a breach of international financial governance standards. Should these violations escalate, Somalia could face serious diplomatic and financial consequences, including restrictions on access to climate financing mechanisms.
This is an ongoing investigation. In our next exposé, Shabelle will detail how specific UN agencies have been directly targeted and pressured by the Director General, with what appears to be the tacit approval of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Given the sensitive nature of this information, Shabelle is maintaining the confidentiality of its sources, who continue to provide crucial evidence supporting these findings to protect their safety and the integrity of this investigation. Further revelations will follow as more evidence emerges.
