MOGADISHU — Somalia’s National Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA) hosted a delegation from Sweden and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) on Monday for talks aimed at strengthening cooperation on disaster preparedness and risk reduction, officials said.
The delegation was led by Annika Jayawardena, Deputy Head of Sida’s Eastern and Horn of Africa Department, and included the Head of Cooperation for Somalia at the Swedish Embassy.
During the meeting in Mogadishu, SoDMA Commissioner Mahmoud Moallim Abdulle and the visiting officials discussed ways to enhance collaboration in disaster management, disaster risk reduction and the development of early warning systems across Somalia.
The Swedish delegation also toured SoDMA’s Data Center, where they were briefed on the agency’s systems for collecting, analyzing and disseminating early warning information.
According to SoDMA, the discussions focused on improving Somalia’s capacity to anticipate and respond to natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies through stronger institutional cooperation and enhanced data-driven preparedness mechanisms.
Somalia is highly vulnerable to climate-related shocks, including droughts, floods and extreme weather events, making disaster preparedness and early warning systems a key priority for both the government and international partners.
