Bossaso – The new phase of the ongoing Saameynta project was officially launched in Bossaso, Somalia, on Thursday 27 July 2023. Saameynta meaning “impact” in Somali will foster durable solutions for internally displaced persons and their host communities by addressing integration, housing, land, livelihood and other displacement related challenges.

The initiative is a collaborative effort involving the expertise, resources and knowledge of three UN agencies – the International Organization for Migration (IOM), UN Habitat and UNDP, which will work closely with the Government of Puntland and the Federal Government of Somalia.

After enduring three decades of protracted conflict and climate-related crises, there are currently over 3.8 million people internally displaced in Somalia - one of the highest numbers of displacement globally, which places an immense strain on communities and detriments the country’s sustainable development.

Bossaso is one of the cities in the country that has received a larger number of displaced persons in recent years due to drought and conflict. The majority have come from South-Central Somalia and other neighbouring regions and are facing a myriad of challenges, including forced evictions, limited access to food, shelter, healthcare, increased gender-based violence and marginalization.

The Saameynta project was launched in March 2022 targeting 75,000 people across Baidoa, Bossaso and Beletweyne. The project has already benefited hundreds of people by creating enabling environments with better structured land management and governance interventions.

Through the project, the UN and the Government have improved land tenure security of displaced persons, enhanced urban planning in cities and increased the access to essential services and infrastructure.

"Our ultimate goal is to ensure displaced persons can lead fruitful lives on their new homes. We are proud to be working alongside the government and communities to design interventions tailored to the local context that can contribute to enhance peace, stability and sustainable development in Somalia," said Osman M. Osman, Saameynta Programme Coordinator.

The project adopts a comprehensive approach that goes beyond immediate relief and humanitarian aid to address these challenges through a medium-longer term development lens.

As part of the initiative, the Puntland government authorities will receive essential capacity-building support, focusing on areas such as land management, urban planning, land tenure security and community-based planning for enhanced service delivery, while also strengthening legal and socio-economic frameworks to attract future investments and economic opportunities.

The project aligns with the Federal Government of Somalia's National Durable Solutions Strategy 2020-2024, adopting a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to ensure its success.

As defined by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, a durable solution is achieved when internally displaced persons no longer have any specific assistance and protection needs that are linked to their displacement and can enjoy their human rights without discrimination on account of their displacement.

Synergies amongst IOM, UNDP and UN-HABITAT for greater impact as demonstrated by Saameynta is also a model to be replicated in the region and a practical example of the Humanitarian, Development and Peace Nexus (HDPN). The funding for this project is made possible through the Somalia Joint Fund with generous support from Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Norway.

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For more information contact: smsom-media@iom.int