The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) will facilitate skills acquisition among policymakers in the Somali government as the rebuilding of the strife-torn Horn of African nation gathers steam, officials said on Monday.
Moges Ali, Senior Program Officer at IGAD Special Mission in Somalia, said capacity building targeting policymakers in Mogadishu will underpin bilateral initiatives to hasten Somalia’s reconstruction after two and a half decades of civil strife.
“We intend to equip senior policymakers from Federal Government of Somalia with skills that are vital to enable them to execute their mandate effectively,” Ali said.
He spoke on the sidelines of a five-day training workshop in Nairobi for Somalia policymakers drawn from key ministries sponsored by IGAD and bilateral partners.
Ali said officials from Somalia’s key ministries like planning, foreign affairs, mining, health, education, and agriculture will benefit from the training that seeks to enhance their skills in policy formulation and implementation.
“The capacity building for policymakers in Somalia will be an ongoing process. It will boost interventions aimed at restoring the country’s security architecture, political institutions, and the economy,” said Ali.
He added that IGAD and its partners have invested heavily in peace building and restoration of rule of law in Somalia against a backdrop of clan-based skirmishes and terrorism.
The government of Somalia is implementing a raft of policies to facilitate the rebuilding of political, social and economic structures that collapsed during the civil war.
Abdikadir Aden, Director General in Somalia’s Ministry of Planning, said that skills development for policymakers will enhance their capacity to formulate and execute policies that benefit citizens.
“Our key objective is to build the capacity of our policymaking organs to enable them to implement a national restoration agenda in areas of security, health, education, infrastructure, mining, agriculture and fisheries,” Aden said.
Joshua Mugodo, Director of Economic Affairs and Commercial Diplomacy’s Directorate in Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Nairobi is ready to offer expertise to help Somalia develop sound policies that promote economic growth, peace, and stability.
