A More Equitable Humanitarian System

African Development Solutions (Adeso), in consultation with other national and local nongovernmental organizations in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, has developed a position paper titled "A More Dignified and Equitable Humanitarian System: How to Truly Localize Aid" to influence the future policy direction of the humanitarian system.  The paper highlights the changes that need to be implemented from the perspective of local nongovernmental organizations to create a more effective humanitarian system in the future.  The paper calls for donors, international nongovernmental organizations and policy makers to put people back at the center of the humanitarian system.  Adeso operates in Somalia, Kenya, and South Sudan.

US Banks Cut Off Cash Transfers to Somalia

The Washington Post published on 14 February 2015 an article titled "U.S. Banks Cut Off Cash Transfers to Somalia Amid Terrorism Concerns" by Pamela Constable.  The article explains the hardships caused for friends and relatives in Somalia dependent on cash transfers from the United States after U.S. banks decided to end the transfer service for fear of running afoul of U.S. counterterrorism regulations.

UN Envoy to Somalia Warns against Cutting Off Remittances

Foreign Policy published on 5 February 2015 an article titled "U.N. Envoy to Somalia Warns against Cutting Off Remittances" by Jamila Trindle.  Nicholas Kay, the UN Special Representative for Somalia described the remittances from the diaspora as the "lifeblood and survival mechanism for many, many Somalis."

At a February 6 session in Washington organized by the Center for American Progress, Kay reiterated his concern over this matter.  He said annual remittances to Somalia from the disapora are running at between $1.2 and $1.8 billion.  This compares to a Somali government budget of $260 million. 

Cyclone Hits Puntland Region of Somalia

While the international media have been inundated with stories of the cyclone in the Philippines, there has hardly been a mention of another one, albeit much less damaging, that hit the Puntland region of Somalia early in November.  An estimated 100,000 people have been affected and hundreds of people died.  African Development Solutions (Adeso) issued a press release on the situation on 21 November 2013. 

Somalia: Assessing the First Year of the Federal Government

The Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington hosted on 19 September 2013 a three hour event titled "Somalia: Assessing the First Year of the Federal Government."

There were two panels. The first on Somalia's economy and financial sector included Linda Etim, deputy assistant administrator at USAID; Hersi Suleiman, Somali-American Money Service Association; Michael O. Engman, senior economist, Africa Region, World Bank; and Fatima Jibrell, founder of Adeso.

The second panel on governance and political security included Donald Teitelbaum, deputy assistant secretary of state for African affairs; Keith Jennings, senior associate and regional director for southern and eastern Africa, National Democratic Institute; Paul Williams, associate professor, George Washington University; and Omar Daair, first secretary, embassy of the UK in the US.

There panels covered a wide range of political, social and economic issues.  The entire event is available on podcast.

Cash Transfers in Somalia and the Role of Gatekeepers

The Somalia Cash Consortium has been distributing large-scale unconditional cash transfers since 2011 to vulnerable households in South Central Somalia.  Members of the consortium have had to deal with security problems and negotiate access to internally displaced person (IDP) sites through informal IDP camp authorities.  An important actor among the informal camp  managers/administrators is the "gatekeeper."

This 31 January 2013 study titled "The Somalia Cash Consortium: Gatekeepers in Mogadishu" analyses the role played by gatekeepers--positive and negative--in providing protection and basic services to IDPs.  It also looks at the perceived sources of power and the influence of the gatekeepers, their links and relationships with the government, local authorities and other community leaders.  As a result, it offers a useful perspective on the dynamics of the situation in Somalia.

The authors are Erik Bryld, managing director of Tana Copenhagen, a consultancy company; Christine Kamau, director of iDC, a Kenyan-based consultancy firm; and Dina Sinigallia, an expert with Tana Copenhagen.  The team tried to learn who the gatekeepers are, when they assumed their role and the factors that contributed to their rise. 

African Development Solutions (ADESO)

African Development Solutions (ADESO), formerly known as Horn Relief, is a non-governmental organization based in Nairobi. It traditionally worked only in Somalia but has now branched out into Kenya and South Sudan. There was a recent ceremony in Nairobi to mark the change from Horn Relief to ADESO and there will be another in Washington in June. I have served on the U.S.-based board of ADESO (Horn Relief) for seven years.

I call to your attention three beautifully done video presentations of about five minutes each that reflect the work of ADESO and feature its founder, Fatima Jibrell. All accompanied by music, one is an introduction to ADESO. A second looks at the threat to pastoralism in Somalia. A third discusses ADESO's successful cash transfer programs. Click here to view the videos; they will give you an appreciation for a Somalia that could be.