Somali Public Agenda (SPA)

Our Executive Director Mahad Wasuge attended the launch of the Somalia Open Budget Survey (OBS) 2023 results. He participated in a panel discussion with Senator Leyla Ismail, a member of the Upper House Budget and Finance Committee; Abdikarim Mohamed Hussein, Deputy Budget Director at the Ministry of Finance; and Mohamed Abduwahab, Secretary General of the Somali Media Association (SOMA). During the panel discussion, Mahad emphasized the limited access to budget information for citizens and the need for an enhanced role for civil society organizations and the media in promoting transparency and accountability.

🎙️E24. Adeeg Wanaag I Kaalinta Bulshada Rayidka & Warbaahinta ee Isla-xisaabtanka Arrimaha Gargaarka Bani’aadamnimo Qeybtan 24-aad ee Adeeg Wanaag Podcast waxa ay Aweis Ahmed & Ibrahim Jibril ku falanqeynayaan nuxurka daraasad aan ka sameynay heerka isla-xisaabtan ee gargaarka bani’aadamnimo.

Our researcher, Farhia Mohamud, participated in a capacity-building training on transitional justice and reconciliation for female practitioners in the East Africa and Great Lakes regions. The training was organized by the Life & Peace Institute, the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation, and the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR), with a focus on the African Union Transitional Justice Policy. 

NEW RESEARCH REPORT I The role of national civil society and media in supporting accountability around humanitarian interventions in Somalia This study co-authored by Ibrahim Jibril, Dr Stephanie Diepeveen & Mahad Wasuge examines how domestic actors in Somalia, including local media, civil society organizations, and government institutions, view and engage with accountability.

Our Executive Director, Mahad Wasuge, was a panelist at National Economic Council’s National Economic Policy Forum 2024, alongside Hussein Sheikh Mohamud, Feysal Adan, Dr. Mohamud Ulusow, and Maluka Abdulkadir. Moderated by Mohamed Mukhtar, the panelists discussed the challenges Somalia faces in building a capable state and how to utilize home-grown solutions to address these challenges.

Thanks Yahye Bisle for the visit.

Our Deputy Director, Farhan Isak Yusuf, and SPA Policy Lab Director, Aweis Ahmed, participated in a half-day consultation session on the Somalia Higher Education Bill in Mogadishu. The session was organized by the Lower House Committee on Social Services, with representatives from universities, the Association of Somali Universities, and research institutions in attendance. The purpose of the session was to gather input from stakeholders on the bill before it proceeds to the next stage. SPA’s representatives contributed to the discussion by highlighting key issues in specific articles, particularly those concerning the establishment of the National Higher Education Commission, which will serve as the regulatory body for the country’s higher education sector. They presented recommendations on the regulatory powers of the commission and the hiring conditions for the secretary of the commission. Our representatives emphasized the importance of maintaining the commission's autonomy while acknowledging the oversight role of the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Higher Education. 

🎙️E42. Maamul Wanaag Podcast I Dadaallada Xasilinta iyo Ilaalinta Arrimaha Rayidka: Caqabadaha iyo Fursadaha Qeybtan 42-aad ee #MaamulWanaag Podcast, Mahad Wasuge & Hon. Omar Hashi waxa ay ku gorfeynayaan dadaallada xasilinta oo ay dowladdu waddo, caqabadaha & fursadaha.

Our researcher, Farhia Mohamud, delivered a presentation on a research project we conducted with Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation, titled “Enabling Popular Participation in Formal and Non-formal Transitional Justice Processes in Africa,” at the African Union policy engagement workshop hosted by CSVR, Impunity Watch, and DPAPS in Addis Ababa. Her presentation highlighted the challenges and opportunities for participation in transitional justice across the African continent and drew important lessons from Somalia.