Employment-Intensive Investment in

Somalia

Activities of the Employment Intensive Investment Programme in Somalia

Current EIIP Involvement

Joint Programme on Local Governance (JPLG)

Over the last few years, the Government of Somalia, particularly the regional governments of Somaliland and Puntland, have undertaken a number of initiatives aimed at establishing decentralized local governance and service delivery by empowering local authorities and pursuing the principle of subsidiarity.

These initiatives are supported by the UN Joint Programme on Local Governance and Decentralized Service Delivery (JPLG), in which the ILO is playing a significant role of bringing development to the people of Somalia. The Joint Programme pursues a comprehensive capacity development approach with complimentary funding for priority local government service delivery projects, seeking wider reforms on policy and legislation in the areas of functional, fiscal and administrative decentralization that clarify and enhance the role of local government and its relationship to central government.

Within the implementation framework of the Joint Programme, the ILO, through the Employment Intensive Investment Programmes (EIIP), is promoting peace and stability through the development and delivery of Decent Work. The Somali Decent Work Programmes support the creation of productive and decent employment opportunities as well as innovative community-based social protection schemes and strengthen labour governance and administration. ILO’s support centres on enabling the social partners to create governance and institutional structures and building technical capacities for the planning, implementation and monitoring of public infrastructure programmes geared towards the creation of decent employment and social protection mechanisms. 

ILO lead local is to enhance competencies, capacities, systems and structures for the delivery of infrastructure service; promoting the adoption/institutionalisation of labour based technologies; creation of a business enabling environment and partnerships with the private sector for service delivery.

In 2019, the programme has enhanced the competencies and capacities of technical staff in the district works units mainly on standards, design planning and implementation of infrastructure. In 2019, infrastructure (schools, health centres, water points, roads, markets, community centers) valued at USD4,906,742 ($5million) was implemented, in addition benefitted 6,196 (workers) beneficiaries in terms of short term employment. In addition the decent work aspects of health & safety, wages and equality are promoted. The infrastructure have improve access to social amenities and market and service delivery by the districts.

1.    A significant number of tools and systems have been developed, as part of local governance capacity building and policy reforms. These tools, systems, regulations/policies/guidelines are mainly procurement procedures and guidelines:

  • Transparency accounting system
  • Local Economic Development
  • Local service delivery
  • Community consultation and participation

2.    JPLG: capacity building, policy reforms, improving service delivery, governance and administration have been continued: Some of these tools, systems, policies/guidelines/ regulations:

  • District Technical Manual- Public Expenditure Manual (PEM 4) - for Implementation (including the works project design).
  • Developed and conducted training for Interim Highway Technical Design Standards Manual.
  • Developed and conducted training for districts road network investment planning and maintenance.
  • Feasibility Study guideline for Building and Roads.  
  • Developed and conduct Tender and Technical Specifications for Road Works and Building works.
  • Strengthening the capacity of private sectors in Implementation of works.

3.    Close to 23.5 kms of road built, improving trade, access to services and connecting communities (Markets, Schools, water and other businesses).

4.    62 development projects, have been implemented by local government through LDF. (Projects include Schools, MCHs, Water projects, Roads, Markets, Community Centers, etc).

5.    1,300 staff from local governments and ministries trained, they know their jobs and do their jobs.

Creating employment opportunities for IDPs, returnees and host communities through employment-intensive infrastructure improvement

The continued return of refugees to Somalia, coupled with the increased number of IDPs within Somalia, continues to test the limited absorption capacity of host communities. The returnees will continue to put stress on the limited access to basic services, shelter and livelihoods opportunities, the exacerbating protection concerns, and social cohesion between communities. Moreover, the poor state of the infrastructure is worsening the situation. Lack of maintenance has left most of the socio-economic infrastructure in poor state. Roads are often impassable which has left many communities, primarily those in the productive sector, to neither have access to local markets nor receive basic services. Institutions both at local and national levels that are established to deal with infrastructure lack institutional, technical, financial and management capacity.

Options for job creation in the short term include investments in employment intensive infrastructure, micro and small enterprise development, and vocational skills upgrading. Youth, women, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) urgently need more access to jobs. These three groups are affected disproportionately by the paucity of jobs particularly in urban centres. Without special attention to their need for jobs, peace and reconstruction are at risk. The nature and extent of joblessness are specific to each group and underscore why these excluded groups need a tailored solution in the short term. 

The weak skills base will exclude many young IDPs from emerging opportunities, and may eventually begin to hamper current reconstruction efforts in Somalia. Human capital embedded in practical entrepreneurial, technical and vocational skills has been depleted in Somalia due to decades of conflict and insecurity. However, reconstruction will create a new demand for related skills to rebuild Somalia’s infrastructure.

The ILO is providing technical support for the implementation of the EII project to rehabilitate productive infrastructure including roads, and markets and build capacity of the local government institutions. It will provide employment opportunities to the IDPs, returnees and their host communities. It will provide skills training for the direct beneficiaries.