Jigjiga – The Government of the Somalia region of Ethiopia, the United Nations and development partners have launched (24/5) a Durable Solutions Strategy for the period 2022-2025 as parts of efforts to find solutions to the region’s perennial internal displacement. 

It provides a roadmap to operationalize durable solutions to resolve internal displacement in the Region and to ensure that internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees, host communities and other displacement affected populations are provided with solutions to displacement and its impact. 

The Strategy was developed following assessments, surveys, and consultations with government, partners, and representatives of displacement affected communities, and it supports collaboration and joint action between government at different levels and the humanitarian sector. 

In 2019, the Government of Ethiopia launched the Durable Solutions Initiative (DSI) with the support of the United Nations, international and national non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and donors to enable conditions conducive for all IDPs to rebuild their lives in sustainable ways. 

The DSI in Ethiopia is an umbrella platform led by the Federal Durable Solutions Working Group that brings together key stakeholders including the Federal government, UN Agencies, development partners, civil society, amongst others. It is chaired by Ethiopia Disaster Risk Management Commission (EDRMC) and co-chaired by IOM and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO), working to support durable solutions through different policy, legislative, and institutional level interventions.

The Somali region has an estimated 1 million IDPs. Conflict and violence have displaced an estimated 518,000 persons and the impact of climate change including drought, seasonal flash floods and landslides have displaced another 415,000 people. Women, children and marginalized groups have been the most impacted. 

“There are real opportunities to facilitate solutions in many internal displacement contexts, opportunities which can and must be seized. This is achievable if we go beyond treating internal displacement as just a humanitarian problem and recognize it as a priority for development and peace,” said Catherine Sozi, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Ethiopia.

In 2016, the United Nations Secretary-General called for new and protracted internal displacement to be reduced by at least fifty per cent by 2030. The numbers, however, continue to increase, underscoring the need to redouble efforts to support IDPs reintegrate into society, be it at their places of origin, local communities, or other areas of the country. 

“We commend the regional government's effort in the development of the document and in working towards changing the status of IDPs in this region, most who have been displaced for many years, and we are confident that through joint effort the Strategy will be implemented effectively,” added Jian Zhao, Acting Chief of Mission and Head of Special Liaison Office of IOM.

The launch event was jointly organized under the Somali Region Durable Solutions Steering Committee, chaired by the Somali Region Office of the President, the Disaster Risk Management Bureau (DRMB) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and was attended by Mustafa Muhumed Omar, the region’s president, senior government officials and representatives from the UN and development partners. The event was made possible through the generous financial support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

Find the Somali Regional State Durable Solutions Strategy 2022-2025 here

For more information, contact Eric Mazango, emazango@iom.int