The United Nations Transition Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS), through its Community Recovery and Extension of State Authority and Accountability (CRESTA/A) stabilization team, supports the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and its Federal Member States (FMS) to implement the National Stabilization Strategy (NSS). The strategy aims to promote evidence-based, coherent responses around four thematic areas, namely social cohesion and reconciliation; local governance; rule of law and security; and community recovery. The core objective of the team’s work is to enhance local community’s confidence in state structures, including by promoting human security-based approaches in stabilization programmes.
CRESTA/A, along with stabilization partners, supports the Government’s broader civilian-led efforts under the leadership of the Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation (MoIFAR), in conjunction with State Ministry of Interior counterparts in Galmudug, Hirshabelle, Jubaland, and South West. Each of the State Ministries of Interior has developed state-level plans to adapt the principles and policies outlined in the strategy to their respective contexts. Collectively, these interventions intend to mitigate conflict causes, reducing opportunities for malign actors, particularly al-Shabaab, to exploit these fragility drivers and replace them by developing more inclusive, accountable and democratic structures. For example, the development of effective and responsive local reconciliation efforts and governance structures are critical to ensuring that local conflicts, service delivery and other government functions are managed in support of wider state-building and peace-building goals.
CRESTA/A’s stabilization work is anchored in existing frameworks: the Somalia Transition Plan (STP),the Security and Justice Pillar of the National Transformative Plan (NTP) and the Wadajir Framework for Local Governance. The Stabilization Strategy recognizes that enhanced state legitimacy is directly linked with the presence, capacity and legitimacy of Somali institutions. Therefore, continued efforts to expand Government presence and their ability to deliver related services bring legitimacy and credibility in the eyes of the population, providing in turn an important contribution to the broader security-peace-development nexus tied to the operational, institutional capacity and support elements of the STP.
STABILIZATION INTEGRATED APPROACH
Strategic Partnerships
The National Stabilization Strategy envisions a multi-layered coordination system that facilitates dialogue among stabilization stakeholders on areas of mutual interest and explores linkages between activities, policy, and strategy. In this context, CRESTA/A works with a broad range of Somali and international partners. These include the FGS MoIFAR and its state counterparts; major stabilization implementing programmes such as USAID TIS3; the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which now implements both the UK Early Recovery Initiative and the EU Stabilization Programme; and the Nordic International Support Foundation (NIS), which is supported by both the Norwegian Stabilization Programme and the EU Stabilization Programmes. In addition, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), AUSSOM, and the UN joint programmes on police, justice, and governance are also significant partners.
The CRESTA/A unit’s stabilization work focuses on two areas:
Coordination
The CRESTA/A team supports MoIFAR with the coordination of policy proposals and advocacy around the goals of the National Stabilization Strategy. This support includes promoting stabilization within the broader security and development architecture and facilitating the coordination and implementation of activities with the State Ministries of Interior. The national stabilization coordination meetings provide a platform for the FGS, FMS and other national and international partners to discuss strategic thematic and geographic priorities, while similar coordination structures exist at state level for the implementation of the State Stabilization Plans.
Analysis
The team also supports MoIFAR’s use of evidence-based policy approaches through the Fragility Index & Maturity Model (FIMM), which monitors the progress of the National Stabilization Strategy. MoIFAR and its State counterparts utilize FIMM data to determine the prioritization and sequencing of stabilization initiatives and to advocate for linkages with development programmes.
The monthly stabilization partners update provides an overview of who is doing what, and where, in stabilization programming. It is designed to help both the Government and stabilization partners identify areas for cooperation, avoid duplication of activities, and recognize geographical and programmatic gaps.