April 2020

Through the supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Somalia, the Somalia Institute for Development and Research Analysis (SIDRA) was awarded a consultancy service by the Puntland Ministry of Interior, Federalism and Democratization (MoIFD) to conduct a study entitled “Community Survey and Mapping for District Disaster Risk Management”. The goal of this study was to provide data, information and analysis to help understand the current disaster management system in the nine districts studied. Based on the study ToR, the assessment covered six areas: Community vulnerability to disasters; Community disaster preparedness; Disaster management capacity; Key disaster prevention, response and recovery actions and priority interventions; Disaster risk management planning and Disaster information and monitoring and evaluation systems.

Research cooperation between Somalia and Sweden began in 1982, but was interrupted in the early 1990s due to the civil war. As Somalia gradually starts the process of institution- building and shifting towards a federal system, the Swedish government is considering whether and in what form to re-establish its support for domestic research capabilities. The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency commissioned a team from the Overseas Development Institute and the Somali Institute for Development Research and Analysis (SIDRA) to conduct a feasibility study for research cooperation in Somalia. The study, which took place between March and October 2019, was organised around three guiding questions: What are the key enabling factors for and barriers to research performance and academic freedom at universities in Somalia today? What are the current ongoing initiatives termed, defined or categorised as ‘research’ support or cooperation to  and in Somalia? What are the different opportunities and modalities for support to and organisation of research cooperation in Somalia?