JPLG: Puntland takes leap forward in sustainable development planning as nine District Development Frameworks launched

Garowe - Nine districts across Puntland launched milestone frameworks laying out their development priorities for the next five years at an event in Garowe, supported by the United Nations Joint Programme on Local Governance (JPLG). Bosaso, Gardo, Bander Bayla, Eyl, Garowe, Jariban, Galkacyo, Burtinle and Goldogob’s district frameworks were developed through extensive consultations with over 180 villages and communities.

At the launch, attended by Puntland Ministry officials, district mayors, UN agencies, international and local NGOs, Puntland Vice President Abdihakim Omar highlighted the importance of financing the district priorities through district revenues. “The focus should be on enhancing collective taxation for sustainable funding of investment and development plans,” he said.

The Puntland Minister of Interior, Local Governments and Rural Development, Abdullahi Ali Hirsi, said his Ministry was proud to be involved in the launch of the frameworks and reiterated that community participation and State and local collaboration were key. “This was a collective effort by the Ministry of Interior together with districts, regions, other sector ministries and UN JPLG. The Ministry of Interior will closely monitor the implementation of the different priorities in each framework.”

Philip Cooper, Project Manager for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under JPLG, congratulated the Puntland government on the frameworks and its work on local governance. “The Puntland Government has demonstrated commitment to putting in place stable local government institutions that would set an example to the new federal member states. The UN JPLG is proud to be your partner and I reconfirm our commitment to you and the people of Puntland.”

As a next step, the Puntland Inter-Ministerial Committee for Local Government (IMC) is expected to discuss the roll out of district development frameworks with all development stakeholders. The Puntland launch is being followed by community and local government-led district development framework processes across other Federal Member States in Somalia, with the support of the UN Joint Programme.
The United Nations Joint Programme on Local Governance and Decentralized Service Delivery (JPLG) is implemented by five UN agencies (ILO, UNCDF, UNDP, UN-HABITAT and UNICEF), in partnership with Somali governments and communities. The Programme is funded by Denmark, the European Union, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

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