Parliamentary Support Project (PSP-II)

Background

The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), which came to power in September 2012, was led by a legitimately elected President, and a Prime Minister and Government that were nominated and endorsed by a representative Parliament in accordance with the Provisional Constitution.

Today, Somalia is undergoing a transition that represents the best chance for peace and state-building. With the objective to consolidate and accelerate this transition, and in line with the SDGs and the National Development Plan, the global objective of the project is to foster Inclusive Politics through the strengthening of the effectiveness and accountability of Somalia’s parliamentary institutions to be more responsive to the needs of citizens in promoting participation in political processes contributing to national peacebuilding, state-building and development goals.

Therefore, aiming at fostering political representation and stimulate a lively civil society, to prepare the 2020 multiparty reform and at supporting the finalization of the Constitution and the federation process, the project focuses on the four key pillars of democratic governance that play an important role in the development of Somalia’s Inclusive Politics – National Federal Parliaments, State and Regional Parliaments and Civil Society, – through an integrated approach that is in line with a fourth component, of achieving progress towards SDG 16 in Somalia.

Response

This Project is designed to provide responsive support to the legislatures across the entire Republic of Somalia, building on efforts since 2012.

Following the establishment of the House of the People in September 2012, UNDP immediately commenced parliamentary development support through the UNDP Parliamentary Support Project (PSP) 2013-16. The Project primarily worked across the NFP, Somaliland and Puntland Parliaments, though in 2016 it commenced some initial work with the new State Assemblies of the IRAs. UNDP’s first efforts to support the new NFP focused on supporting the parliamentary leadership, namely the Speaker, to manage the first sessions of the HOP and develop a strategic vision for the NFP. The PSP was then re-aligned to match the priorities set out in that Strategic Plan, revised in 2014 to take account of the first year of NFP operations as well as the changing environment in relation to the constitutional review process.

A substantial part of the PSP’s efforts was directed at supporting the institutional structures of the NFP. Although the Transitional Federal Parliament preceding the NFP had sat at various times, it had not had a permanent Parliamentary Secretariat to support its operations. The NFP’s creation brought with it an urgent need to establish a functioning Parliamentary Secretariat, capable both of efficiently and accountably managing its own internal administration and providing MPs with critical parliamentary services.

While supporting engagement with MPs and constituents broadly, the PSP also delivered more targeted support to critical groups – namely, women and young people. The PSP discussed support to the WPF to undertake a census of women in government positions, to lobby for more female members of independent commissions and to participate in the review of the Provisional Constitution. The PSP also provided support to the NFP’s Youth Caucus.

The project intervention has following objective (outcome):

• Foster Inclusive Politics through the strengthening of the effectiveness and accountability of Somalia’s parliamentary institutions to be more responsive to the needs of Somali men and women in promoting participation in political processes contributing to national peacebuilding, state building and development goals.

• Strengthen the House of the Peoples and Upper House capacities and structures to become effective and representative institutions that promote transparency, inclusion and participation in political processes to progress state-building, peacebuilding, federalism and national development priorities.

• Strengthen the Somaliland and Puntland Parliaments as well as the Emerging State Assemblies’ capacities and structures.

• Strengthen the vibrant civil society to engage and participate to the parliamentary work.

• Foster the implementation of SDG 16 in strengthening the capacities for dialogue, research and analysis on inclusive politics in Somalia.