Somalia has taken another step forward in addressing the climate emergency by launching the Somali Climate Finance Trial and operationalising the National Climate Fund (NCF), a mechanism designed to strengthen the country’s capacity to manage and benefit from climate finance.
The two-day National Inception Workshop, held in Mogadishu on 27–28 August, convened more than 60 senior representatives from government agencies, business and civil society. The event concluded with agreement on the Inception Report and the Annual Work Plan, which will serve as the roadmap for Somalia’s emerging climate finance framework.
The opening session was officiated by the Minister of Finance, Mr Bihi Iman Egeh, who also serves as Chair of the NCF Board, who was accompnaied the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, H.E. Lt Gen Bashir Mohamed Jama.
In his keynote remarks, Finance Minister Bihi Egeh described enhancing Somalia’s access to climate finance as a national priority. He emphasised that the Somali people continue to endure recurrent droughts, floods and other extreme weather events that endanger both lives and livelihoods.
“Mobilising and managing climate finance through the National Climate Fund will not only enable us to respond more effectively to these urgent challenges but also allow us to plan for a more resilient and sustainable future,” he said. “This process demonstrates our government’s collective commitment to ensuring that climate resources are channelled transparently and equitably, reaching the communities that need them most.”
Participants described the Climate Finance Trial as a critical step in operationalising the NCF and placing Somalia in a stronger position to access multilateral and vertical climate funds such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Adaptation Fund and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), from which initial financing has already begun to flow.
Closing the workshop, Liban Obsiye, Executive Director of the NCF, underscored the importance of partnerships. “Partnership is key to building resilience and this process shows Somalia’s determination to work collectively to mobilise resources to tackle the climate crisis,” he said. “Access to climate finance is about meeting our immediate national needs but also about investing in our long-term stability and sustainable development and protecting the most vulnerable communities from the worsening impacts of climate change.”
The National Climate Fund was established by presidential decree of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to create a centralised framework for mobilising, distributing and supervising climate finance. Its Board, chaired by the Finance Minister, brings together leading ministries and national institutions to ensure coordinated governance.
This marks the first time Somalia has introduced a whole-of-government approach to climate finance, complemented by the active participation of private-sector stakeholders and civil society organisations recognised within the constituencies of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Officials argue that the new arrangement will enhance Somalia’s ability to attract international climate resources, strengthen transparency and accountability in their use and prioritise assistance for the communities most directly affected by climate shocks.
