PROGRAM OF ACTION

 Immediately after attaining the mandate sought in part II, above, the ministry will launch the following program of action.

1.      Co-ordination of Humanitarian Assistance

The ministry will build partnerships and networks among individuals, groups, ministries international agencies and countries and will province leadership in the co-ordination of Humanitarian Assistance, resettlement of internally Displaced persons. In all its actions, the ministry will be lead by the respect of the human rights of displaced persons. It will also be lead by the spirit of national reconciliation and re-integration. As such, the ministry will affect the establishment of effective and decentralised co-ordination mechanisms and structures fostering partnerships and establishing networks with funding agencies and implementing partners. It will build a National Consultative forum chaired by the minister and to which functionaries, project leaders, and technical committees report periodically (weekly or bio-weekly) for approval of policies, procedures, plans etc.

Membership may include participating government ministries, UN agencies, NGOs, civil Society representatives, etc. To ensure consistency, this mechanism and structures will be replicated in each Region of the country.

The ministry is cognisant that if co-ordination of humanitarian assistance is not managed carefully and effectively, it can slow down the reconciliation process and may even sow the seeds of future conflicts. To this end, policies, principles and strategies will be carefully thought through to ensure fairness, equity and transparency; the ministry will adopt a Reconstruction and Resettlement strategy that provides framework, policy guidelines and basic criteria for addressing displacement within the country. In addition to this, other international instruments that aim at protecting displaced persons will be reviewed and adapted to the local conditions and in every instance this process will be systematic, transparent and very participatory. All concerned ministries, agencies, security forces, donors, and local leaders will be engaged. Through these mechanisms, standardised assessments, targeting, packages, rations, minimum standards, responsibilities of Government and agencies etc. Will be designed and adopted to form the basis for monitoring and evaluation of impact.

 2.      Resettlement

 According to some recent statistics (US committee refugees website ),by 1992 approximately one million of the country’s eight million population were refugees  a neighbouring countries, close a million persons steel remain refugees or internally displaced. In order to address the issue resettling our refugees, the same approach of partnership-building and co-ordination used for humanitarian assistance will be adopted to allow for their resettlement.

The same approach of adherence to principles and policies, to ensure equity and transparency, will guide the resettlement process. The ministry will form standardised resettlement packages for all the regions, displaced beneficiaries in camps and host communities, returnees etc. These packages should include the choice of resettlement area, free transportation, medical screening before transportation, materials for erection of temporary shelter, and food for a reasonable number of weeks.

3.      Reintegration

 The ministry will forge a community based strategy to reintegrate systems such as schools, clinics, agricultural seeds and tools, livestock, roads rehabilitation, etc. These services will be open to all community members and will not be targeting at particular groups like ex-militias returnees. This is expected to create employment and further promote reconciliation and reintegration.

 The ministry is quite aware that it can not undertake these activities alone. It will therefore, not only develop programs to support a settlement and reintegration process but will also provide direction to donors and partners, participate in fund-raising and embark on an advocacy role.

4.      Reparation

The issue of reparations will probably be the most illusive and difficult one to accomplish as some groups who are dispossessed others may feel threatened. But if done properly and according to universal human rights principles, such as right to reparation and right to effective remedy, it may enhance the reconciliation and re-integration process by building solid foundation.

It is within this context that the ministry will seek the support of international community to provide appropriate financial and technical resources for post conflict Rehabilitation, Reconstruction, and Development. This will include the establishment of special fund for conflict victims. Since reparation is a complex issue the Ministry will, as much as possible, set up a separate body with expertise in reparation laws, principles and strategies to ensure that the system is free from abuse, transparent, fair, and equitable.

            5.      Somali Diaspora

 The Ministry will put in a place appropriate policies and programs to profit from the potential of the Somali Diaspora both in terms of economic and Human Resources.

          6.      Reconstruction

 The Ministry will assess the rehabilitation of needs of the dilapidated housing facilities, Government Buildings and economic infrastructure of the country; also it will put a policy of prioritisation of infrastructure in accordance with the needs and financial possibilities of the Government.

The Ministry will adopt technological modernisation in its reconstruction policy, and it will encourage the use of effective appropriate local technology in the reconstruction of the infrastructure.