By Guleed Maher
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change of Somaliland held a meeting over the week in Hargeisa to launch the National Policy on Climate Change of Somaliland.
According to the Decree of President Muse Bihi Abdi, which came out on November 7, 2023 aimed at the dissemination of the National Policy on Climate Change.
It was previously approved by the Cabinet of Ministers and the legislative councils, and signed by the president.
The reason behind Somaliland’s national climate change policy is that it is based on the national constitution, especially Article 58, and other regulations related to environmental issues approved by Somaliland’s legislative councils; they guide the protection and management of the environment.
In addition, it is in order to ensure the government’s responsibility for the development of the community in terms of environment, and economy, in accordance with our national vision of 2030, in the third national development plan.
It is one of the most important policies that can be seen, as the Somaliland government is committed to protecting the environment, economic development, and society, as the Director General of the Ministry of Environment of Somaliland, Mohamed Abdillahi Duale, said at the launch.
The forum for the dissemination of the National Policy on climate change was attended by the Ministers Agriculture, Water, Council Relations, and Constitutional Affairs, the presidential adviser on economic affairs, the director general of the Ministry of National Planning amongst others.
Leaders from international and local agencies working on environmental issues, the Peace Academy, and Somaliland Development Fund, Dahabshiil company officials, officials from the Taiwan embassy in Hargeisa, and the UK government office in Hargeisa, students from universities in the country, and young people who are active in environmental issues.
The Director General of the Ministry of Environment, and Climate Change in Somaliland, Mohamed Abdillahi Duale, who spoke at the opening of the conference, explains;
He said, “The overall goal of the national policy on climate change is to ensure that the citizens of Somaliland have strong resilience, the effects of climate change, and resist the effects of climate change on our social and economic conditions.
“Among the specific objectives of this policy is to reduce the vulnerability of the problem caused by the effects of climate change, and to strengthen the methods of protection of the vulnerable sectors of society, the natural environment, and to increase carrying out the law of preparedness for natural disasters, and their management”.
He continued, “To propose reasonable adaptation measures to deal with the effects of climate change, by raising the level of resilience, while reducing the level of vulnerability, strengthening the capacity of the community. To develop the activities of government agencies, to unite the response to climate change that comes from all aspects that are important for Somaliland’s economy and the environment, and society”.
On the other hand, the Director said that the report focuses on two areas, namely adaptation to the effects of climate change, and to reduce the problems caused by climate change.
Because climate change is affecting all the basic things, he said, “This policy focuses on two areas, which are adaptation to the effects of climate change, and to reduce the problems caused by climate change. “Climate change is affecting all the basics.”
Mohamed Abdullahi Duale lauded President Bihi, and pointed out that his actions are marked by the dissemination of the national policy on climate change. “I am here to thank the president of the Republic of Somaliland, Musa Bihi Abdi, whose council of ministers had a long discussion and analysis on the national policy on climate change, when it was presented, they endorsed it”.
The opening of Somaliland’s national policy on climate change was addressed by some members of the ministers who participated, and other government officials, who all welcomed the dissemination of the national policy on climate change, and how the Ministry of Environment has taken responsibility to make our society understand the effects of climate change
