Activities in Somalia

Group photo of participants and facilitators

JICA has suspended assistance for Somalia since 1992, after the internationally recognized government collapsed and the security situation in the country severely deteriorated. In the meantime, JICA has explored some possibilities to provide assistance for Somalia, considering improvement of security situation and progress of political process.

As the first intervention, JICA conducted the "Third Country Training Programme on Health Systems Management for Somaliland Health Personnel" in September 2011, in Kisumu, Kenya.

The programme accepted sixteen (16) participants, including the Somaliland Health Minister, and central and regional health officials in Somaliland. In the programme, participants obtained some knowledge and skills on health management and leadership in classroom training. In addition, they observed how health management teams work on the ground during the site visit to Kisumu West district.

This training programme also had other unique features: collaboration with UNICEF Somalia and the Third Country Training Programme (TCTP) with technical inputs from JICA's SEMAH project (Strengthening Management for Health in Nyanza). JICA drew from its experiences in Kenya to provide assistance for Somalia.