The National Democratic Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.

The Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) must establish security, build its credibility and reach among the Somali population, deliver basic services and develop viable, permanent government institutions. Enacting the Djibouti Peace Agreement is the only process recognized by Somali political players, the international community and regional actors toward stability and permanent institutions. Initially set to be completed by August 2011, the transition part of the agreement requires transitional federal institutions (TFI) to prepare the legal basis for transition from an interim to a permanent government. On Feb. 3, 2011, the Transitional Federal Parliament (TFP) overwhelmingly voted to extend its term by three years. That was followed on March 2 by the extension of the TFG by one year. Ultimately, on June 9, senior TFG and TFP officials agreed to the Kampala Accord, deferring indirect elections of the president and speaker to August 2012 as well as appointing a new government to complete transitional tasks. On June 28, parliament approved the president’s nominee for prime minister whose new cabinet was subsequently approved on July 20.

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NDI in Somalia

NDI has supported Somali efforts since 2005, with support from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The Institute's programs aim at building the core governance and parliamentary abilities of the TFG, TFP and Puntland administration, as well as independent institutions e.g., Independent Federal Constitutional Commission (IFCC). The Institute has worked with the offices of the president and prime minister and the speaker of parliament, political and administrative heads of more than 30 ministries, and nearly 400 members of parliament (MPs), including more than 20 female MPs.

While its Somalia programs have faced significant challenges, particularly related to security, the Institute conducted skills-development workshops for members of the TFP, and built the legislative skills and knowledge base of women parliamentarians. NDI support to the TFIs has increased the communication between Somali political players and government bodies, Somali citizens and the TFG, international donors and the international community in Somalia.

Executive Program

The Institute’s current three-part program focuses on assessing civil society, business, media, and the TFG; supporting the development of capable ministries; and helping constructive communication with civil society. The executive program also coordinated an in-depth assessment in 2008 of the TFG and civil society and helped Somali partners identify communication and coordination mechanisms to strengthen the relationship between the principal offices of the president and prime minister and other ministries of government.

• During a two-day session in April 2009, staff from the two principal offices received training on internal communication, including the discussion of communication challenges in and between the two offices and how to improve them.
• In October 2009, the Institute worked with the Ministry of Information to develop a national communication strategy for more consistent and transparent communication with the Somali people and international community. In 2010, this included staff training on news releases and website management.
• Somali government launches website to expand outreach to citizens»
• NDI has helped the office of the president develop basic organizational structures including roles and responsibilities of staff, as well as processes to develop regular briefings and meetings on the president’s agenda and government activities.

Legislative Program

With support from USAID, NDI has been working with the TFP members and staff since 2007 to become an operational and functional national legislative assembly. This project was inaugurated with a program planning mission and assessment of the TFP. NDI was approached to assist in the January 2009 election of President Sharif Ahmed by advising the parliament’s Presidential Election Committee on international best practices for elections. In February of that year, NDI held an orientation program and a training session on preparing and conducting public hearings for the newly expanded parliament including nearly 400 current and new MPs. This training led to a strong demand from the TFG for continued NDI support.

In January 2011, NDI staff traveled to Garowe, Puntland, marking the Institute’s return to Somalia since its work in Baidoa in 2008. The mission served to expand NDI engagement in the region, assess the political situation and establish relations with the Puntland administration.

NDI’s Somalia legislative program has resulted in increasing lawmakers’ awareness of basic legislative functions outlined in the Transitional Federal Charter.

• During the three-day new member orientation in January 2009, an average of 360 members (19 women, 342 men) acquired basic legislative skills of parliamentary oversight, specifically the role of the parliament in creating, adopting and monitoring the budget.
• In January 2010, 23 women MPs met to establish the Somali Women’s Parliamentary Association (SOWPA), the first women’s caucus in the history of the Somali parliament.
• Members of parliament form the Somali Women Parliamentarians' Association»
• In August 2010, NDI, in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), brought representatives from the TFP and TFG together to develop a transitional agenda, focusing on the drafting of necessary legislation to be passed and implemented in order to bring the transitional period to completion by August 2011.
• Following the January 2011 Puntland assessment, NDI planned a workshop in Garowe, during which 40 members of the Puntland House of Representatives and six staff were trained on the roles and responsibilities of parliamentary committee staff.
• In March 2011, the Institute held a roundtable on the role of MPs in the reconciliation process as the country approached the scheduled end of the transitional period.

Constitutional Development Program

In September 2009, NDI received additional funding from USAID for constitutional development programming, including civic education components, in support to Somali partners. The program helps the TFP, TFG and independent commissions develop constitution-related legislation and engage the Somali public on constitutional issues. The program will also include civic education activities and public outreach including a public opinion research element intended to reflect the will of the populace and the unique political, social and economic circumstances of the region.

In June 2010, the Institute conducted its inaugural round of focus group research in Somalia with the support of six civil society organizations in Puntland and South Central. Through the 38 focus group discussions with various cross-sections of Somali society and 35 one-on-one interviews with religious leaders and clan elders, the research provided insight into views on democracy, the constitution, the TFG and ideas on the future of Somali republic. The findings are outlined in NDI’s report, Looking Toward the Future: Citizen Attitudes about Peace, Governance and the Future in Somalia. The Institute anticipates conducting one round of research per year for the life of the program; the second report on Somali public opinion is anticipated in the fall of 2011.

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Contact Information

For more information about these programs, use our contact form or contact:

Nairobi
Mohamed Abdirizak, Resident Director
+254 20 3877051

Dale Archer, Program Manager
202-728-5597

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