Somali Joint Needs Assessment Overview

Introduction to the JNA

In accordance with the Declaration of Principles and, signed by the Prime Minister of the Somali Transitional Federal Government, HE Ali Mohamed Gedi and the Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Ambassador Winston Tubman in February 2005, it was agreed under section IV, that immediate preparations for a longer term Reconstruction and Development Programme would commence. Subsequent to this the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia and the International Community requested the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) and the World Bank (WB) to co-lead, in partnership with Somali counterparts, and prepare for a Somali Joint Needs Assessment (JNA) which would lead to a Reconstruction and Development Programme in preparation for a donor’s conference to be held in Rome and co-hosted by Sweden and Italy.

Background to the JNA

Over the last decade, donors have attributed increasing importance to providing timely and substantive support to post-conflict recovery and peace building. A large part of this assistance is mobilized via international reconstruction conferences, at which donors make pledges based on an overall assessment of post-conflict recovery needs. Thus, the post-conflict needs assessment (PCNA) has recently become a key entry point for conceptualizing, negotiating and financing post-conflict recovery strategies. Generally, PCNAs are jointly carried out by the UN and the World Bank, sometimes in conjunction with other key donor agencies. The Somalia post conflict needs assessment is called the Somali Joint Needs Assessment (JNA) and is articulated in the JNA Concept Note.

What is the JNA?

The Somali Joint Needs Assessment will involve a complex analytical process led by the UN and WB in full consultation with Somali counterparts. The JNA aims to overcome consequences of conflict or war, prevent renewed outbreak and shape a 5 year reconstruction and development priorities as well as articulate their financial implications on the basis of an overall long-term vision or goal and orientated to the Millennium Development Goals.

Work for the JNA is organized around six clusters and 3 cross-cutting issues:

1. Governance, safety and the rule of law
2. Macro-economic policy framework and data development
3. Infrastructure
4. Social services and protection of vulnerable groups
5. Productive sectors and environment
6. Livelihoods and solutions for the displaced

   I.  Peace building, reconciliation and conflict prevention;

  II.  Capacity building and institutional development and anti corruption initiatives;

 III.  Gender and human rights.

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The JNA Process & Team

The Joint Needs Assessment (JNA) which underpins this RDP has been undertaken in a very participatory manner, reaching all parts of the country and involving extensive consultations with many Somali groups plus others active in efforts to deepen peace and reduce poverty.  The JNA teams, co-led by the UN & WB held in-depth discussions with key representatives from donors, international Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Representatives of the Transitional Federal Government, and Transitional Federal Parliament, as well as with UN agencies and WB missions.  To ensure additional ownership and participation of Somali stakeholders, consultations, questionnaires and workshops were organized to identify and discuss the JNA methodology, priority needs and proposed areas of interventions.  Somali stakeholders additionally involved in the assessment process included regional administrations and parliamentarians, business people, women’s groups, youth groups, religious leaders, professionals, traditional leaders, and Somali local NGOs. 

Bilateral development partners and regional institutions – the African Union (AU), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the League of Arab States (LAS) - have been consulted and involved in the assessment process.  The UN-WB-led technical needs assessment team has worked under the guidance and support of a Coordination Support Group (CSG) consisting of the key supporting donors (EC as chair, Italy, Norway, Sweden and the UK); the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the NGO Consortium, and the UN and WB.

The Resulting JNA Outcome

The Somali Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) is the resultant 5 Volume document that is the output of the JNA process. The RDP presents a shared strategy for deepening peace and reducing poverty in a post-conflict setting.  In preparing it, an integrated team of Somali and other technical experts has consulted widely to review needs and develop a prioritized set of reconstruction and development initiatives.  Their work has drawn on information from existing sources, workshops, selected field visits and meetings with a wide array of Somali groups and individuals, aid agencies working in Somalia, and questionnaire-based fieldwork undertaken in all regions of Somalia.