Somaliland's Strategy For Economic Recovery And Poverty Reduction Plan 2003 – 2005

[Jacaylbaro]

The PRSP is a world bank / IMF prescribed framework for addressing poverty and ensuring that countries are committed to addressing poverty. It's also a prerequisite imposed by these institutions for debt relief under the HIPC initiative. Among other things it determines poverty reduction priority areas for national budgets.

 

From the very onset it appears that the PRSP processes and direct benefits derived from them cannot be applied to Somaliland, as it is not an internationally recognsed state and hence cannot access the privileges recognized states enjoy. The World Bank and IMF policies and regulations do not allow or permit them to work with unrecognized governments or states. In effect the government of Somaliland and the World Bank cannot establish bi lateral agreements for the much needed funding and other technical assistance.

 

This has not deterred Somaliland which has undertaken its own bold and commendable initiative to address the issues of poverty without the support or influence of these intuitions and with minimal external support from existing international agencies. This in it self is an indication of the governments commitment to tackle poverty. Somaliland's SERPRP identifies key policy actions it has deemed necessary to spur the revitalization and recovery of the Somaliland economy. This is based on four pillars (themes), which in turn have been elaborated into 12 core programmes that reflect the overall goals of the Somaliland people. The document attempts to prescribe ways in which poverty could be tackled and eventually eradicated in Somaliland. (Ministry of National Planning and coordination)

 

This strategy for Economic Recovery and poverty Reduction focuses on the main strategy for restoring and revitalizing the economy, creating opportunities for job creation and promoting good governance though transparency and accountability. The strategy takes into account existing government policy documents particularly the two –year development plan of 1998-1999 and the voices of poor 2000. It also attempts to incorporate the policy proposals contained in the new constitution. (Ministry of National Planning)

 

During the past decade, the government concentrated on building peace, maintaining law and order through the process of reconciliation and dialogue, which at the time became the overriding prerequisite for establishing basic public services and the legal and political framework for transition to a representative democratic government. Given its bitter experience with the years of military dictatorship and authoritarian regime, Somaliland's political institutions and its strategies of governance have come to be based on consensus and formulae for participation and representation of the regionally based social groups. Periodic outbreaks of violence and inter-clan conflicts have occurred but these were always resolved through dialogue and deliberations. ( SERPRP 2003-2005)

 

The major challenges currently facing the government is how to move from the transition stage to restore economic growth, generate employment opportunities to absorb the large number of unemployed, particularly the youth and reduce the rampant poverty levels. The government is convinced that establishing a comprehensive economic recovery plan is primary vehicle through which it can achieve improved provision of social services e.g. health, education, housing etc, better infrastructure services and attract private investment to create gainful employment and reduce poverty for the people of Somaliland.

 

The preparation of the SERPRP therefore represents recognition by the government of the need for providing a more coherent development policy and planning framework that would better respond to the development needs of the Somaliland people and adhere to the requirement's of development partners and in effect better contribute to its effective allocation and utilization of scarce resources. The strategy for Economic Recovery and Poverty Reduction focuses on government's main strategy for restoring and revitalizing the economy, creating opportunities for job creation and promoting good governance through transparency and accountability.

 

The SEPRP policy document mentions the main challenges for Somaliland's social sector policies as including the reduction of poverty, improving access to education, health and related social services that will have the effect of reducing poverty.

 

It also lists the major cases of poverty and the impacts of increased poverty. The government broad objectives on social services are to reduce poverty through employment creation, empowerment, increase access, affordability and quality of social services.

 

Limitations and Challenges of the SERPRP Process in Somaliland

 

1. Unlike the other countries that have employed a participatory process in preparing their PRSP, Somaliland's three-year development plan was not prepared in such a manner as to allow the participation and consultation of all concerned stakeholders. The debate on poverty in the country is still very minimal as compared to the other east African countries and remains primarily confined to technocrats in the concerned sectors and line ministries like the ministry of planning or finance etc. The ordinary people have no idea that they too could meaning fully contribute in decision making on how development should be planned and implemented.

 

2. Strategies for the mainstreaming of vulnerable groups trough out the document is not very clear. Priorities of the vulnerable have not been taken into account. That could also explain why the current document as it stands even in draft form does not contain any information or intervention on minorities concerns.

 

3. The SERPRP prescribes very ambitious but urgently needed interventions. A lot still needs to be covered or presented in the SERPRP. For example inclusion of minorities, HIV/ Aids, the institutionalizing of poverty reduction in all sectors like empowering local district committees to be more effective and committed at addressing poverty etc. The SERPRP should also provide a continuous and better understanding and magnitude of poverty, its nature and characteristics within the Somaliland context and spell out the determinants of poverty. It's still unclear as to how the government intends to secure resources necessary for the comprehensive implementation of these policies, so that the SERPRP should be marched with budget commitments. In other words all though the SERPRP makes provision for budgetary allocations, there is a high risk that the government may not be able to meet the budget allocations owing to its limited revenue base.

 

4. The SERPRP also sets out targets and expected outputs, however is lacking in the presentation of indicators that would assist in monitoring and evaluating outcomes. Although it's also meant to provide linkages amongst sectors the methodologies or strategies as to how this will be established are not clearly spelt out.

 

5. The SERPRP provides a wonderful opportunity for the translation of constitutional provisions into practical and measurable national policies. For example article 8 of the constitution prohibits all forms of discriminations and places a responsibility on government to develop strategies to eradicate the forms of discrimination that exist. This provision could be concretely addressed in the SERPRP.

 

6. Achieving a rights based approach in a very poor and u unrecognized country is not so straight forward, as the duty bearers themselves are as helpless as the rights holders. Much as vulnerable groups and minorities advance their concerns and ensure that they are included in the poverty strategy plan ensuring and achieving sufficient budgetary allocations may not be easily realized.

 

 

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