Somalia Stability Fund 2021

The Somalia Stability Fund II (SSF) is a multi-donor fund, led by the UK, that supports the development of a peaceful, stable, and secure Somalia. The Fund is designed to support enhanced government legitimacy and reduced political and communal conflict by increasing government visibility and community engagement; enhancing popular participation in governance, particularly for women and marginalized groups; and addressing structural drivers of conflict and instability at the political and communal level.  SSF is guided by key principles of local ownership and sustainability and operates in five federal member states - Puntland, Galmudug, South West, Hirshabele, and Jubaland. The fund has expanded to work at district level and to explicitly focus on addressing areas of significant political tension which a detrimental to stability. To date, SSF has supported 396 projects in Somalia, contributing to enhanced stability, state legitimacy and women's representation. Originally announced by the UK Prime Minister at the London Conference on Somalia in February 2012, SSF has since attracted support from six additional donors: Denmark, the European Union, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. The SSF has been able to achieve some key results.  At the outcome level, SSF II has contributed to the enhancement of stability in Somalia and is making good progress towards enhancing state legitimacy and reducing political and communal conflict in Somalia. There has been noted increased inclusivity in Somalia's political processes at the local level. Women are also getting a stronger voice and representation in the political sphere at the district level; young men and women are beginning to get increased opportunities to get employment, and the state-society relations will have been improved by the increased legitimacy by the local authorities. However, the political context in Somalia remains fluid. This appraisal has noted that the continued domination of the political space by fictionalized elites has remained constant and undermined stability as key issues remain unaddressed while political struggles dominate the agendas of Somalia’s leaders and opposition.