Baidoa, Somalia — Somalia’s flagship humanitarian summit, the 2025 Country Humanitarian Forum (CHF2025), officially opened on Wednesday in Baidoa, the interim capital of Southwest State, amid rising humanitarian needs across the country.
The high-level forum, spearheaded by the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), convenes critical stakeholders from government agencies, international partners, UN organizations, NGOs, civil society groups, and donor representatives. The summit aims to enhance coordination, address aid delivery challenges, and build sustainable partnerships to strengthen the national response to ongoing crises.
Held under the theme “From Crisis Response to Resilience,” the CHF2025 comes at a time when millions of Somalis face acute food insecurity, displacement, and climate-related shocks. Organizers say the goal is to align humanitarian interventions with national priorities while promoting joint planning and accountability.
“Somalia cannot address its humanitarian challenges in isolation. This forum is a critical platform to build synergy, close funding gaps, and prioritize lifesaving and resilience-building interventions,” said SoDMA Commissioner Mahamuud Moallim Abdullahi.
The summit’s agenda focuses on strengthening coordination between federal and state-level institutions, improving aid effectiveness and transparency, bridging the humanitarian-development nexus, and securing predictable, flexible, and long-term funding.
Southwest State officials welcomed the decision to host the forum in Baidoa, one of the country’s most affected regions.
“It’s symbolic and strategic. Baidoa reflects both the challenges and resilience of Somalia’s people,” said Southwest State Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Abdinasir Haji.
Development partners expressed support for Somalia’s leadership in driving the humanitarian agenda. Several pledges are expected during the two-day conference, with follow-up mechanisms to monitor implementation.
With the Somalia 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan underfunded by more than 50%, stakeholders hope that CHF2025 will galvanize renewed donor engagement and innovative financing models.
The forum concludes on Thursday with a joint communiqué outlining priority actions and commitments for the year ahead.
