Nairobi, Kenya – Somalia’s Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Yusuf Mohamed Adan, on Saturday opened a three-day High-Level Meeting on Social Protection in Nairobi, signaling a renewed drive to build stronger safety nets for citizens across the Horn of Africa nation.
The gathering brings together Somali government officials, members of the social affairs committees from both houses of parliament, development partners, and technical experts.
The discussions aim to shape a coordinated approach that ensures vulnerable populations, including women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities, have access to inclusive social protection systems.
Adan emphasized that Somalia’s progress in economic reforms and institution-building must be matched by investments in social welfare.
“We cannot speak of stability and resilience without safeguarding the dignity and security of our people,” he said at the opening session.
Over the three days, participants are expected to review Somalia’s existing frameworks, identify gaps, and outline policy measures to expand coverage of essential services such as cash transfers, labor market programs, and social insurance.
The Nairobi meeting also provides a platform to align Somalia’s efforts with global best practices, while taking into account the country’s unique context of recovery from conflict, climate shocks, and poverty.
Observers say the outcome of the meeting will feed into Somalia’s national social protection strategy, which the government intends to roll out in partnership with international agencies. If successfully implemented, the strategy could mark a turning point in reducing vulnerability and fostering long-term resilience among Somali households.
The conference concludes on Monday with a set of recommendations to be presented to Somalia’s leadership for adoption and integration into national policy.