OCHA Situation Report
Somalia: Mogadishu Fact Sheet
Report for August 2006
25 August 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

OVERVIEW OF HUMANITARIAN ENVIRONMENT IN MOGADISHU

While the needs of Mogadishu's most vulnerable populations remain high, 
ongoing civil disturbances and clan rivalries in the capital have, since 
the collapse of the government in 1991, interfered with humanitarian 
relief operations and prevented any broad-based economic development. 
Targeted kidnappings and violence against Somali nationals and 
humanitarian workers increased the difficulty of aid delivery. Recent 
assassinations include a BBC journalist (May 2005), the Somali peace 
activist Abdul Qadir Yahya (July 2005), an attempt on the life of the 
Transitional Federal Government (TFG) Prime Minister (November 2005), 
and the murder of a Swedish cameraman in Mogadishu during a public 
demonstration in June, 2006.

After heavy fighting between Islamic and militia allied to the TFG 
during the month of May left more than 320 people dead, the Supreme 
Council of Islamic Courts (SCIC) took control of the majority of 
Mogadishu in the first week of June. Relative calm reigned in the 
capital, punctuated by sporadic violence. Fighting in the first weeks of 
July in Mogadishu left at least 160 dead, 250 injured, and an estimated 
1,000 families displaced. The SCIC have consolidated their control of 
the city, securing the surrender of warlords and dismantling roadblocks, 
both of which have greatly increased freedom of movement and general 
security. As the population was exhausted by the violence and anarchy 
that characterised Mogadishu under the control of the warlords, the 
Courts have so far enjoyed significant popular support in the city. One 
of the biggest challenges facing the Courts, will be the inclusion of 
all segments of civil society - including women and minorities - in the 
administration and normalisation of daily life. With regard to 
humanitarian assistance, the recent developments may provide a 
desperately needed window of opportunity for greater access. In July, 
the Courts appealed publicly for humanitarian aid for thousands of 
civilians as well as for assistance in reintegrating thousands of 
recently disarmed militia. They stated that they would provide 
assistance, unhindered access and security to aid personnel. The UN is 
now actively exploring ways of boosting its presence in the city, and 
the priority will continue to be the more than 250,000 IDPs in Mogadishu 
who, over the last several years, have received very limited 
humanitarian assistance.

Since May, 2006, conflict in Mogadishu has caused tens of thousands of 
people to be displaced both out of Mogadishu and within the city itself. 
In addition, close to 20,000 Somalis have crossed into Kenya since early 
2006, the majority fleeing conflict in Mogadishu. With relative calm 
restored in the city, significant returns were recorded, as were returns 
between the districts of the city itself. In most cases, people returned 
to destroyed homesteads. Somalis who fled to Kenya, however, are 
unlikely to return to Mogadishu.

Mogadishu (capital of Benadir region with an estimated population of 
1.3-1.5 million) remains the financial and commercial centre of 
south/central Somalia. Business has managed to thrive in one sector; 
Mogadishu leads the East African market in telecommunications, the 
Internet and a modern communications network, including local cellular 
telephone systems with international connections via satellite. One of 
the reasons for this success is the absence of government, which has 
yielded free trade without taxes or regulatory expenditures.

The main market in Mogadishu (Bakara) offers a broad range of goods from 
food to electronic gadgets to arms. The May 2006 Monitoring Group on 
Somalia report to the UN Security Council describes - in spite of the 
arms embargo - a continuous flow of arms into the country and increasing 
overall militarization, both of which contribute to potential violence 
in the operational environment. In the absence of a formal banking 
sector, money exchange services widely available in Mogadishu handle 
between US$750 million-1 billion annually in remittances from the 
diaspora. This money far exceeds what the country receives in aid; it 
triggers trade and averts a worse humanitarian crisis. The lack of 
government means that the US dollar is the currency of choice - even 
IDPs beg in hard currency. The city has several radio stations, two 
television broadcasters, a Somali Institute for Management and 
Administration and a university. In 2005, Mogadishu University was 
ranked among the top 100 African universities and placed 79th in Africa 
- preceding well-known established universities on the continent.

North and South Mogadishu are linked by road networks, most of which 
need repair or reconstruction. Freedom of movement within the city has 
greatly improved with the Courts' dismantling of militia roadblocks. In 
July, the Courts took control of the city's main seaport and airport; 
the first plane for 15 years landed in mid-July. Three other airstrips 
close to Mogadishu - Issiley, Dayniile and K50 (50 km outside Mogadishu) 
- continue to function. For security reasons, UN flights land at K50, 
while some INGOs use Issiley and ICRC occasionally uses Daynile.

KEY HUMANITARIAN ISSUES

Restricted Access

The UN has maintained a continuous presence in Mogadishu throughout the 
civil war, operating through approximately 40 national staff working on 
UN projects involving nutritional support, health, water and sanitation, 
education, HIV/AIDS awareness, polio/measles prevention campaigns, 
support to hospitals and clinics, etc. However, due to insecurity in 
Mogadishu, the scope of humanitarian relief operations is limited and 
international staff movement is highly restricted. All UN Missions to 
Mogadishu are subject to approval. With the changing political scenario, 
there is a chance that these conditions may change. In July, the SCIC 
identified IDPs in Mogadishu as a priority concern, and it is hoped that 
this commitment, coupled with the increased calm in the capital, will 
improve humanitarian access and strengthen existing activities of UN 
agencies and NGOs. Enhanced engagement and deployment of international 
staff will be gradual and will depend on levels of security.

Limited Income Generation Opportunities For IDPs and Urban Poor

Poor employment prospects have increased the economic hardship of those 
in need, particularly IDPs and urban destitute. Men are largely 
dependent on low paid and shift-based port activities (other work 
includes market porter, the production of lime, quarrying, construction, 
seasonal farming, and charcoal production); women rely upon low paid 
work as domestic servants, selling water, collection and sale of 
firewood, house-mudding, and seasonal farming; children rely on shoe 
shining, begging, and the collection of discarded khat leaves for 
re-sale.

Poor Protection Environment For IDPs

Around 250,000 IDPs live in Mogadishu. These have fled their area of 
origin due to conflict but very little humanitarian relief reaches them 
in the city due to lack of access. IDPs have few employment 
opportunities and most survive on casual work. The worst-off resort to 
begging. IDPs typically live in shelters made from branches, plastic 
sheets or bits of scrap metal with no toilets. During the rainy season, 
diseases like malaria, TB, diarrhoea and dysentery spread quickly. Most 
IDPs (and other urban poor) cannot afford to visit health facilities and 
die of diseases that could easily be prevented or cured. They take 
refuge in abandoned schools, universities and government buildings in 
Mogadishu without access to proper water and sanitation facilities. IDPs 
are often from minority clans, or weak/powerless clans, and thus have 
limited clan protection. They are particularly vulnerable to violence 
but have little recourse to either customary law (xeer), or religious 
law (sharia). Despite their vulnerability, IDPs/urban poor are unlikely 
to return to their place of origin due to insecurity and lack of 
livelihood opportunities.

Lack of Basic Social Services

A large part of Mogadishu's population lives in unacceptable conditions. 
The incidence of communicable diseases is high. Domestic use of 
contaminated water is a major contributor to their poor nutritional 
status. There is a common and strong desire for education amongst IDPs 
and other vulnerable groups in Mogadishu, yet access is related to the 
protective environment. Entrenched socio-ethnic divisions affect access 
to employment opportunities and income that in turn affects the degree 
of access (or reinforces the lack of access) to education and health 
facilities.

Health Campaign Starts In Mogadishu To Curb New Polio Outbreak

Somalia had been polio free since 2002. However, polio resurfaced in 
Mogadishu in July 2005. As of July, 2006, 211 cases of polio have been 
confirmed in Somalia, 165 of which were in Mogadishu. The already low 
routine immunization rate, cultural attitudes towards vaccines, and 
insecurity (and thus inaccessibility) have played a large role in 
contributing to the spread of the outbreak. Fighting in the capital also 
delayed immunization activities. However, the renewed calm has enabled 
the immunization of 99% of Mogadishu children under five.

Humanitarian Partners Working in Mogadishu and Coordination Mechanisms

Despite significant operational and security challenges, nine 
humanitarian UN agencies operate in Mogadishu: WHO: Polio eradication; 
drug distribution to TB patients; sentinel surveillance of infectious 
and communicable diseases; UNICEF: Water rehabilitation and well 
chlorination benefiting IDPs and residents; Mother and Child health care 
(MCH); polio eradication; child rights and protection for street 
children and demobilisation of armed youth; support to primary health 
care for children under five; WFP: Feeding programmes to improve 
nutritional status aimed at hospital patients and TB centers; MCHs; 
Therapeutic and Supplementary Feeding for malnourished children. WFP 
also plans to launch school feeding; UNESCO: Curriculum development; 
distribution of text books for elementary and secondary schools; 
overseeing grade eight and secondary school examinations; FAO/FSAU: Food 
security analysis and Early Warning; UNHCR: Reception of spontaneous 
return and income generation activities; UNDP: Support to a resource 
center for civil society and support to Mogadishu University; UNHABITAT: 
works through local NGOs on shelter; OCHA: Facilitation of access; 
advocacy for protection, information and coordination. In addition to 
these UN agencies, ICRC is active in the health sector in Mogadishu.

INGOs operating in Mogadishu include: ACF France (Health and Nutrition), 
MSF Spain (Health), Concern Worldwide (Food Security, HIV/AIDS, 
Advocacy, Education, Peace Building), Mercy USA (nutrition); Red 
Crescent (nutrition); DBG (Health, Food Security), Muslim Aid UK 
(Health), DAWA Al Islamiya (Health and Education), IAS (Health and 
Education), Ruudi UK (Education and Agricultural Development). Several 
LNGOs and civil society groups work in tandem with the above agencies. 
Two sectoral coordination mechanisms exist on health/nutrition and 
education chaired by WHO and UNESCO respectively. Prior to and 
throughout the two main rainy seasons (Gu and Deyr), a cholera task 
force chaired by WHO meets on a needs basis. OCHA coordinates a monthly 
inter-agency meeting in Mogadishu. UN agencies and INGOs meet regularly 
to share security information.

Throughout 2005/2006, OCHA Somalia has received funding from: Australia, 
ECHO, Ireland, Republic of Korea, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and 
United Kingdom

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