Somali PM urges UN agencies, donors to change approach to working with Somalia

Tuesday August 11, 2026

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre on Tuesday called on United Nations agencies, donors and international organizations operating in Somalia to change how they work with the country, saying some still treat Somalia as a transitional state.

Speaking at an event in Mogadishu, Barre said Somalia has established functioning government institutions and a legal framework and should no longer be approached through practices designed for the country’s previous transitional period.

The prime minister said the government has developed a National Transition Plan (NTP) aimed at moving Somalia from its former transitional system toward fully functioning state institutions and governance structures.

He urged international partners to adapt their programs and operations to what he described as Somalia’s changing political and institutional landscape.

“The old ways of working cannot continue. We want them to adapt to the new Somalia and where we are going,” Barre said.

He criticized the practice of some international organizations maintaining offices or conducting significant operations outside Somalia while supporting programs inside the country.

“There are people who work for us who still want to run from Nairobi. It is the culture they have learned, but it is not possible now,” he said.

Barre said the transition must also begin within Somalia’s own government, calling on ministers, civil servants and government experts to adapt to the new system and strengthen the capacity of state institutions.

The prime minister’s remarks come as Somalia seeks to strengthen government institutions and reduce reliance on transitional arrangements while assuming greater responsibility for the country’s political, security and development affairs.