Launched jointly by the Federal Government of Somalia and the World Bank, the Country Climate and Development Report highlights the importance of linking climate adaptation directly to employment and productivity. The report argues that resilience investments can be converted into job opportunities, supporting Somalia’s ambition to reach middle‑income status by 2060.
“Our focus is to ensure that climate action directly benefits our communities while building a stronger, more resilient Somalia,” said Bashir Mohamed Jama, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. He added that climate resilience must underpin economic stability and opportunity at a time when climate shocks are intensifying.
Somalia is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change. Without urgent action, climate impacts could reduce gross domestic product by up to 13.5% by 2060, undermining growth, worsening fragility and depressing employment prospects.
World Bank Country Manager Hideki Matsunaga said coordinated leadership and evidence‑based policymaking are critical. “Somalia can turn climate challenges into opportunities for employment and productivity. With smart investments in resilient rural livelihoods, climate‑smart cities and stronger institutions, Somalia can break the cycle of vulnerability,” he said.
The report notes that although Somalia has made important strides in stabilisation, including completion of the highly indebted poor country debt relief process in 2023 and accession to the East African Community in 2024, decades of conflict, weak institutions, droughts and floods continue to erode livelihoods and strain public services.
It stresses that integrating climate and development strategies can support private‑sector‑led growth and job creation, shifting the country from crisis response to long‑term economic opportunity. Investments in early warning systems, disaster preparedness, water management and climate‑smart agriculture are described as essential, cost‑effective tools for protecting lives and sustaining jobs in communities affected by conflict and displacement.
The report also emphasises that while Somalia will rely on external financing in the short term, stronger national leadership will be needed over time to plan, implement and fund climate action.
Deepening private‑sector partnerships will be vital to translate resilience investments into durable employment and reduce dependence on humanitarian support.
–WorldBank/ChannelAfrica–
