Launching Puntland's Five-year Development Plan ( PFYDP)

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DAWLAD GOBOLEDKA PUNTLAND PUNTLAND STATE
SOMALIA OF SOMALIA
Ministry Of Planning And International Cooperation
Wasaaradda Qorsheynta iyo Iskaashiga Caalamiga


Ref: W/Q/I/C……./2005 Garowe 27/06/20054


Launching Puntland's Five-year Development Plan ( PFYDP)
Puntland Government Policy Paper: a note on the government's Development Policies and strategies.

At the outset, I wish to thank all of you for coming to share with us the opening of the Consultative Workshop on the formation of the Regional Five-Year Development plan for Puntland. I would like to remind the audience that about one and half year ago the Puntland government has taken the initiative to formulate a Development Plan for the country. But, political events, including elections in Puntland and other administrative circumstance have delayed its practical implementation before now.

Nevertheless, we are gathered here today to launch the Project of Puntland Five-Year Development Plan (PFYDP) which starts with the present 3 days Consultative Workshop. Today's preliminary presentation and discussions will focus on the topic of development plan, its objectives, policy and strategic plan. The participants of the workshop, which include the major stakeholders in the public and private sectors, as well as International Aid Communities and Civil Society, will share information, and will discuss and analyze issues related to Puntland Development Plan.

In this Policy Paper, we pose ourselves the question, why do we need a Development Plan in Puntland? But before we respond to this question, let's give a bleak outlook of Puntland regions' development background and its current socio-economic status.


Even though, Somalia as a whole, unlike many other countries in Africa, did not inherit any tangible socio-economic development projects from its colonial powers, thus the country has remained one of the poorest countries on the earth, since its independence in 1960. In addition to that, the Puntland regions were neglected further by the past Somali governments, in terms of endowment of economic and social development projects. The Puntland area was considered remote, far away from the capital (Mogadishu) where most of the country's resources and development projects were concentrated. The GNP per capita of 2001 was US$200.00. There is no data available for the percentage of the population below the poverty line in Somalia. But we assume that more than half of Puntland Population is below the poverty line, the situation is exacerbated by the huge presence in Puntland of Southern IDP's and influx of Ethiopians.

During the Cold War 1945-1989 (the Somali Golden Era) when the Eastern and Western Blocks were competing for Somalia's strategic geographical position, Puntland regions have got from the country's development programs only the small port of Bossaso, left incomplete on the eve of the collapse in 1990, and the strip of tarmac road which links Galkayo and Lasanood to Bossaso town. To draw few examples: 1) it has been during these 14 years of lack of central government that, for the first time, a Puntland child has been given an immunization vaccine against transmittable disease; and 2) in the whole vast area of Puntland - about one third of Somalia's surface area - there is no a single paved tarmac airport where jet airplanes can land. At the moment, Puntland is almost cut off, by air, from the outside world.

The lack of proper infrastructures has created barriers to the economic development and social services delivery in the State. Besides that, Puntland has experienced two harsh phenomena: 1) recurrent draughts and other natural disasters; and 2) an influx of displaced people from the southern regions and economic migrants from Ethiopia, which makes the country home of unsustainable IDPs, impacting negatively any prospect of socio-economic development.

Despite the above mentioned problems, Puntland's socio-economic status is now better off than most of the regions of Somalia - particularly the central and southern regions- in terms of stability and security, and public institutions building. Puntland has established a conducive environment enabling the private sector to flourish and take major role of resposiblity in education and health sectors, electricity and water supply, telecommunication as well as money transfer and exchange etc.

In the light of the above, the response to “why do we need a Development Plan in Puntland?” is quite simple. The main purpose of the Puntland Development Plan - in simple plain words - is to prioritize a concise and methodical way in the short term, medium term and long terms needs of the State in all sectors, establish target goals of development and set up strategic plan to overcome barriers and meet the challenges ahead in order to achieve the desired development goals. This is to fill the current socio-economic development gaps in Puntland and reinforce the current development achievement acquired over the past years, and conform, as far as we can, to Millennium Development Goals of 2001-2015.

Furthermore, as Somalia has opted to a Federal System of government it is the responsibility of Puntland government to prepare independently its own development planning project. Puntland cannot share with and wait for its planning until the newly instituted Transitional Federal Government fully establishes itself in the country, which may be a long process. Therefore, Puntland cannot move in concert with regions which will enter a long term rehabilitation process. We are now ready to step into a developmental stage and without a proper planning it is impossible to achieve this. For this purpose the government has instituted a policy making and problem solving Ministerial Steering Committee for the PFYDP.

Following are the major government policy statements and strategies that help to achieve the desired goals of socio-economic development in Puntland:


To ensure good governance by enhancing the capacity and efficiency of the government institutions as well as keeping under control government budget by reducing wasteful expenditure and enhance the revenue collection. And also speed up the demobilization process to reduce the excessive policemen on the payroll.
Free enterprise economy within the context of social welfare, by encouraging health competition with environmental preservation.
To maintain security and create conducive environment to encourage domestic and foreign investment in the country, especially investment in small and medium industries whose raw materials are available in Puntland. And enhance also the cooperation with the International Aid Communities.
To develop mechanisms to combat development obstacles, such as corruption, terrorism, all kinds of drugs, including CHAT/ QAT and other social evils.
Eliminate discrimination against women to enable them active participation in the policy decision making and administrative management.
To improve the health conditions of the people by supporting Public Health Centers and encouraging private ones, in order to combat the contagious diseases, such as HIV and Tuberculosis etc.
To enhance human resources development by supporting and encouraging the education sector in order to ensure primary education for the children and youth and create knowledge, develop necessary skills and professional personnel by providing necessary inputs to productive sectors and reduce unemployment.
To improve and upgrade the existing physical infrastructures of the country and through sound resource management allocating funds for this end and for the establishment of new development projects.
To collect the necessary statistical information from all sectors during the preparation period of the Five Year Development Plan and lay dawn procedures enabling us to have always in hand reliable Data Base for the country, without which it would be difficult to plan and address the developmental issues.
To put forward the present process of decentralization of power with community participations at district and village levels. This is a clear indication of the Puntland's leadership commitment to be responsive to the wishes of the public. With the current government efforts to establish local government councils directly chosen/elected by their respective communities, the government has began a new era of democratization process in Puntland.


Before concluding, we wish to extend our gratitude to all those who helped the Puntland people, and Somalis at large, during this difficult time of their history, particularly the donor communities, such as EC, USAID, individual donor countries, the UN system and the regional organizations that Somalia is a member as well as the International NGOs for their support of humanitarian and quick impact development projects achieved so far in Puntland. Particular thanks go to the UNDP agency and its experts which have helped to support and formulate the present development plan project for Puntland.

We thank also the Puntland business community and civil societies which has participated in and contributed to the present level of socio-economic development achievement in the country.

Finally, we thank all participants of this consultative workshop and wish them success in their constructive discussion in the following days.


Abdirahman Mohamed Farole
Minister of Planning and International Cooperation .

Source: UNDP Somalia (2001) Socio Economic Household Survey, Nairobi

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TENTATIVE OUTLINE FOR THE REGIONAL FIVE-YEAR DEVELOPMENT PLAN IN PUNTLAND 2005-2010

1. Introduction

2. Major development challenges
3. Context and background
4. Strategic vision 2010

- guidelines of Puntland’s strategic vision 2010
- vision to achieve the development objectives and economic goals
- private sector as an engine of development
- sources of growth and potential sectors
- encouraging extracting activities
- rural development - developing and specializing livestock and agricultural production and informal sector
(artisinal, crafts, etc)
- environmental protection
- developing coastal regions
- enhancing the potential of the fisheries sector
- tradeand export
- enhancing the effectiveness of governance institutions
- economic growth requirements and conditions
- economic growth and poverty alleviation
5. Economic growth and trends

Sectoral classification

6. Economic sector

- Finance
- Commerce and industry
- Chamber of commerce
- Banking system
- Planning and international cooperation

7. Public works and infrastructure

- Public works
- Nesha
- Water, energy, oil, gas and mineral resource
- Information and communication
- Ports and airports

8. Security and judiciary

- Interior and security
- Justice and endowments (awqaf)
- Rehabilitation, reintgration-, and demobilization

9. Social service

- Education
- Health
- Sports, youth and culture
- Women affairs
- IDPs, returnees and economic migrants

10. Productive sector

- Livestock,
- Agriculture
- Environment
- Fishery (increase accessibility to coastal area enhance fishery products processing and storage capacity
- Manufacturing industry

11. Governance

- Local Gov’t and RD
- Presidents office
- Parliament
- Public sector institute and labor

12. Private sector

- Role in socio-economic development
- Challenges facing the expansion of the private sector.
- Guidelines to enhance the potential of the private sector.
- Civil societies

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PRESS COVERAGE


Bandhiga Qorshaha Shanta Sano ee Puntland (PFYDP)
Waxaa maanta ka furmay xarunta MG Puntland ee Garoowe seminar lagu soo bandhigay qorshaha shanta sano ee Puntland ee DG Puntland,seminarka oo socon doona mudo sadex bari ah aya waxaa ka soo qayb galay dhamaan Ha'adaha uu khuseeyo qorshahaan kuwaas oo kala ah Hay’adaha Dawliga ah, Hay’adaha Caalamiga ah, NGO-yada iyo bulshada rayidka ah waxayna ka kala yimaadeen Dhamaan Goboladda Puntland.


L: Faroole, Minister of Planning. R: Cadde Muuse, President of Puntland.

Madaxweynaha Dawlad G. Puntland Mudane Maxamuud Muuse Xirsi (General Cadde) oo isagu kulankaas furay ayaa wuxuu sheegay in ay tahay wax far xad leh isagoo isla markaana balan qaaday in dowladiisu ku shaqayn doonto qorshahaan , sidoo kale Madaxweynuhu wuxuu ku booriyey xubnaha ka qayb galaya aqoon is weydaarsigan in ay si fiican uga wada hadlaan arrimaha loo baahan yahay oo dhan. hawlo ah ee looga baahan yahay.


Xaabsade, Minister of Interior.

Aqoon isweydaarsigan oo socon doono muddo Sadex Cisho ah ayaa waxaa isaguna ka hadlay Wasiirka Qorshaynta iyo Xiriiraka Caalamiga ah Mudane Cabdiraxmaan Maxamed Farole wuxuuna Wasiirku si weyn uga hadlay dhanka qorsha shanta sano isla markaana wuxuu Wasiirku halkaasi ka akhriyey warqadda qorshaha horumarinta Puntland ee shanta sano ee soo socota oo wasaaradiisu soo diyaarisay


M: Gaagaab, Minister of Finance.

Sidoo kale,Wasiirku wuxuu sheegay in qorshaha Dawladu ay ugu talo gashay uu ahaa in aqoon isweydaarsiganu furmo mar hore balse ay dib dhaca yar ku keeneen Doorashooyinkii dhawaantan ka dhacay Degmooyinka oo ka koobanyahay MG Puntland.



Dhanka kale waxaa isaguna hadalo wax ku ool ah halkaas ka soo jeediyey Wasiirka Arrimaha Gudaha iyo Amniga Axmed Cabdi Xaabsade wuxuuna Wasiirku sheegay in arrintaani ay tahay isbedel weyn oo ay ku talaabsatay Puntland iyo waliba wax lagu farxo oo loo baahan yahay. Wuxuuna sheegay in ayna dawladi jiri karin qorshe la’aan.

Si kastaba ha ahaatee waxaa Furitaanka Qorsha shanta sano ka qayb galay Masuuliyiin kala duwan kuwaas oo ka kala socda Hay’adaha Dawliga ah, Hay’adaha Caalamiga ah, NGOyada iyo bulshada rayidka ah waxayna ka kala yimaadeen Dhamaan Goboladda Puntland.

Axmad Maxamad
Radio Garowe-Puntland Somaliya
http://www.garoweonline.com/2004pro/index.php?id=1119

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