Somalia, FAO Discuss Expanding Youth Programs Under National Plan

By Shire Abdi - Reporter

Somalia, 8 April, 2026 Somalia and the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) held discussions on Tuesday to expand youth empowerment programs, aligning international support with the country's newly launched National Transformation Plan (NTP) for 2025–2029.

The meeting, which involved the Director General of the Ministry of Youth and Sport and FAO technical teams in Mogadishu, reviewed ongoing cooperation, specifically on the YOU ACT Project. The initiative, which operates in regions like Jowhar, empowers young people to lead conflict transformation and peacebuilding through community-led dialogue and digital innovation.

The meeting follows the Somali government’s launch of the National Transformation Plan in March 2025. The NTP serves as a five-year blueprint to shift the nation from traditional development to large-scale transformation, prioritizing social and human capital development as one of its four core pillars.

The meeting formed part of the Ministry’s broader effort to reposition its stakeholder engagement in line with its 2026 priorities, the Ministry said.

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In a statement, the Ministry emphasized that youth-related partnerships would be approached in a more structured and purposeful manner going forward.

It added that the engagement reaffirmed the shared importance of practical cooperation to support youth empowerment and inclusion, while contributing to long-term, sustainable impact.

The YOU ACT project is currently implemented by Shaqodoon Organization with support from the UN Peacebuilding Fund and joint management by FAO and International Organization for Migration (IOM). It addresses resource-based disputes and strengthens the role of young people in local governance and peacebuilding.