1. DURABLE SOLUTIONS INITIATIVE (DSI)
UN Somalia, Office of the UN DSRSG/HC/RC
March 2018

2. Global context
Endorsement of the Grand Bargain at the (2016) World Humanitarian Summit
“better way of working is not about shifting funding from development to humanitarian programmes or from humanitarian to development actors. Rather, it is about working collaboratively across institutional boundaries on the basis of comparative advantage.”
(2017) Secretary General Reform Agenda / New Way of Working (NWOW)
Collective outcomes
Humanitarian, development, peace- and state-building Nexus
Comparative advantage
Multi-year programming and funding
Breaking the impasse….
(2016) New York Declaration and Global Compact on Migration and Refugees / Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF)

3. REGIONAL context
(2017) Nairobi Declaration and Plan of Action (IGAD) on DS for Somali Refugees and Reintegration of Returnees in Somalia
Regional application of the global CRRF to the Somali Situation in East and Horn of Africa
Political commitment of IGAD member states and monitoring of progress
Drafted after adoption of the NDP and builds on its provisions
Agreement between UNHCR and UN Somalia that the CRRF in Somalia will mainly be implemented through the DSI
(2012) AU Convention for the Protection and Assistance of IDPs in Africa (Kampala Convention)
Continental instrument that makes states responsible for protecting IDPs and creating conditions required to achieve durable solutions
Facilities the adoption of national IDP legislation and policies that aim to address displacement issues
Not yet ratified by Somalia

4. state- and peace-building challenge
Somali Context
2.1 Mio IDPs , 100’000 refugee returnees and 1 Mio Somali refugees / asylum seekers in neighboring countries
Displacement caused by continued conflict and recurrent drought
An urbanization challenge as much as a displacement crisis
Finding lasting solutions in a context of economic, social, institutional deficits accumulated over decades of crises and continuing insecurity
National Development Plan (NDP)
National framework for crafting a development response to finding DS
Durable solutions mainstreamed across several chapters (e.g. poverty, housing, labour employments)
Specific section in the resilience chapter on “Reintegration of the Displaced and Returnees”
Sound basis for an integrated and whole-of-government approach to durable solutions
state- and peace-building challenge
Finding Durable Solutions is mainly a development, state- and peace-building challenge

5. Durable solutions initiative
Launched in December 2015 during the visit of Prof. Walter Kaelin, Special Advisor to the DSRSG/RC/HC on IDPs in Somalia
A state-led and community focused initiative to support governments at all levels to provide durable solutions for displacement affected communities (IDPs, returnees and hosts)
Collective framework for the government, UN, NGOs and donors in support of the NDP
Harmonisation of durable solutions approaches and programming in Somalia through policy dialogue, coordination and programme implementation

6. DSI – Durable Solutions
A long-term and complex process that
gradually allows displaced persons to rebuild their lives and become self-reliant through sustainable economic and social (re-) integration
at the location of displacement, the place of origin or elsewhere.
Durable solutions require the availability of:
Physical safety: security, safety, protection and social cohesion
Material safety: adequate standard of living, access to liveli-hoods/employment, and access to housing, land and property;
Legal safety: access to effective remedies and justice, participation in public affairs, access to documentation and family reunification

7. dSI – Programming Principles
Based on international standards and evidence from the Somalia context, the DSI promotes the following principles:
Government-led: government ownership and aligned with the NDP
Collective: humanitarian, development, peace- and state-building actors across sectors from the government, UN, NGO, private sector etc.
Area based: geographically targeted and adapted to local context
Comprehensive: inclusive of IDPs, returnees, and host communities
Participatory: community involvement in defining and implementing of priorities
Rights- and needs-based: address vulnerabilities and needs and protect rights of the displacement affected

8. DSI – PROGRESS
Durable Solutions are a priority in the National Development Plan
Sub-group on Migration, Displacement and Durable Solutions under the SDRF Resilience Pillar established as main platform for all relevant actors
Continued high-level policy dialogue on durable solutions and commitment of DPM to set up an inter-ministerial committee to facilitate a whole-of-government approach
Drought Impact and Need Assessment (DINA) and Recovery and Resilience Framework (RRF) highlight need for durable solutions and strengthening of urban resilience
A durable solutions Collective Outcome is being formulated between the RRF and the HRP
Joint Area-based Analysis and Action Plans for several regions developed
Joint Durable Solutions Programmes (REINTEG, Midnimo) implemented under government leadership

9. DSI – CHALLENGES
Urban challenges: continuing displacement, refugee return and rural-urban migration accelerates urbanization and increases pressure on available land and housing, basic services and livelihood opportunities
Unclear government responsibilities: several governmental institutions dealing with DS with no clear definition of responsibilities; no inter-ministerial mechanism in place
Weak normative frameworks: lack of a national IDP Policy and outstanding ratification of Kampala Convention
Ambiguous understanding of DS: need for better understanding of DS across sectors and embracing of collective approach by all actors
Need to upscale interventions: make us of lessons-learned from first joint DS programmes to scale up efforts
Continuing humanitarian emergency: continuing need for short-term relief hampers shift to longer-term approach to displacement

10. DSI – Way Forward
Adoption of a National IDP Policy to protect the rights of the displaced and to clarify roles and responsibilities within the government
Implementation of the NDP through the SDRF coordination structure and strengthening of the Migration, Displacement and DS working group
Solutions to urban challenges and protractedness of displacement by addressing underlying causes (e.g. gatekeepers, exclusion, housing, land and property)
Application of DS principles for an area-based, government-led, participatory, collective and comprehensive approach to displacement
Collective approach to combine humanitarian and development responses with state- and peace-building, work beyond institutional boundaries and make use of comparative advantages
Innovative and long-term funding and programming including public-private partnerships and flexible multi-year funding and planning
Harmonisation and alignment of processes relevant to DS, such as the RRF, Nairobi Plan of Action and National Action Plan with the NDP

11. THANK YOU
Sofia Khetib Grundy, Durable Solutions Coordinator,
Larissa Meier, Durable Solutions Analyst,

12. References
Durable Solutions Initiative, UN Somalia:
Mission Reports of the Special Advisor on IDPs, Prof. Walter Kaelin:
Somalia National Development Plan :
Drought Impact Need Assessment (DINA):
New York Declaration and Global Compact on Migrants and Refugees:
Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF):
AU Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced People in Africa (Kampala Convention):
Nairobi Declaration and Plan of Action on Durable Solutions for Somali Refugees and Reintegration Returnees in Somalia:
IASC Framework on Durable Solutions for Internally Displaced Persons:
UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement: