Somalia Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has issued a strong call to action for United Nations agencies, international donors, and humanitarian and development organizations operating within the country. In a significant policy address delivered in Mogadishu, Barre demanded a fundamental shift in how the international community engages with Somalia, arguing that outdated operational models no longer reflect the nation’s current political and institutional reality.
Prime Minister Barre stated firmly that several international partners continue to treat Somalia through the lens of a fragile, transitional state rather than acknowledging the substantial progress the country has made in recent years.
According to the prime minister, Somalia has successfully established functioning government institutions, robust administrative processes, and a reliable legal framework. Because of these foundational achievements, he argued, the country should no longer be approached through practices and frameworks originally designed for its previous transitional period.
“The old ways of working cannot continue. We want them to adapt to the new Somalia and where we are going,” Barre declared to the audience of officials and stakeholders.
To bridge the gap between historical aid delivery and current state-building needs, the federal government has formally developed a National Transition Plan (NTP). This strategic roadmap is specifically aimed at guiding Somalia away from its former transitional system and firmly toward fully functioning state institutions and independent governance structures.
The prime minister strongly urged international partners to align their programs, funding mechanisms, and long-term operations with this evolving political and institutional landscape.
A central point of criticism during the prime minister’s address was the lingering reliance on remote management by external organizations. Barre specifically targeted the practice where international agencies maintain offices or conduct significant administrative and operational activities outside of Somalia—frequently operating out of Nairobi, Kenya—while purportedly managing programs implemented on the ground inside Somalia.
“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,” Barre said, emphasizing that physical presence and direct collaboration within the country are now essential for sustainable development.
While directing clear expectations toward international partners, the prime minister emphasized that internal reform is equally vital. He noted that the transition must begin from within the Somali government itself. Barre called upon cabinet ministers, civil servants, and domestic government experts to adapt swiftly to the new administrative system, take full ownership of national projects, and actively strengthen the institutional capacity of the state.
The prime minister’s remarks arrive at a critical juncture for the East African nation. Somalia is proactively seeking to reinforce its governance structures, steadily reduce its historical reliance on external transitional arrangements, and assume greater, unassisted responsibility for its own political trajectory, security operations, and long-term economic development. Observers note that these statements signal a hardening stance by Mogadishu regarding partnership accountability, as the government pushes for a more equitable, direct, and respectful relationship with the global community.
