The African Development Bank Group, in partnership with UNHCR and the Federal Government of Somalia, has launched a landmark $20.55 million project in Doolow, Gedo region, to provide durable solutions for displaced people and host communities. The Strengthening Urban Resilience of Displaced and Host Communities in Doolow (SURDHT) project focuses on improving housing, water, sanitation, and livelihood opportunities in four urban IDP settlements, facilitating integration into host communities.
The initiative emphasizes gender equality, women’s empowerment, and youth leadership through skills development and entrepreneurship. It also aims to build resilience to climate shocks by promoting adaptation and mitigation measures, ensuring sustainable access to basic infrastructure, and strengthening government capacity in land administration, conflict mitigation, and social cohesion.
Somalia’s leadership highlighted the project as a shift from humanitarian responses to long‑term stability and inclusive development. With secure land tenure, climate‑resilient housing, and livelihood opportunities, communities in Doolow are expected to build resilience and restore dignity. The project addresses challenges caused by extreme weather and conflict, which have left more than 3.9 million Somalis internally displaced, the second largest figure in eastern and southern Africa.
The SURDHT project is being implemented by the National Centre for Rural Development and Durable Solutions in partnership with IOM, FAO, UN HABITAT, and UN Women. It is part of the African Development Bank’s Transition Support Facility, which emphasizes the humanitarian‑development‑peace nexus to ensure long‑term stability in the Horn of Africa. By investing in sustainable livelihoods and resilience, the initiative seeks to reduce reliance on humanitarian aid and foster social cohesion between displaced populations and host communities.
