Lessons learned about humanitarian aid from Somalia

TLDR
Humanitarian aid, while crucial, has often overshadowed and undermined local peacebuilding efforts and civil society growth due to unpredictable funding and a focus on short-term crises rather than sustainable development. The authors, Dustin Barter, Mohamed Yarrow, and Albashir Ibrahim, provide a critical analysis of the state of humanitarian assistance in Somalia, noting that the aid system often acts counterproductively to Somalia's evolving needs.


They highlight how Somalia, traditionally seen through a crisis lens due to its longstanding issues with drought, famine, and conflict, has seen significant shifts in governance and civil society that require an adapted aid approach. This shift challenges the traditional model of emergency humanitarianism that has become a regular fixture in Somalia over recent decades, especially following the devastating 2011 famine.
 
One of the main issues outlined is the humanitarian sector's impact on peacebuilding and governance within Somalia. The authors cite an instance in Galkayo, where humanitarian efforts disrupted peace negotiations between clans. When aid priorities overtook local reconciliation efforts, tensions re-emerged, leading to a relapse into conflict. This example illustrates the broader problem: emergency aid often interrupts peace processes, drawing local leaders away from reconciliation efforts as they attend to more immediate, tangible issues like food and resource distribution.
 
The volatility of humanitarian funding further exacerbates these challenges, creating instability and limiting the effectiveness of peacebuilding efforts. In some years, Somalia's humanitarian budget has nearly doubled, while in others, it has been halved. For a nation where humanitarian support forms a substantial percentage of its GDP, these fluctuations make it difficult for local organizations and state institutions to build resilience or address underlying issues sustainably. When resources are inconsistent, local actors constantly shift focus, leading to fragmentation and dependency rather than long-term, structured development.
 
Additionally, the authors discuss how the dominance of international actors in the humanitarian sector has driven a wedge between Somali citizens and their state. The longstanding reliance on international aid agencies and their Somali subcontractors for basic services has undermined the government's role, diminishing the public's perception of the state's legitimacy and capacity to provide for its citizens. International organizations often operate independently of the Somali state, creating parallel structures that, while temporarily effective, do little to strengthen Somali institutions.
 
A promising, if complex, alternative is the humanitarian-development-peace nexus, or "Triple Nexus" approach. This model envisions a framework that unites immediate aid with long-term development and peacebuilding. However, while widely discussed, its practical application in Somalia still needs to be improved. The authors emphasize the need for aid agencies to adopt more conflict-sensitive methods and for international donors to fund coherent, long-term strategies prioritizing Somali-led development and strengthening governance over external control.
 
Concluding Reflections
Somalia's evolving landscape presents opportunities and challenges for the international humanitarian sector. The existing aid model, focused primarily on short-term relief, needs to be revised and often detrimental in a country with growing governance capacities and peacebuilding needs. This article advocates for an overhaul in how aid is delivered in Somalia, promoting sustainable partnerships with Somali institutions and emphasizing a long-term vision that aligns with the country's progress toward self-sufficiency and stability. As argued here, the future of effective aid in Somalia hinges on embracing local leadership, fostering government legitimacy, and ensuring that emergency responses are not at the expense of sustained structural improvement.
 
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