MOGADISHU — Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud welcomed the United Kingdom’s Minister for International Development and Africa, Baroness Jenny Chapman, to Villa Somalia on Thursday.
Marking her first official visit to the country, Baroness Chapman announced £6 million in new humanitarian funding to support urgent relief efforts across drought-affected regions.
Shifting to Resilience
During discussions at the presidential palace, the two leaders focused on the escalating drought risk and the transition from a traditional donor relationship to an investment-driven partnership.
“The UK-Somalia partnership is delivering real impact where it matters most… We’re partnering for a safer and more secure future for all Somalis,” Chapman stated.
The Minister commended the Federal Government’s leadership on the Baxnaano social protection system. She also welcomed the activation of the UK-supported African Risk Capacity (ARC) insurance policy, which recently triggered $3.4 million in rapid payouts to the government for emergency drought response.
Humanitarian Commitment
Later visiting a World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse in Mogadishu, the Minister detailed that the new £6 million funding package will target the highest-need locations, providing life-saving assistance such as nutritional support and emergency cash to over 129,000 people.
This support complements the UK-backed Green Climate Fund’s recent investment of $79 million and £41 million in bilateral climate finance designated for this year.
Security Cooperation
The Minister concluded her visit by meeting with leadership from UNSOS and the new AUSSOM mission to discuss Somalia’s security transition.
She also met with UK service personnel deployed under Operation Tangham, thanking them for their efforts in building the capacity of the Somali National Army and supporting the fight against violent extremism.
