LED Workshop kicks off in Jowhar

The prolonged unrest in Somalia has been a critical issue which undermined the capacities of local people and businesses to achieve their own full potential. Jawhar, the capital town of Middle Shabelle region, has not been an exception to this incongruity. With support from ILO, Jawhar has recently embarked on alocal economic development (LED) approach which brings local administration, private sector and civil society organizations together to understanding their own needs and work out plans which will revive the local economy and generate employment for local people. This is not a stand-alone approach as it is reinforced by broader initiatives of restoring institutions and systems of governance by the JPLG.

Now, the LED approach was kicked off in Jawhar, followed by continuous dialogue amongst the LED actors. A number of assessments are underway which will feed in Jawhar local economic development strategy to be developed over the next two months. Local institutions are fundamental for this local development initiative that will strengthen the little peace in Jawhar in turn translating itself into progressive processes which will foster reconciliation, rebuild confidence and networks allowing enterprises to seize market opportunities and grow gradually.

Ali Osman, Jowhar District Commissioner, launched the LED initiative. He said ‘Jawhar has the local structures, resources, and features necessary to establish effective support to our economy and businesses. We have to get together, devise a system of collaboration and bring our acts together. Jawhar has been a paradise on land, just twenty years before. We need to find solution to the problems we have created’

The Deputy Governor and DC welcomed the participants and asked for a continuous collaboration and innovation to build Jawhar’s local economy. ‘Do you think humanitarian hand outs can make us survive for ever? The answer is no, we need to revaluate ourselves and take bold steps in making development happen through our own hands’’ the district commissioneradded. Mr Osman thanked the ILO for the initiative and asked the workshop participants to united their minds and efforts to revive Jowhar local economic.

The ILO will continue to support Jawhar administration to set up and enhance the capacities of LED institutional structures, provide technical support on LED process cycle which will then stimulate local debates and partnerships between the private and public institutions leading into implementation of local economic development strategy of the district.