Post on 17-Jan-2023
Rebuilding Transitional Federal Institutions
26 June 2008 Aues Scek 1
A Concept Note on Recruitment Processes for Somalia Diaspora
Experts
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Table of Contents
1. Background ......................................................................................................................... 3
2. A paradigm shift on capacity-building policies and strategies ............................................ 4
3. Somali Diaspora .................................................................................................................. 5
4. Possible Recruitment Process .............................................................................................. 5
5. Proposed Salary - scale ....................................................................................................... 6
6. Financing Mechanisms ........................................................................................................ 6
7. Strategy of Rebuilding Somalia .......................................................................................... 7
8 Institutional Capacity Building ........................................................................................... 8
\ 10. Promoting Accountability through Civil Society and Advocacy ........................................ 9
11. Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 10
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1. Background
This concept note is aimed at rebuilding and strengthening the capacities of critical Transitional
Federal Institutions through the Somalia Diaspora. The capacity of the Transitional Federal
Government institutions to perform and absorb aid effectively has been limited by the lack of
appropriately qualified staff and supporting environment, such as up to date IT equipment and
software, and adequate premises. Rebuilding and retaining human resource capacity across
the board is one of the most difficult challenges facing the Transitional Federal
Government, and the development partners supporting this effort need to take this
constraint seriously. Human resource management capacity needs to be built within the
government, civil society, and the private sector if development activities are to be implemented
effectively.
The efforts done by the QUEST and ETA projects, details shown in the table below, have amply
demonstrated, the most common response from development partners has been to provide
targeted key ministries with short-term highly qualified but under paid Somalis from the Diaspora
Box 1: QUEST AND Emergency Technical Assistance Project
The projects objective is to provide technical assistance package to build the high-level technical
capacity of key institutional offices, targeting the Office of the President, Office of the Prime
Minister (Cabinet of the Council of Ministers), Office of the Speaker of Parliament and key
ministries, such as finance and planning and integrity institutions through ETA project. While Quest
concentrating on the Diaspora community was to provide technical assistance in all the areas and
supporting all public, private and civil society. This was to enable the TFG to have the immediate
technical capacity to function during a transitional period of time, until it is in a position – and has
the resources – to build its civil service capacity and until long-term plans and subsequent assistance,
such as the implementation of the findings from Joint Needs Assessment (JNA) and the resulting
Reconstruction and Development Plan (RDP), UNTP get underway.
Specific objective: provide part-time expertise recruited from among the Somali Diaspora community
through the QUEST program or through ETA project (International consultant and Somali national
recruited locally) to the offices of the President, Prime Minister, and integrity institutions.
In Somaliland and Puntland the primary objective is to ensure that the administrations operate in a
more transparent and participatory manner, so as to enhance their credibility. This is to be achieved
by targeting 3 strategic areas, civil service reform / restructuring, the national budgeting cycle and
oversight and the administrations abilities to guide and manage the international assistance in their
respective zones.
The process was done through an agreement between the UNDP and the Government Institutions
whereby the UNDP make limited resources available to recruit experts and procure basic equipment
for limited period of time to the institutions. The offered salary for the Somali experts whether
recruited locally of from the Diaspora ranged from as low 800 (auxiliary) to a maximum of 3,000 to
highly qualified experts. The results were that most of the highly qualified experts could not be
retained at these levels of salaries.
and sometimes with highly expensive foreign technical assistance and consultants to undertake
routine bureaucratic functions. Such interventions were viewed as a temporary gap filling
emergency measures. These measures need to be reconciled with and made complementary to
the longer-term institutional development needs.
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Other initiatives include those undertaken by the International Organization for Migration (IOM),
such as the Return and integration for highly Qualified Somali Nationals and the Technical
Cooperation on Migration Management Capacity.
In the Somali environment, all stakeholders from across the spectrum agree that there is no
substitute for comprehensive civil service reforms to restore public sector management
capabilities. Critical reforms include systems of governance, administrative culture, size and cost
of the civil service, the pay scales and other incentives. The TFG and key development partners
are considering taking the leadership role in addressing the special needs of the Somali public
services, underscoring the need for greater comprehensiveness and sustainability of critical
programs to be initiated and supported.
UNDP Somalia and a number of development partners are considering adopting an innovative
approach to Somalia's long-term capacity building needs, rather than a mere provision of short-
term consultants. The new approach is to offer medium-term contract to Somalis from the
Diaspora for a period of minimum of six months and up 2 years and more to highly qualified
Somalis who are interested to contribute to the rebuilding of the country.
2. A paradigm shift on capacity-building policies and strategies
An adequate institutional capacity is a perquisite for post-conflict recovery and
reconstruction in Somalia and else where. Accordingly, capacity building is a means to
achieve development in the medium to long term. In fact, it is part and parcel of a long
development process and should be integrated as fully as possible in the Somali national
development policies, plans and strategies. In this regard, immediate development goals in
Somalia's reconstruction process must be clearly defined, institutional and human resources
development should be mapped out, and a capacity building strategy identified.
The key issue for the TFG and the supporting development partners would be to assume a
leadership role in supporting the Somali government and other stakeholders to develop a
medium-term, multi-sector capacity building framework, which would be consistent with the
Somali Reconstruction and Development Framework and United Nations Transition Plan and
their long-term development vision. The former documents represent the most coherent attempt
at generating a domestic consensus on the country's reconstruction agenda. Moreover, as in the
case of some other post-conflict countries, the TFG with the support of UNDP and other
development partners ought to consider persuading the World Bank and IMF to adopt peace-
Box 2: Migration and Development The lack of qualified human resources in Somalia is one of the greatest challenges to sustainable development in the country. It is estimated that approximately one million Somali nationals left Somalia over the past three decades, resulting in a major brain drain. Many of the members of the Diaspora have acquired competencies and skills in their respective host countries, and are willing to contribute with their knowledge and expertise towards Somalia’s own development efforts. Mobilizing and utilizing human resources from the Diaspora in particular through return programmes could be of great benefit to Somalia’s recovery and reconstruction. IOM: Return and Reintegration of highly Qualified Somali Nationals
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friendly economic reform programs for Somalia, including far reaching debt relief measures,
enhanced quality of foreign aid, and deliberate capacity building initiatives with measures to
promote the return of the Somali Diaspora in support of long-term development efforts and
recovery.
3. Somali Diaspora
Since the prolonged conflict, many Somali professionals and skilled personnel have migrated to
all corners of the world. As a consequence, the country has a large pool of expertise in the
Diaspora, which range from highly qualified academics, practitioners in all the fields, most of
them working with governments or private sectors, multilateral and bilateral organizations in their
adopted countries. Large numbers of these professionals and skilled personnel are willing to
return to Somalia to assist with the TFIs rebuilding, reconstruction and development of Somalia.
Naturally, each individual or groups of individuals have their own way of committing themselves
in contributing towards the achievement of these goals.
It is well known that the individuals Somalia should attract back have families abroad and social
and economic commitments in their adopted countries. To attract them back and have them
contribute to rebuilding and reestablishing of key institutions would require a strong financial
commitment from the development partners, given the fact that the Transitional Federal
Government has neither the resources nor capability to attract and retain highly qualified Somalis
from the Diaspora.
The financial support required would include providing a substantial amount of money to
pay the experts for a period of at least two to four years. Technical support requires
developing clear terms of references for each individual expert and most import the recruitment
and placement of experts in the most needed fields.
The needs of the TFG for skilled personnel cover the spectrum of all economic and social sectors.
In the circumstances, the development partners should focus on high-priority sectors initially,
including public finance management institutions, planning and international cooperation entities,
and key ministries in charge of social reconstruction such as health and education. In this context,
the Ministry of Finance and Planning, the Central Bank, and the international cooperation
department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs could be utilized to pilot the proposed program;
and also one or two social sector ministries could be included in the first phase of the program.
4. Possible Recruitment Process
Based on the experience of a number of post-conflict countries, experts working for multilateral
organizations, such as the World Bank, African Development Bank and other agencies were
seconded to their governments for extended period of time ranging from a year to three. If their
services were deemed useful and also of interest to the institution, these experts continued to be
receive the same salary and benefits paid by the multilateral organizations. In other cases, some
other donor made the payments as per the individual's prior remuneration. Alternatively the
multilateral organizations, where the experts were working, agreed to give unpaid leave for a
specific period of time to the experts. This has been done in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Eritrea and
Kenya, among others. Many stable developing countries also benefited from similar programs of
skilled "secondees". This could be one possibility to be explored if there are Somalis working for
international organizations willing to assist their country to build capacity. The recruitment
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process will follow strict merit base no preference given to any groups or individual. The first
precondition is that the candidate is employed and working in his her field of specialization.
A second alternative is that development partners could make needed resources available to the
TFG to recruit and place experts in all needed fields within the government for the agreed time
frame. Such a program could be co-managed by the TFG and development partners to ensure a
skilled and effective personnel is acquired.
A third alternative is that development partners make resources available through UNDP to hire
and place the experts on behalf of the government in areas deemed to be secure according to the
UN rules. UNDP will in turn, outsource to a reputable company with local know how, such as
the Horn Economic and Social Policy Institute (HESPI), which is a regional institute that has
conducted Leadership training in PFM on behalf of the World Bank in all the areas of Somalia,
and trained Somali experts in planning and budgeting to recruit and place experts from the
Diaspora.
5. Proposed Salary - scale
The salary scales given in the table below are derived from the UNDP remuneration for both
national and international experts, plus consultancy fees particularly those related to JNA
(consultancy fees paid to Somalis from the Diaspora) the setting of appropriate salary scales
should take into account current salaries paid in other post-conflict countries including Sierra
Leone and Liberia. In addition, consideration should be given to incremental security
compensation, if the expert is to be placed in an unsecure place.
scale Academic qualifications Working experience Salary package
Level 1 Graduate BS/MS With little working experience 3,000
Level 2 Graduate MS/Diploma With few years experience 4,500
Level 3 Graduate /Diploma Five years experience 6,500
Level 4 Graduate MS/PhD With five years experience 8,500
Level 5 Graduate PhD With experience five years and
more
10,500
6. Financing Mechanisms
Mechanisms that could assist Somali Diaspora to return to Somalia for reconstruction and peace
rebuilding might include the following:
i) World Bank: Providing money for their salaries or seconding Somali’s Bank staff to
work for the Government to build capacity, this could be financed through a specific
trust that could be established for that purpose
ii) Hiring Somali Diaspora professional trainers and experts
iii) IOM program of Return and Integration of Highly Qualified Somalis nationals is
financing already, this could be expanded to cover a wider areas to increase a
recruitment drive
iv) UNDP QUEST AND ETA program that’s currently leading in the recruitment and
placement of highly qualified Somalis from the Diaspora
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v) African Development Bank could as the World Bank finance for payment of salaries
and seconding Somali’s bank staff to assist in building domestic capacity for a
limited period of time
vi) Islamic Development Bank could compliment the World Bank and the African
Development Bank initiatives
vii) Interested bilateral development partners could also contribute towards this initiative
by financing a return of highly qualified Somalis residing or naturalized in their
countries
viii) Somali Government has to contribute to create a conducive environment to attract
Somalis from the Diaspora to return back
To accomplish this task it will be required that policymakers and project implementers
(government, development partners, civil society and alike) are requested to include Somalis in
their programs to employ qualified Somalis from the Diaspora. Creation of a consolidated
Database System for Somali Experts,. This will facilitate the identification of Somali
professionals to be employed in the reconstruction and peace building efforts in Somalia. Given
the increasing need for experts on Somalia reconstruction expertise more broadly, this directory
could list voluntary information of individuals who are interested in contributing their skills and
talents towards rebuilding Somalia. The main purpose of the directory would to be to provide
basic contact information with which organizations and individuals could identify persons with
relevant expertise. The ultimate goal would be match needs and capabilities as reconstruction and
peace building initiatives progress.
UNDP leading this initiative is targeting to recruit and deploy about 200 experts by the end of this
year, 300 next years and 400 the year after. The recruitment drive through QUEST and ETA is
already in its advanced stage and a number of highly qualified experts are deployed in different
areas of specializations. These target could easily achieved and even exceeded if all the proposed
mechanisms could be operationalized.
7. Strategy of Rebuilding Somalia
If development is to be considered as a set of social, economic, and political freedoms, the vast
majority of Somalis were deprived of these freedoms for the past two decades. We also know that
Somalia had already been among the poorest and least developed nations even before the civil
war in 1990.
However, the extended years of war after the collapse of the Siad Barre’s regime completely
ruined what former Somali nation had minimally accomplished for past four decades. In addition,
lack of human security led to the flight of several million Somali refugees throughout the world.
Somalia suffered from a devastating brain drain sending the country to the bottom of the human
development index. Today, Somalia is listed as one poorly performing country in human
development index, with the highest rate of illiteracy, lack of access to basic human needs (water,
sanitation and food), high infant and child mortality and lower life expectancy.
In June 2008, the Somali began a new chapter in their history. They have agreed between the
Transitional Federal Government and the Alliance for Re-liberation of Somalia to work in
partnership of the international community in implementing the Djibouti Agreement. A new
Constitution enshrining the values and ideals of Somalis is being developed. Somalis are now
taking bold steps towards reconciling and building democratic institutions that would lead to
stable and democratic country.
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There are many challenges and constraints that need the sustained commitment, attention, and
resources of many stakeholders. While alerting Somali’s international partners to our common
problems of terrorism, warlordism and clanism—all of which reinforce one another—Somalis
must remind themselves of our own national obligations towards Somalia. One acute problem of
rebuilding Somalia is the country’s grave lack of human capital. Hence, it is truly time for the
Somali Diasporas to replace Somalia’s ―brain drain‖ with ―brain gain.‖
Members of the Somali Diasporas are already a major actor in the rebuilding of Somalia. A few
prominent Somali intellectuals, NGOs and entrepreneurs have returned back to Somalia and are
actively involved in public and private institutional capacity building. Other resourceful Somalis
in developed countries are expected to follow suit to fulfill their dream of helping reconstruct
Somalia.
Given Somalia’s comprehensive reconstruction and development needs in social, economic, and
political spheres, the Somali Diasporas can play a substantial role in the overall rebuilding and
development of Somalia through three main ways: 1) institutional capacity building, 2)
strengthening private sector, 3) strengthening civil society and advocacy.
8 Institutional Capacity Building
Somalia’s governance and public-service institutions are in shambles. The country’s general
challenge of state-building squarely lies in reforming, creating, and building effective institutions
to run a government. The influx of hundreds of foreign NGOs to Somalia is due to lack of local
capacity to deliver essential services to the people, the majority of whom are yet to benefit from
the ―peace dividend.‖
The Somali Diaspora should not sit back and watch this continue. It is crucial for Somalis to fully
participate in the rebuilding process of the country by joining key government institutions. This
will strengthen the capacity of government institutions subsequently enabling the government to
takeover the ownership of the rebuilding agenda for execution based on Somalia’s needs not
external prescriptions.
The government, UNDP and development partners are actively working together to place Somali
expatriates in appropriate government departments. Unfortunately up to now, a few highly
qualified Somalis have returned home and begun working with key institutions through the
QUEST/ETA programs. The rate of return can be increased if adequate resources are made
available to attract highly qualified Somalis to join the program.
The approach to be adopted will consist of enabling legal frameworks (where the government
encourage Somalis with expertise residing in developed countries to return to Somalia by offering
them incentive package that might include tax relief and other benefit), mobilizing resources
particularly from the African Development Bank, Islamic Bank, World Bank and others to second
their experts of Somali origins to the key economic ministries, such as finance and planning,
agriculture and others. This effort should be complemented by the bilateral support where
bilateral donors could provide funding to government to recruit and retain scarce skills in public
service to deliver public services efficiently to the citizens. Given the fact that at this point in time
the capability of the TFIs to recruit and retain staff is still weak it would be worthwhile
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considering outsourcing part or all the recruitment and running of human resource development
to a consulting firm.
These efforts should be combined with the government working with the International Migration
Organization (IOM) to place Somali expatriates in appropriate government institutions. Up to
now the QUEST program managed to place about 100 qualified Somalis in number of ministries
and agencies and the ETA recruited some locally and a few internationally Somali experts and
placed them with the offices of president, prime minister, speaker, ministry of finance and
planning as well as integrity institutions.
9. Private Sector
Private sector during the past two decades without the central government took the place of the
state in the provision of many goods and services, including basic infrastructure. In some cases it
did even better than the state before the civil war. These include telecommunications, air transport
and money transfer. The private sector also provided essential social services with limited
coverage. In addition, although in limited cases the private sector facilitated dispute resolution,
contract enforcement, property right protection as well law and order-private resolution relying
on traditional clan customs and Islamic laws.
Unlike other conflict – affected countries, Somalia as it is today possesses a vibrant private sector
that sustains economic growth during the recovery period. For domestic, Diaspora and foreign
investors to keep sustaining growth beyond the recovery period and over the medium and long
term, however, Somalia will need a stronger and more modern legal, judicial system than the one
in place before the civil war or the one that is currently in place.
Somalia will need to continue building upon the resilient private sector that has emerged from the
two decades of civil war and lack of or weak government. Assuring security and the rule of law
would do much more fostering private sector –led growth than any action government could take.
In the medium term, through the Diaspora and donor support the government can undertake
measures to establish necessary regulatory activities to assure competition and standards that can
also help both the growth of the private sector and consumers.
10. Promoting Accountability through Civil Society and Advocacy
During recent years civil society in Somalia has emerged as an important social and political
force. Civil society organizations are today active in service provision, are contributing to peace,
reconciliation and development and have taken on many of the traditional functions of the state.
Whilst most NGOs and CSOs are concentrated in the major cities and operate in areas of
relatively security and stability, there are few national NGOs with the exception of the Somalia
Red Crescent Society. Religious groups working closely with dispora and local community are
playing increasingly significant and influential role in public life, perhaps most visibly through
Quranic schools, shari’a courts and provision of social services. While many Mogadishu based
organizations are engaged in popular peace and dialogue efforts, some of the others are
increasingly giving attention to social issues through advocacy, including political reform, human
rights and freedoms, gender equity and HIV/AIDS.
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Professional associations and networks are a relatively new category of civil society actors,
though networks like the Formal Private Education Network in Somalia, Journalist Associations,
and Somali Agriculturalist Associations, the Lawyers Association and the Somali Chamber of
Commerce show that there is a growing space for these institutions. With the emergence of
government institutions, the role and nature of civil society organization will necessarily change
the shaping of Somalia. There is an important opportunity for Somali civil society in the
country of those from the Diaspora to develop and play a crucial role in strengthening
popular participation, providing channels for dialogue and debate, exerting public pressure,
raising awareness and acting to improve accountability in general. As part of this, the
potential role of Somali civil society in nation building through reconciliation efforts and service
delivery should not be underestimated but indeed built upon.
Media can also play a critical role in building democratic governance. Since 1991, there has been
resurgence in the Somali media sector, particularly with regard to newspapers, though these are
limited to an urban readership. In a predominantly oral society, it is radio stations that have
become the main tool with which to deliver information and raise public awareness. Mogadishu
has a vibrant media sector with several local radio stations and newspapers, all of which are
privately owned. There are also many websites, some with clan influences and some religious.
Whereas in South-Central Somalia and Puntland media businesses are not subject to regulation
there is in Somaliland currently only one public radio and two TV stations (one private and one
state-owned) operating, though authorizations for private radio stations are in process. Whilst
there are reported cases of poor journalistic practices and partisan behaviour, the general trend
seems to be towards a remarkably free media.
11. Conclusion
Most if not all existing program implemented in Somalia are predominantly donor – driven
policies with an aim to stabilize the country. The key challenges facing Somalia is a sustainable
growth plan as is a likelihood of reduction of donor funding, a common occurrence in post-
conflict countries. Steps are now being should taken by the authorities to ensure that Somalia will
be able to take the transition from being donor dependent to be fully functioning income
generating nation. This reduction will impact on the economy negatively, causing a drastic
reduction of needed resources.
As an alternative Somalia and its development partners, including UNDP, African Development,
Islamic Development Bank, World Bank, IOM and bilateral donors have awakened to the
development potential of the Diaspora. Diaspora is increasingly being recognized as instrument
of change, as with any fragile state, as is the case of Somalia, they are ready and stable source of
funding.