Mogadishu, Somalia — A Swedish delegation visited Somalia’s National Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA) on Monday to discuss strengthening cooperation on disaster preparedness, risk reduction and early warning systems, officials said.
The delegation was led by Annika Jayawardena, Deputy Head of the Eastern and Horn of Africa Department at the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), and included the Head of Cooperation for Somalia at the Swedish Embassy.
During talks in Mogadishu, SoDMA Commissioner Mahmoud Moallim Abdulle and the visiting officials explored opportunities to expand collaboration in disaster management and improve mechanisms aimed at reducing the impact of natural hazards across Somalia.
The discussions focused on enhancing Somalia’s ability to anticipate and respond to disasters through stronger institutional partnerships, improved risk reduction strategies and the development of more effective early warning systems.
As part of the visit, the Swedish delegation toured SoDMA’s Data Center, where officials provided an overview of the agency’s systems for collecting, analysing and disseminating early warning information. The visitors were briefed on ongoing efforts to strengthen data-driven preparedness and emergency response capabilities.
SoDMA said the meeting underscored the importance of international cooperation in building resilience to recurring humanitarian and environmental challenges.
Somalia remains one of the countries most vulnerable to climate-related shocks, including prolonged droughts, flash floods and extreme weather events. Strengthening disaster preparedness and early warning infrastructure has become a key priority for the Somali government and its international partners as they seek to reduce the impact of future crises.
