Mogadishu, 3 February 2021- UN-Habitat today launched a COVID-19 response project in Mogadishu funded by the European Union.

The USD 6.964 million (EUR 5.275 million) project will support preparedness, response and mitigation activities to reduce the negative impacts of COVID-19 on health, public hygiene and livelihoods.

The ‘EU response to health and socio-economic impact of COVID-19 in Mogadishu’ will be implemented with the Benadir Regional Administration (BRA)/Mogadishu Municipality, the World Health Organization, the Danish Refugee Council and Save the Children over the next 18 months.

The project will help increase local capacity in crisis response and effective crises management. Several primary public health facilities will be rehabilitated, COVID-19 centres supported and water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in informal settlements improved. Up to 10,000 households will receive temporary cash transfers.

The distribution of the first tranche of unconditional cash transfers to 1680 families affected by displacement in Hodan, Dharkenley and Kahda districts of Mogadishu has been completed.

Mogadishu, the largest urban centre and capital of Somalia, had been hit hardest by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, recording the highest number of positive tested peoeple only five months from the onset of the pandemic, said Ishaku Maitumbi,  Officer in Charge of the UN-Habitat Somalia Programme

“In addition to the new EU Covid response support that was launched today with WHO, the European Union is working with UN-Habitat on a complementary project tackling the negative impacts of COVID-19 on the people of Somalia,” said the EU Ambassador to Somalia, Nicolas Berlanga Martinez. “This will involve providing cash transfers and improving health, water and sanitation facilities.”

“We are committed to ensuring that the most vulnerable members of the society benefit from this project,” said Mohamed Mohamud Adow, Director of Health of the Benadir Regional Administration/Mogadishu Municipality. “We are grateful for the unwavering support by the EU in supporting the residents of Mogadishu and the long- term support and partnership of UN- Habitat with the BRA in different interventions such as durable solutions, governance, capacity building,  as well as youth and livelihood projects,”

A new EU-funded project, which will be implemented by WHO, ‘Emergency operational response to COVID-19 in Somalia to support the prevention of large-scale community spread through public health systems strengthening’ was also launched at theevent (https://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/somalia_en).