DRC
Thursday, August 26, 2010
The conclusion of 30 humanitarian projects in Puntland is the newest chapter in a long history of Danish Refugee Council operations in Somalia launched in 1998. DRC started operations in Puntland with the establishment of a field office in Bossaso in 2005.
"Somalia is a challenging area of operation, and our long-term engagement is one of the keys to our success. In order to work effectively, you need close contact with the local communities. The projects we have just concluded are based on the wishes from the local beneficiaries – they identified and prioritised their most urgent needs themselves - farming assistance, a marketplace or a health clinic, and they were involved in the process of making it happen as well," says Head of Desk for Horn of Africa, Sisse Aagaard Kristensen.
The Horn of Africa is one of the key refugee hotspots in the world with millions of people fleeing from conflict and poverty, which often are related to climate changes as well.
"Bossaso is a key transit-zone for refugees and IDP's passing through from Somalia and Ethiopia on their way to Yemen. DRC is present in Somalia as well as Yemen, and we are aware that the humanitarian efforts are crucial in the region. The success in Bossaso is yet another reminder that it is possible to make a difference, even in one of the most unpredictable and unstable places in the world, "says Sisse Aagaard Kristensen.
Danish Refugee Council work in the Horn of Africa includes humanitarian programs in South Central Somalia, Somaliland, Puntland, Yemen, Ethiopia and Kenya.
Source: Danish Refugee Council (DRC)