Development of National Strategic Plan for the National Reconciliation Framework (NRF)
Supporting the development of Somalia’s five-year National Strategic Plan for peacebuilding and reconciliation for 2025–2029.
Project Information
HURMA Consulting was commissioned by the Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation (MOIFAR), Federal Government of Somalia, with support from the Berghof Foundation and UNDP Somalia, to support the development of Somalia’s National Strategic Plan for the National Reconciliation Framework (NRF) for 2025–2029.
The Strategic Plan provides a five-year roadmap for advancing Somalia’s peacebuilding and reconciliation agenda. It was designed to establish a clear direction for reform, define national strategic priorities, identify the actions required to address key challenges, and clarify the roles and responsibilities of institutions and stakeholders involved in NRF implementation.
The process was designed around three central strategic questions: Where are we now? Where do we want to be by 2029? How are we getting there?
Purpose of the Strategic Plan
The Strategic Plan establishes a structured roadmap for strengthening Somalia’s peacebuilding and reconciliation agenda over the five-year period from 2025 to 2029.
The planning process examined the current state of peacebuilding, reconciliation and social cohesion efforts, defined the desired future state, identified the strategic changes required and established approaches for achieving those changes.
The plan also provides a basis for aligning national, state and local reconciliation initiatives with broader national transformation and governance priorities.
Strategic Planning Process
HURMA supported a structured strategic planning process combining analysis, consultation, visioning, prioritisation and implementation planning.
- Situation Analysis: Assessment of Somalia’s historical and current peacebuilding, reconciliation and social cohesion context, including political, social, territorial, ideological, environmental and cross-cutting conflict dynamics.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Consultation with government institutions, Federal Member States, Benadir Regional Administration, civil society, traditional and religious leaders, women and youth representatives, communities, development partners, academia, the private sector and other relevant stakeholders.
- Visioning: Facilitating discussions on the desired future state of Somalia’s peacebuilding and reconciliation agenda.
- Strategic Prioritisation: Identification of strategic issues, priorities and solutions required to advance the national reconciliation agenda.
- Implementation Planning: Development of a five-year implementation framework linking strategic priorities with actions, responsibilities and implementation arrangements.
- Validation and Alignment: Stakeholder engagement to refine, validate and strengthen the Strategic Plan and ensure coherence with national priorities.
Stakeholder Engagement and National Ownership
Stakeholder participation was a central component of the strategic planning process. The Strategic Plan recognises that successful NRF implementation depends on collective action across government, communities and non-state actors.
The engagement process considered the roles of the Federal Government, Federal Member States, Benadir Regional Administration, district administrations, civil society organisations, traditional and religious leaders, women and youth, communities, international partners, academia, the private sector and media.
The process was intended to strengthen national ownership, clarify institutional responsibilities and establish a shared understanding of how different stakeholders contribute to reconciliation and peacebuilding.
Institutional Roles and Coordination
The Strategic Plan defines roles and responsibilities across different levels of the reconciliation architecture to support coordinated implementation.
- Federal Government: Provides national leadership, policy direction, coordination, monitoring, resource mobilisation and institutional support for NRF implementation.
- MOIFAR: Serves as a central coordinating institution for NRF implementation, including policy development, stakeholder engagement, monitoring, capacity development, reporting and support to regional and local reconciliation initiatives.
- Federal Member States and BRA: Align state and regional strategies with national objectives, coordinate implementation, engage stakeholders, monitor progress and address local reconciliation priorities.
- District Administrations: Support local implementation, community engagement, monitoring, feedback mechanisms, conflict resolution and public awareness.
- Civil Society, Traditional and Religious Leaders: Contribute to community mobilisation, dialogue, mediation, reconciliation, awareness and early warning.
- International Partners: Provide technical assistance, capacity development, resource mobilisation, coordination and support for monitoring and evaluation.
Strategic Priorities
The Strategic Plan translates Somalia’s reconciliation challenges into strategic priorities and interventions intended to address the underlying drivers of conflict and strengthen national cohesion.
The planning process considered interconnected political, social, territorial, ideological and environmental conflict dynamics, as well as cross-cutting issues including gender, climate security, displacement, governance and inclusion.
The approach recognises that sustainable reconciliation requires coordinated interventions across national, state, local and community levels rather than isolated peacebuilding activities.
Five-Year Implementation Framework
A five-year implementation framework was developed to translate the Strategic Plan into practical actions for the period 2025–2029.
The framework provides the basis for identifying strategic interventions and implementation responsibilities, while allowing responsible institutions to develop detailed annual work plans for implementation.
The Strategic Plan also provides for resource mobilisation and coordination with development and humanitarian partners to support implementation across Somalia.
Monitoring, Learning and Accountability
Monitoring and evaluation is integrated into the Strategic Plan as an important mechanism for tracking progress, strengthening accountability and supporting evidence-informed decision-making.
The framework provides for monitoring progress against strategic priorities, collecting and analysing implementation information, reporting achievements and challenges, and using evidence to inform adjustments and future planning.
Key Deliverables
- Comprehensive situation and conflict analysis informing the strategic planning process
- Stakeholder engagement and consultation process supporting national ownership
- Strategic vision and direction for Somalia’s peacebuilding and reconciliation agenda
- National Strategic Plan for the National Reconciliation Framework (NRF) 2025–2029
- Identification and prioritisation of strategic issues and interventions
- Five-year implementation framework
- Stakeholder roles and institutional responsibilities for NRF implementation
- Monitoring, reporting and accountability arrangements
- Strategic alignment with Somalia’s wider national transformation, governance, peacebuilding and reconciliation agenda
Practical Strategic Planning Contribution
A central feature of the assignment was to ensure that the Strategic Plan functioned as a practical implementation roadmap rather than solely as a policy document.
The plan connects the national reconciliation vision with strategic priorities, institutional responsibilities, implementation actions, monitoring arrangements and resource mobilisation considerations. It also recognises the importance of annual work planning and periodic strategic review to translate the five-year framework into operational action.
Expected Contribution
The consultancy contributed to establishing a common strategic direction for Somalia’s peacebuilding and reconciliation agenda for 2025–2029.
By combining situation analysis, stakeholder engagement, strategic visioning, prioritisation and implementation planning, the Strategic Plan provides a framework for strengthening coordination, national ownership, institutional accountability and coherence across reconciliation initiatives.
The Strategic Plan is intended to support a more coordinated and inclusive approach to reconciliation, peacebuilding and national cohesion, while providing government institutions and partners with a common reference point for implementation, monitoring and learning.