Jowhar, Somalia — Somalia on Monday opened a national humanitarian conference in the town of Jowhar aimed at addressing the impact of droughts, floods, displacement, and urgent livelihood needs across the country, officials said.

The meeting brought together senior Somali government officials, including the head of the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SODMA), the deputy special representative of the UN Secretary-General and UN humanitarian coordinator for Somalia, ministers of humanitarian affairs from federal member states, representatives from the Benadir Regional Administration, UN aid agencies, the mayor of Jowhar and other dignitaries.

Hirshabelle State President Ali Abdullahi Hussein (Ali Gudlawe) officially inaugurated the forum, calling it a crucial step toward unifying relief efforts and improving coordination between government institutions and humanitarian partners.

"This important forum is a great opportunity to unify humanitarian efforts and strengthen cooperation among all actors involved in relief and recovery," President Gudlawe said.

Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn

He urged humanitarian agencies and government bodies to act swiftly to assist communities affected by worsening climatic shocks, including recurrent droughts and seasonal flooding.

The Jowhar conference is part of Somalia's broader effort to improve national preparedness and response mechanisms to humanitarian crises, as climate change continues to exacerbate food insecurity and displacement across the Horn of Africa nation.