Somalia Moves to Establish National Meteorological Agency: Lawmakers and Experts Convene in Nairobi to Advance Climate Resilience

Nairobi, Kenya – 10 July 2025
A four-day workshop held in Nairobi brought together members of the Natural Resources and Environment Committee of the Federal Parliament of Somalia (BJFS) to deliberate on the critical importance of enacting legislation to formally establish the Somalia National Meteorological Agency (SNMA).

The workshop was officially opened by Hon. Gen. Bashir Mohamed Jama, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, who underscored the urgency of building a national institution capable of delivering authoritative weather and climate services to support Somalia’s development and resilience goals.

Discussions focused on key institutional dimensions of the proposed agency, including its legal autonomy, governance structure, financial sustainability, technical capacity, public awareness role, and the urgent need for a legislative framework to guide its establishment.

Parliamentarians emphasized that the agency must operate independently—free from political interference—and be grounded in a robust legal mandate. They further recommended that SNMA establish a presence in all federal member states to ensure weather and climate services are accessible across the country.

Dr. Guleid A. Artan, Somalia’s Permanent Representative to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), delivered a presentation underscoring the strategic value of the legislation. He shared international best practices and illustrated how other countries have developed transparent and effective climate forecasting systems through strong legal frameworks.

The workshop was officially closed by Hon. Hussein Haji Ali, Deputy Minister for Environment and Climate Change, who reaffirmed the Ministry’s unwavering commitment to building a modern, autonomous meteorological institution equipped to support national development and disaster preparedness.

Hon. Yusuf Gamaadiid, Chair of the BJFS Natural Resources and Environment Committee, also delivered closing remarks. He reaffirmed the Parliament’s full support for the proposed legislation and emphasized that the draft law will be tabled as a priority when Parliament resumes session, reflecting the collective commitment to enhancing Somalia’s resilience to climate shocks and natural disasters.

In conclusion, the meeting recognized that establishing SNMA is not only a national priority but a strategic imperative—critical for enabling Somalia to better respond to climate change, manage natural disasters like droughts and floods, and provide accurate, timely weather services to the Somali people.