Somalia

Progress towards the MDGs

Despite the vision of the Somali Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP), a pro-poor instrument and support from the international community, Somalia is unlikely to meet most, if any, of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. Almost 66% of the population is living in severe poverty. Together with the rest of Horn of Africa, Somalia is now recovering from the worst famine in 60 years, affecting over one-third of its population, armed conflict continues in many areas of the country and the international aid system is unable to meet basic needs: 3.8 million are still in need of emergency aid. With the election of a reform-minded president and speaker of parliament at the end of 2012, will the country be able to overcome these challenges and improve people’s livelihoods?