MOGADISHU – In line with its strategy to enhance global partnerships and advance women’s role in sustainable development, Deputy Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia, H.E. Salah Ahmed Jama, welcomed in Mogadishu on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, a high-level delegation from UN Women headed by Ms. Anna Mutavati, Regional Director for East and Southern Africa. The discussions centered on collaborative efforts to empower women and girls.

As reported by the Somali National News Agency (SONNA), the meeting explored strategies to strengthen collaboration between the government and UN Women, focusing on women’s leadership, increased political participation, and initiatives to safeguard the rights of Somali women and girls while promoting their economic and social autonomy.

The Deputy Prime Minister praised UN Women’s ongoing support, highlighting the critical need to intensify initiatives that enable women to contribute significantly to state-building, governance, and peacebuilding efforts.

Ms. Anna Mutavati, in turn, acknowledged the concrete measures implemented by the Somali government to advance women’s rights, reaffirming UN Women’s dedication to reinforcing the strategic partnership and offering essential technical and logistical assistance to sustain development programs for women nationwide.

According to official National Agency sources, conversations emphasized the necessity of incorporating gender perspectives into national transformation strategies to guarantee equal opportunities and women’s access to decision-making roles, aligning with the country’s objective of establishing a fair and inclusive society.

The Women’s Affairs Coordinator at the Office of the Prime Minister, Ms. Aminakef Ahmed, also participated in the meeting, which assessed ongoing local initiatives and future requirements to strengthen the capabilities of women in governmental bodies and civil society organizations.

Participants underscored that women’s empowerment represents not just a social objective but an economic and security imperative that bolsters community resilience against contemporary challenges, stressing the need to align international and national efforts to accomplish established targets within specific timeframes.

The discussions concluded with the agreement to establish permanent coordination mechanisms for monitoring joint project implementation, with both parties affirming that the Somalia-UN partnership serves as the foundation for structural reforms that safeguard the dignity and rights of Somali women across all sectors.

Somalia’s approach to reinforcing collaborations with international entities for women’s empowerment constitutes an ‘investment in the future,’ as nation-building remains unfinished without the active involvement of half its population. This alignment between political commitment and UN support provides the ultimate assurance for translating women’s aspirations into tangible outcomes that contribute to constructing a modern state where all citizens thrive and women serve as principal partners in driving renaissance and prosperity.