Mogadishu, Somalia – The top official in Somalia’s disaster response agency has announced that the country’s next National Humanitarian Forum will be held on November 10 in Jowhar, signaling a renewed push to confront the growing toll of drought, conflict, and extreme weather on vulnerable communities.

Mahamuud Moalim, the Commissioner of the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), confirmed the date while stressing that this year’s gathering will move beyond routine assessments.

“We are not just meeting to talk. We are meeting to make decisions that save lives,” he said.

Jowhar, a flood-prone regional capital in HirShabelle State, was selected deliberately — a stark reminder of how climate shocks are no longer distant threats but lived realities for millions.

The forum is expected to bring together federal and regional officials, humanitarian agencies, international donors, and civil society leaders. According to SoDMA, the agenda will center on three urgent challenges: the lingering effects of years-long droughts, continued displacement caused by conflict, and increasingly unpredictable climate patterns that are eroding livelihoods.

Residents in Jowhar hope the forum will result in tangible support rather than another round of promises. Many families in the region have seen their farms washed away by seasonal floods after barely surviving the recent drought — a cruel cycle becoming all too familiar across Somalia.

With aid funding stretched globally and Somalia preparing for another uncertain rainy season, expectations are high. For many communities in Hirshabelle and beyond, the success of this forum could be measured not by speeches delivered, but by whether it leads to food on tables, resilience in farms, and safety for families constantly on the move.

As November approaches, Jowhar is bracing not only for delegates — but for answers.