Over 150 leaders of Somali civil society, the business community, and Somali expatriates from south-central Somalia gathered in Entebbe, Uganda in an unprecedented gathering to foster a more collective voice among the diverse sectors and groups of Somali civil society, both those living within Somalia and those living outside; and to begin to build consensus among the group on how the Somali civil society can most effectively and constructively contribute to peacebuilding in Somalia. Amongst other issues, the meeting called on all parties in the violent conflict to enable humanitarian access to address the emergency affecting thousands of people in south-central Somalia.

Participants included: Somali expatriate community, Somali NGOs, business leaders, professional associations, women’s groups, religious leaders, academics, the media, and traditional elders, all from south-central Somalia. The meeting was organized by Saferworld, Interpeace and its Somali partner, the Centre for Research and Dialogue (CRD).

To read the unanimous communiqué and outcomes of the conference, please click here