How strong local governance powered Berbera’s development, a port city in Somaliland
A decade ago, Berbera, a bustling port city in Somaliland, faced serious challenges. In 2012, the city’s municipal budget for health and education was almost zero. Public services struggled, infrastructure lagged behind, and citizens had limited access to basic services.
Fast forward to today, Berbera tells a different story — one of transformation driven by strong local governance, visionary leadership and strategic support through the UN Joint Programme on Local Governance and Service Delivery (JPLG).
By 2024, Berbera’s local revenue had soared from $1.5 million in 2012 to $14 million, allowing the municipality to allocate $2 million per year to schools and $1.7 million annually to healthcare. Roads, clinics, markets, and schools have been upgraded, and the capacity of local authorities has been strengthened to deliver better services.
“This is what strong local governance delivers,” says Abdishakur Mohamoud Hassan (Cidin), the mayor of Berbera, who is serving his second term in the office. “JPLG also helped us build the systems, skills and capacity to plan and deliver for our people.”
One standout example of this transformation is Berbera’s Central Bus Terminal — a hub that has redefined how people travel in and out of the city. Before its construction four years ago, buses from all over Berbera converged in an open, chaotic space with no clear organization. Today, the terminal, built in 2021 through systems supported by JPLG, serves thousands of travelers every week in a safe, clean, and orderly environment.
“Before this bus terminal was built, it was just an open space where buses from all over the city gathered. It was disorganized and chaotic,” recalls Najah Abdirahman, a Berbera resident. “Today, all transport companies operate from one central, well-structured location. The city is cleaner, trees have been planted, and everything is more orderly, thanks to our local government.”
Abdifatah Sacid, works for Nabad-Gale Transportation,” he shares. “The transportation system in Berbera has significantly improved. Passengers can now reserve seats and enjoy smoother travel. Plus, city-wide sanitation and tree planting initiatives have made Berbera even more attractive for visitors.”
Berbera’s story proves that when local governance is strong, everyday life improves for everyone.
The Berbera bus terminal is just one example of how JPLG, one of the longest-running joint UN programmes has worked with communities and local governments to build stronger governance systems. By empowering municipalities to plan, budget, procure, and implement services, JPLG has contributed to improved roads, schools, clinics, and public spaces across Somaliland. JPLG’s approach was based on the belief that local people know their needs best — and that with the right tools, skills, and resources, they can lead the way in building resilient, vibrant communities.
About the programme
Launched in 2012, the Joint Programme on Local Governance (JPLG) — which has now evolved into a new programme called the Joint Programme on Strengthening Local Governance and Decentralized Service Delivery (Dowlad-kaab Programme) — was a collaborative initiative of five UN agencies to strengthen Somalia’s local governance systems. It helped significantly improve the way government is run at the city, such as in Berbera, and state levels in all five Member States in order to boost economic development and make communities stronger in the face of conflict, climate disaster and other challenges.
While the most visible achievements of JPLG are the roads, clinics, markets and schools it helped build, but the programme was about much more than service delivery. It aimed to create a “local government ecosystem” that included: well-designed laws and systems for public procurement, budgeting, oversight, tax collection and other government functions, well-trained staff with the administrative, financial and other skills needed to implement these laws and systems; and an empowered citizenry that is involved in decision making through regular discussion forums and consultation meetings in both towns and villages.
By pooling their expertise and resources, the programme during its three phases since 2012, worked toward a common objective: enhancing decentralized service delivery, fostering inclusive citizen-state relations, and building accountable local institutions. Each agency delivered specialized support:
UNDP led legal and capacity development, district planning, local government structuring, citizen-state relations, and gender equality in local governance (GEWE). UNICEF focused on citizen engagement, education, awareness-raising, and health/education service delivery, with integrated gender equality initiatives. UN-Habitat provided urban-focused implementation support. ILO managed public procurement for rural projects. UNCDF oversaw equitable distribution of local development funds. Read more about JPLG and Dowlad Kaab. Story by Ilyas Ahmed, photos by Ahmed Fais.
