27
Prior media development initiatives have included small NED grants, which included direct
grants to the Somaliland Journalist Association to support core operating costs and
organizational capacity development, and programming by the Somaliland Journalist
Association that includes “advocacy on behalf of journalists for fair and safe working
conditions and for the government to fulfill its promise to pass a broadcasting law that will
allow for private radio licenses and the emergence of independent radio stations.”
59
The
Somaliland Society for Independent Journalists and Writers has received NED grants to
“increase interaction between the media and members of parliament,”
60
“train [independent]
journalists on ways to improve their skills and increase the professionalism of their
newspapers,”
61
and to develop recommendations on the media’s role in and to encourage
coalition-building between media and civil society organizations to combat corruption.
62
NED
has also provided grants to the Women in Journalism Association to conduct capacity building
for women journalists.
63
In addition to direct grants provided to Somaliland organizations, Free Press Unlimited has,
since 2011, maintained a media training center in Hargeisa to conduct media production and
training programming for journalists. Further, a range of equipment and facility improvements
were provided to the Ministry of Information through the DAI-implemented Transition
Initiatives for Stabilization program, which included the provision of equipment to Somaliland
National Television. The International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) includes a
chapter assessing the Somaliland media sector in its annual
Media Sustainability
publication.
To inform the 2012 edition, a panel discussion was held with representatives of Somaliland
media outlets in partnership with the Social Research and Development Institute in Hargeisa.
64
Issues
The following section covers existing challenges and factors to be mindful of in developing
future democracy and governance programs for Somaliland, as identified by representatives of
the international donor and implementing partner community interviewed for this strategy.
Donors are Primarily Based in Nairobi
In discussions with donor agencies currently supporting programs in Somaliland and their
implementing partners, it was almost universally expressed that one of the top issues or
challenges to supporting democracy and governance (and likely other forms of development
assistance) initiatives in Somaliland is the fact that donors are primarily based in Nairobi. One
donor explained that “our main problem is, of course, that we’re sitting in Nairobi and that we
are far away from our partners.” Though travel to Somaliland on the part of the donor
community has, in the last few years, increased, some donor agencies maintain, namely for
59
"Somaliland."
National Endowment for Democracy
. National Endowment for Democracy, n.d. Web. July 2013.
>.
60
2007 Annual Report
. Rep. Washington, D.C.: National Endowment for Democracy, 2008. Print.
61
2008 Annual Report
. Rep. Washington, D.C.: National Endowment for Democracy, 2009. Print.
62
2009 Annual Report
. Rep. Washington, D.C.: National Endowment for Democracy, 2010. Print.
63
2010 Annual Report
. Rep. Washington, D.C.: National Endowment for Democracy, 2011. Print.
64
"Somaliland Media Sustainability Index" IREX, 24 Apr. 2013. Web. Aug. 2013.
>.
