Somalia - IOM, in close collaboration with the Government of Somaliland and in partnership with UN agencies, has opened a new Digaale permanent settlement in Hargeisa, Somaliland, for 500 displaced (IDP) families who in the past lived in destitute temporary settlements.

IOM is providing durable solutions for the IDPs through voluntary relocation, livelihoods, healthcare and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services for some of the 85,000 vulnerable IDPs in Somaliland. Its Somaliland livelihoods and migration health programmes are funded by the government of Japan.

Among others, IOM has partnered with a local NGO, Kaaba Micro-Finance Institute, to provide micro financial support to 52 families as part of its livelihoods program.

Speaking at the opening of the settlement, Somaliland Vice President Abdirahman Ismail Abdullahi said: “Our strategy is to continue to shift from providing care and maintenance to searching for durable solutions for people seeking to integrate back into our society.”

“IOM will continue to help this vulnerable community by providing them with basic health care during the relocation exercise. I am thrilled to see these people move from makeshift shelters to permanent homes,” said IOM Hargeisa head of sub-office Dr. Samir Hadjiabduli.

IOM is now working closely with the Ministry of Health to provide free primary healthcare services at the new settlement. The services include ante-natal and post-natal care, immunization, day treatment and stabilization prior to hospital referral and medication.

An IOM-supported health post in the settlement has also received in-kind donations of primary healthcare kits and vaccines for routine immunization of children and pregnant/lactating women.

For more information, please contact

Dr. Samir Hadjiabduli
IOM Hargeisa, Somaliland
Tel: +252 634 163 636
Email: shadjiabduli@iom.int