Mogadishu, October 14, 2025
Today marked a significant step forward for governance in Somalia as a joint delegation of civil society organizations (CSOs) met with the Parliamentary Committee on Budget, Finance, Planning, International Cooperation, and Financial Oversight of Government Institutions. The meeting, which underscores the growing partnership between the Federal Parliament and civil society, took place at the committee headquarters in Villa Hargeysa and was chaired by the Committee Chairman, Honorable Member of Parliament Abdi Ibrahim Warsame (Qawdhan). on the other hand, The delegation was led by the Chairman of the major umbrella organization, Somalia Non-State Actors (SONSA), Mr. Osman Moallim Shatah.
Critically, the Transparency Somalia Initiative (TSI) accompanied the SONSA team to this high-level forum. As an active member of the CSOs Working Group on Transparency & Accountability in Parliament Monitoring and Budget Oversight, TSI’s participation highlighted the central role of anti-corruption efforts in national governance.
The Director of TSI Hassan Yusuf presented the committee with an update on the organization’s core mandate, focusing on its ongoing work in combating corruption and promoting good governance across the public sector.
In the main presentation, SONSA Chairman Mr. Shatah detailed the GoleKaab Project. He explained the project’s vital role in fostering direct links between citizens, CSOs, and parliamentary committees, emphasizing its goal to boost transparency and accountability throughout the legislative process. The project aims to formalize the crucial role of civil society in providing expert oversight, advice, and informed perspective during the preparation of the National Budget.
The overall objective of the meeting was to formalize and strengthen collaboration between Parliament, particularly the Budget Committee, and CSOs to broaden public participation in preparing and implementing the national budget, focusing on essential planning topics and procedural transparency.
The Committee Chairman and members warmly welcomed the renewed cooperation and expressed optimism about future collaboration and pledged to hold further meetings. Furthermore, they specifically committed to invite civil society to pre-debate legislative sessions before any bill moves to the formal parliamentary floor, marking a significant win for inclusive governance and public scrutiny.