SOMALIA GOVERNMENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BARAKA INSURANCE LAUNCHES PIONEER HEALTH INSURANCE SERVICE

In a country like Somalia where achieving universal health coverage (UHC) and ensuring adequate healthcare financing is a challenge, what better way to curb this challenge than a partnership with a private sector to provide health insurance service for its populace. Universal health coverage (UHC) ensures all people have access to needed health services of sufficient quality without suffering financial hardship, and this is what the launch of the insurance service provides.

On Friday, the 2nd of February, 2024, an insurance service was launched at the Mogadishu Ceremony by Dr. Ali Hajiadam Abubakar, the federal Minister of Health who referred to the insurance scheme as a great opportunity to access quality healthcare and prevent diseases. He also mentioned that the government's involvement will be in terms of support and regulation to ensure its sustainability and transparency.

In attendance were government officials, bank representatives, hospital managers, and scholars who praised the innovation thus, serving as a collaborative effort towards the improvement of healthcare for the Somali people.

The insurance service known as Baraka Aaliye Care is a product of Baraka Insurance, a private owned company headed by Sakariya Ibrahim. This service offers a variety of packages, ranging from basic to comprehensive, depending on the needs and budget of the consumers. It is also affordable and infact, enrolling as a member or beneficiary of the service is way easier. The Baraka Aaliye Care insurance service is a part of a broader Private Sector Partnerships for Health (PSPH) project which was supported by the Swiss Development and Cooperation whose Memorandum of understanding was signed with the Swiss development agency for its completion in January 2022. The project's major aims include to strengthen the health system by enhancing private healthcare financing and service delivery; to improve access to quality and affordable healthcare for all Somalis, not excluding the most disadvantaged.

Founded in 2018, Baraka Insurance operates on the principles of cooperative insurance in compliance with Islamic Shariah laws. With a focus on mutual protection and profit sharing, the company offers a wide range of protection plans, including medical, motor takaful, and home coverages, among others. Central to its ethos is the concept of Takaful, signifying collective responsibility and solidarity in contributing to the well-being of others.

THE MATTEI PLAN; ITALY’S PRIME MINISTER'S SOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE FOR EUROPE AND AFRICA

Minister, Giorgia Meloni introduced the Mattei plan as a solution to two major problems faced by Italy in recent times; illegal immigration and consistent source of energy. This plan which depends on partnerships with Africannations, was revealed at the Italy-Africa summit in Romewhere the leaders and representatives of more than two dozen African countries from the United Nations, European Union, and the World Bank were present. 

THE MATTEI PLAN

This plan named after Enrico Mattei, founder of ENI (Italy’s national energy company) is driven by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s goal for Italy to be the central hub transporting natural energy throughout Europe from Africa. This isfollowing the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022, which laid to bare Europe’s dependency on Russia’s gas. The strategic plan involves decreasing that dependency and ensuring a consistent energy supply by turning to Africa where fossil fuels are surplus. 

The plan involves large scale investments in Africa, starting from North Africa to the South Saharan quadrant. Thisinvestment with an initial funding 5.5 billion euros, will not be focused on only energy but also education, health, agriculture and water interventions.

The energy investments are presented as motivation for these countries to be willing to collaborate, in a manner which she describes as “non-predatory, non-paternalistic, but also not charitable.” Prime Minister Meloni also said the Italy Government would garner support for financing thedevelopment plan from private businesses and global organizations like the European Union.

REASONS FOR THE MATTEI PLAN

One of Prime Minister Meloni’s promise before being elected was to reduce illegal migration. With this plan, she aims to address the primary causes of migration and tackle human traffickers by creating work opportunities, trainings and legal routes for migration in  African nations. Meloni also stated that to prevent  young Africans from moving out of their countries, investments should be made in the industrial and agricultural sectors in Africa by Europe to improve the local economies.

According to Prime Minister Meloni, Italy’s future depends also on the future of the African continent hence this initiative that has the ability to develop the African continent using its abundance of resources, was established.

ENI, the major energy supplier in Italy, has started getting gas from Africa since supplies from Russia has reduced. The business also stated that for now, Italy key gas suppliers will be Algeria, Egypt, and Libya.

 

RESPONSES FOLLOWING THE ANNOUNCED PLAN 

Following the conclusion of the Italy-Africa Summit, there were doubts about the capability of Meloni’s offer ofapproximately $6 billion as when compared to the European Union’s 2022 offer of  $160 billion. The reception of African nations to this investment is also still uncertain. The success of the plan depends on how it is received by the African nations and the plan’s ability to provide an effective answer to the complex problems being faced. Some also claim that with Italy’s pending debt, the country has a slimmer chance of competing with other countries like China, Russia, and the Gulf states. These countries are also trying to increase their impact in Africa. There are also some suggesting investments into green energy and not a focus on fossil fuels.

Moussa Faki Mahamat, chairman of the African Union Commission said at the summit that Africa should have been consulted initially on priorities and emphasized the necessity of fulfilling commitments. “I want to insist here on the need to move from words to actions. You can well understand that we can no longer be satisfied with mere promises that are often not kept,” he said, standing with Meloni at the summit in Italy. 

NGOs and civil society groups also felt that efforts should have been made to include local governments and communities while planning the investments and mentioned that there was nothing put in place for assurance and prevent being taken advantage of or theft of natural resources that has been a characteristic of past partnerships.

An agreement has however been formed between Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni and the President of the African Development Bank Group Dr Akinwumi Adesina to increase the alliance between Italy and Africa. Dr Akinwumi Adesina said the African Development Bank is willing to collaborate with the Italian government because “the Mattei Plan aligns with the priorities of  the Bank,” known as the High 5s.

The High 5s are to Light up and Power Africa, Feed Africa, Industrialize Africa, Integrate Africa and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa

CONCLUSION

As Giorgia Meloni calls for a collaboration with Africa, the Mattei plan is her transformational proposal to improve economic relations, create an energy hub for Europe, and decrease immigration.

Somalia Celebrates Historic Milestone as it inaugurates its first aircraft MRO facility in 33 years.

In the past three decades, airlines offering services in Somalia faced the challenge of having to take their aircrafts for maintenance checks in other neighbouring African countries like Kenya and Uganda as there was no officially recognized facility for maintenance checks and repairs in Somalia.

The country's first Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility, also known as The Blue Hangar was officially opened by Ministry of Transport and Aviation, at Aden Adde International Airport, Mogadishu, on Wednesday, January 31, 2024. This would facilitate routine checks of all aircraft departing and arriving Somalia, thereby providing an avenue by which they can improve on safety and develop the air transport sector in Somalia.

Construction by Aerosom Company:

Aerosom Company, a construction company in Somalia ensured the construction of The Blue Hangar, the first operational aircraft hanger to be constructed in Somalia since the early 1990s.

Three years ago when foundation was being set at the airport, Duran Farah, former Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation to Somalia announced the project. This was a major step taken by the ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, amongst others to increase the capacity and functionality of the airport following an increase in air traffic. At the time, Somalia had resumed aircraft registration after over 30 years.

The country's current Minister of Transport and Aviation, Fardowsa Osman Egal, inaugurated the facility and made a request for firms based in Somalia to invest in the air transport sector as well. And the upside added was simple - that businesses would likewise benefit from increased facilitation, as would the government and local community. In addition to this, through The Blue Hangar means of locally maintaining aircraft, it will further help in providing employment to a variety of personnel such as aircraft technicians, engineers, and other air transport expert.

Speaking at the same occasion, also addressing the inaugural ceremony, the Director General of the Somali Civil Aviation Authority, Ahmed M Hassan, brought to everyone's notice that the new MRO facility will would go a long way in assisting the country to meet her goals on global civil aviation standards.

This public-private partnership between the ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation as well as Aerosom Company clearly shows Somalia’s determination in developing its aviation infrastructure and readiness to be more relevant internationally in the aviation sector.

The current state of Somalia's aviation sector

The East African country, Somalia clearly illustrates how conflict and political instability can affect the aviation sector in a country. Most of the Somali facilities stopped all operations after the outbreak of the civil war during the early 90s, including Somali Airlines.

Though the political situation is yet to be stable, The air transport industry in Somalia has really improved bit by bit during the last couple of years. In January 2023, the Horn of Africa country's air traffic control services resumed after more than 30 years following the reclassification of the Mogadishu FIR as 'Class A.' Less than a month later, IATA signed a landmark agreement with Somalia to deepen cooperation in air transport.

At present, around eight airlines are operating passenger services in Somalia with the majority of these operating flights from Mogadishu. These include Ethiopian Airlines, Dallo Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Turkish Airlines. Last March, flydubai launched Boeing 737 MAX flights from Dubai to Mogadishu. This month, Kenya Airways also resumed its Nairobi-Mogadishu route.

The reopening of the first and so far only aircraft hangar in Somalia after the years of its closure, is a major boost for Somalia’s aviation sector as it provides safety and maintenance services for planes flying in the in and out of Somalia. With improved capabilities for aircraft maintenance and repair, Somalia is better placed to meet global standards and contribute positively to the international aviation industry.

FIKRCAMP'S UNIQUE APPROACH TO EDTECH IN SOMALIA

Various Edtech innovations in Africa are providing streamlined training programs and boot camps, equipping individuals with practical skills and offering global opportunities to address the digital skills gap problem. One such platform, FikrCamp, an online training platform launched in Somaliland, offers short courses in web development, coding, UI/UX design, and product management, targeting young individuals speaking Somali.

Fikrcamp's History

Fikrcamp, located in Hargeisa, was launched in February 2021 and has since achieved notable success. The platform has secured $40,000 in funding and generated $36,800 in revenue. The revenues were intended to give the organization a six-month operating budget.. Following its launch, the first batch of 16 students completed the program, with 10 of them securing employment through internships or full-time jobs. A total of 186 students have participated in over seven cohorts, with 117 of them gaining employment. Co-founder and director of product and operations at Fikrcamp, Ridwan Tukale, stated that these numbers demonstrate the platform's effectiveness in bridging the digital skills gap in Africa.

Fikrcamp has also expanded in Ethiopia and plans to provide digital skills to 500 Somali-speaking and 7,500 Amharic-speaking students in Ethiopia using its unique model for diverse regions and languages. Ridwan Tukale claims the goal is to expand our operations, boost student enrolments, and maintain a strong impact on Africa’s IT education environment. Despite the challenges of expanding into new regions with distinct cultures and languages, Fikrcamp remains committed to upholding its key mission and efficacy while adapting to these changes. Fikrcamp recognizes the significance of cultural sensitivity and respect for local customs and values. Before embarking on any new venture in a different region, thorough research is conducted, and partnerships are formed with local experts to gain a deeper understanding of the cultural nuances. This approach ensures that the program is culturally relevant and appropriately respectful of the local context. One of the partners from Addis Ababa, who is also based there, conducted extensive market research for the launch in Ethiopia.

Fikrcamp’s Unique Teaching Model

Fikrcamp recognizes the importance of tailoring its training programs to the local context in Somalia and the unique challenges faced by Somali-speaking youth. To ensure that the content is both accessible and culturally relevant, Fikrcamp offers courses in the Somali language. By prioritizing hands-on learning through projects, students gain practical experience and build a portfolio of technical skills that showcase their abilities to potential employers. Additionally, Fikrcamp understands the value of soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking, which are crucial for success in the digital space. While tuition fees, which can be paid upfront, quarterly or monthly, are charged for training and resources, Fikrcamp provides scholarships and financial aid to those in need or who demonstrate merit. The platform has established partnerships with employers, which can result in fees being covered or sponsorships for skilled individuals. Furthermore, Fikrcamp generates revenue through customized corporate training programs for organizations

Fikrcamp’s Mission

Fikrcamp’s curriculum is routinely reviewed to ensure alignment with industry trends, new technology, and market demands. They collaborate with IT employers to guarantee that graduates are well-prepared. They additionally encourage entrepreneurial thinking, preparing students to start tech-related firms and make decisions in the digital economy. Fikrcamp graduates had a 63% employment rate following graduation, confirming the boot camp’s proficiency in generating job-ready professionals.

As co-founder, director, and lead instructor Abdulladif Roble puts it, “Fikrcamp is committed to its mission. The goal of the boot camp is to provide African youths with the necessary digital skills and opportunities needed to thrive in the industry.

Nim’an Bashir, a graduate of Fikrcamp, found the four-month program to be more valuable than his three years at university. He attributes this to the guidance of Abdulladif Roble, the founder and lead instructor of Fikrcamp, as well as the mentors he worked with. Bashir developed not only technical skills but also strengthened his critical thinking, problem-solving, and logic abilities. He claimed to have initially struggled with imposter syndrome, comparing himself to more experienced coders, but he overcame this challenge by pushing through and building his skills.

Another graduate of Fikrcamp, Nemo Rashed, described the experience during the program as a watershed moment in her life. She acquired essential skills during the intensive program, including networking, interpersonal communication, and career development. The boot camp also honed her critical thinking, problem-solving, and logical reasoning abilities, which have proven useful in her studies and future endeavours .

Conclusion

Fikrcamp dedication to fostering local and home-grown tech talent is evident in its innovative teaching approach. Unlike traditional tech education providers, the boot camp teaches tech courses in the student’s native language. This approach improves the learning experience and creates an inclusive environment for students. They go a step further to bridge the gap between education and the industry by connecting these skilled individuals to prospective employers in both the international and local markets