Somalia Humanitarian Fund 

ObjectivesFund scope

Fund Scope

The Somalia Humanitarian Fund (SHF) is a multi-donor country-based pooled mechanism created in 2010 to allocate funding for the most urgent life-saving interventions in Somalia. Combining flexibility and strategic focus, the Fund ensures timely allocation and disbursement of resources, enables effective humanitarian action and strengthens coordination. 

With the SHF, governments and private donors can channel their contributions into a common, unearmarked fund to deliver life-saving assistance to people who need it most. 

SHF funds are prioritized and managed locally. The Fund supports the highest-priority projects of the best-placed responders  - mainly international and national NGOs and some UN agencies - through an inclusive and transparent process that meets priorities set out in the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP). This ensures that funding is available and prioritized locally by those closest to people in need. 

The Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia decides on SHF allocations based on strategic prioritization led by the inter-cluster coordination structure and upon the endorsement of the SHF Advisory Board. On a day-to-day basis, the SHF is managed by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). 

Since inception, the SHF allocated more than $400 million for critical humanitarian response in Somalia, gaining trust from donors due to its distinct comparative advantages – the unearmarked nature of the Fund and its flexibility, its robust and established accountability systems and its integration within the existing coordination systems. 

GovernanceGovernance arrangements

Governance, Policy and Guidance 

The Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) is responsible for the overall management of the SHF and is accountable for the use of funds. The SHF Advisory Board (current composition), chaired by the HC and formed by UN agencies, NGOs and donor representatives advises on the use of funds and the governance of the SHF. 

On a day-to-day basis, the SHF is managed by OCHA Somalia Humanitarian Financing Unit (HFU) on behalf of the HC. The UNDP Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) Office serves as the Fund’s ‘Administrative Agent’: it receives, administers and manages contributions from donors, as well as disburses funds to OCHA and UN agencies, funds and programmes. 

Allocation process 

The broad strategic focus and priorities for Somalia Humanitarian Fund (SHF) allocations are determined on an annual basis by the SHF Advisory Board. 

The focus of individual allocation rounds is determined through a consultative strategic prioritization process of the Somalia inter-cluster coordination structure and endorsed by the Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia and the SHF Advisory Board. 

Specifically, the SHF has two allocation modalities:   

1. Standard allocation: this is the main mechanism for SHF allocations and the process through which the majority of funding is channeled to priority activities within the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP). Large and medium-size strategic allocation rounds are typically launched once or twice a year, depending on the availability of funds. The basis for project submissions is the Standard Allocation Strategy, developed by the Inter-Cluster Coordination Group (ICCG), in close consultation with regional counterparts (Regional ICCGs). Allocation strategy is then approved by the Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) and endorsed by the SHF Advisory Board. 

2. Reserve allocation: this modality is primarily intended for the rapid and flexible allocation of funds for unexpected emergencies, to address emerging humanitarian needs or rapidly deteriorating situations. These funds can be allocated through individual reserve allocation or broader allocation rounds and accommodate disbursement of resources is response to specific humanitarian situations requiring a coordinated response outside the standard rounds. 

Projects

Somalia Humanitarian Fund

Somalia Humanitarian Fund is currently supporting count_projects ongoing projectscount_globalInterregional and count_countries country-specific. This table shows the most recently approved ongoing projects.

All project financial information can be found in the Financials section, including delivery analysis by organization, theme and project; project financial status by country and by theme.

Somalia Humanitarian Fund

ResultsFocus on results

The Somalia Humanitarian Fund supports life-saving assistance to Somalia’s most vulnerable groups. Allocations are granted according to urgent humanitarian needs (as outlined in the national Humanitarian Response Plan) or according to emergency needs.  

In this section you will find the latest editions of reports that detail Fund performance and results. In most cases, results are presented according to SDG contributions, signature indicators, and Fund outcomes. 

ContactsPoints of contact

Policy and Programme Issues

Adam ABDELMOULA, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Email: abdelmoula@un.org  
Karen Smith, Head Humanitarian Financing Unit & SHF Manager, Email: smith3@un.org  
Afifa Ismail, Somalia Humanitarian Fund, Email: afifa@un.org 

Fund Administrative Agent Issues

Olga Aleshina, Senior Portfolio Manager, Email: olga.aleshina@undp.org
Anita Amissah-Arthur, Portfolio Associate, Email: anita.amissah-arthur@undp.org 
Myasanda Hlaing, Finance Associate, Email: myasanda.hlaing@undp.org