The answer to internal displacement has long been known to provide short term or emergency assistance. However, in the years past, with numerous internally displaced populations, humanitarian organizations have rapidly noticed the need to empower those displaced populations to excel towards greater self-reliance. Consequently, in 2016 the United Nations along with the government of Somalia implemented the Durable Solutions Initiative (DSI) to bring about long term solutions in regards to internally displaced Somalians. The Durable Solutions Initiative (DSI) provides Somalians a voice in deciding and determining solutions to help shape their future and provide a blueprint for other areas that currently are, or soon will become, similar circumstantially.
Each year that passes, millions of people across the world are compelled to abandon their homelands and livelihoods which is the consequential result of climate change. In addition, the rate of migration due to climate change is increasing and is mostly taking place throughout many countries in the form of rural urban migration.
A recent World Bank report stated that climate migrants could surpass 143 million by the year 2050, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America. In relation to past events, the majority will be forced to leave their homelands due to extreme weather conditions. Others will relocate from rural areas into cities in order to escape climate related events, such as desertification.
A global director by the name of Ani Dasgupta at the World Resources Institute (WRI) for the Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, states that rapidly growing cities face many threats that increase the vulnerability of migrating populations. Furthermore, as these cities expand, many of the municipalities are overburdened. Thus, these municipalities are not able to meet the heightened demand for basic services, such as housing, jobs, and transport. Additionally, the climate crisis is another challenge to consider. Heat waves, flooding, powerful storms, and water shortages are likely to affect migrating and current vulnerable populations significantly.
The objective of the Durable Solutions Initiative (DSI) is to improve government capabilities at all levels such as in local, state, and federal for helping internally displaced individuals integrate into society. Furthermore, this has initiated funding from donors to support initiatives which allow internally displaced individuals to display their ideas for community driven infrastructure projects in addition to other strategic approaches to achieve self-reliance as well.
A coordinator for the Durable Solutions Initiative (DSI) by the name of Teresa Del Ministro, stated the Durable Solutions Initiative (DSI) is a solution to an increasing global awareness in regards to the limitations of conventional humanitarian strategies in order to effectively deal with internally displaced individuals. Additionally, she basically states that with global awareness increasing worldwide it is obvious that multi-strata investing partnerships are an essential necessity. Conclusively, the Durable Solutions Initiative (DSI) is commonly recognized as being innovative due to it enabling displaced individuals to convey various solutions in order to become self-reliant.
In relation to a report done by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) regarding the Midnimo I project constructed short term employment opportunities which led to the creation of community infrastructure projects along with contributing to the manifestation of a land commission meanwhile improving relations between government officials and displaced communities. Approximately 350,000 individuals directly benefited from opportunities created by Midnimo I project which constructed or upgraded community based hospitals, schools, water sources, airports, police departments, prisons, etc… according to Ben Mbaura.
The Durable Solutions Initiative (DSI) has also been utilized in Ethiopia, in which a drought beginning in 2015 left millions to depend on emergency food assistance. In December of 2019 the government of Ethiopia, along with support from U.N. institutions, governments, donor organizations and non-governmental entities, implemented their own Durable Solutions Initiative (DSI).
The large display of displacement caught numerous members in the international community by surprise, where a collective determination was made to support Ethopia, stated Hélène Harroff Atrafi, which is a coordinator for the U.N. Resident Coordinator’s Office. It was also said that during the process, they observed international good practices, which entailed the neighboring country of Somalia.
During the year 2020 in the month of February, Ethiopia permitted the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Africa, which is a sanctioned vehicle for safeguarding internally displaced individuals in Africa. The hope is that this will create a high degree of awareness in regards to supporting innovative initiatives for internally displaced populations throughout Africa.
Across the globe, fragile municipalities can join hands with international humanitarian organizations, research institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), governmental agencies, and the private sector to embolden their capabilities to handle issues of climate, migration, and urbanization. Additionally, the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center (IDMC), a major thinker based out of Geneva consists of multiple stakeholder partnerships to play a significant role in obtaining information regarding internally displaced individuals.
Pablo Ferrandez, an associate researcher with the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center (IDMC), basically stated that they start with the affected people at hand of which are internally displaced individuals along with host communities, and from that point they further develop the agenda in turn collaborating with governmental entities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), U.N. agencies, research institutions, etc… A senior director by the name of Andrew Fuys, working for global migration at the Church World Service which is a nonprofit organization stated that one of the objectives regarding research is to pinpoint how risks that climate migrants face are comparatively, those of other individuals who are internally displaced in cities so that humanitarian entities can provide essential services for climate migrants.
During the years of 2016 and 2017 the nation of Somalia located on the east coast Africa received very little precipitation which forced hundreds of thousands Somalians to abandon their rural homelands and livelihoods caused by a historical drought not seen in decades. However, in 2019 during the months of September up until December heavy torrential rain propagated severe flooding, in turn forcing out hundreds of thousands Somalians from their rural homelands primarily in the districts of Weyne, Belet, Berdale, and Baardheere.
This large scale climate migration led Somalians to voyage across dusty and barren landscapes or traverse through torrential rains, all in search for food and shelter. Unfortunately, many landed themselves in refugee camps in urban territories such as Badbaado, a densely populated area consisting of makeshift tents along the outskirts of Mogadishu, which currently is home to tens of thousands displaced migrants.
The issues these Somalians faced are quite substantial, according to Ben Mbaura, a disaster risk mitigator and national emergency response coordinator at the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which includes: limited education, poor sanitation, insufficient food accessibility, and inter clan conflict. Not only that but many Somalians have not acquired the necessary skills to meet labor market requirements which in turn accounts for a high degree of unemployment and exclusion, as stated by Ben Mbaura.
A specialist for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Latin America by the name of Pablo Escribano specializing in migration and climate change, states that migration creates “urban hot spots” in which displaced populations converge to find shelter, food, and jobs.
Climate migrants arriving in cities are more prone to move into informal settlements, and the majority of these hot spots will manifest in cities that are expanding rapidly, primarily occurring in low to middle income countries with a weak governing body and limited capacities for providing social services and infrastructure. Additionally, Escribano stated basically that in Asia, recent predictions of the increased rise in sea level have dire consequences for cities such as Dhaka, Jakarta, and Bangkok.
In Latin America, Escribano states, Lima, La Paz, Mexico City, and Rio De Janeiro will experience the consequences of migration due to the rise of sea levels, propagated from melting glaciers and other climate changing catalysts. Comparatively, rapidly growing cities like Kinshasa, Lagos, and Luanda all of which are located in Africa are also considered city hot spots as well.
Robert Muggah an expert in urban development has labeled these urban situations as “fragile cities”. As the research and innovation director and co-founder of the renowned Igarapé Insititute in Brazil. Furthermore, Muggah created 11 indicating factors that pinpoint urban fragility, including: inaccessibility to services, inequality, crime, and threats of climate change.
A coordination officer for the Durable Solution Initiative (DSI) by the name of Isabelle Peter, stated that a participating locally derived strategy is a programming principle within the Durable Solutions Initiative (DSI). For instance, the Midnimo I project backed by the Peacebuilding Fund along with the co-partners International Organization for Migration (IOM) and UN Habitat.
Midnomo means “unity” in Somalian which with the backing from Midnimo I, climate induced migrants and other displaced individuals throughout central and southern Somalia congregated with representatives regarding their new found homelands, in combination with municipal and federal government officials, to construct creative approaches to the variety of challenges they must address. Additionally, the initiative strives to aid communities in defining and directing their own recovery primarily by community action plans (CAPs), documents which provide a foundation for local objectives for a community based recovery. In conjunction with Midnimo I, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) mentored Somali government officials for engaging displaced individuals in perceptive exercises to aid in determining their short term needs along with displaying strategic approaches to move towards a greater self-reliant lifestyle. The implementation of Midnimo I occurred in cities such as Baidoa and Kismayo, which is home to over 450,000 people of which are internally displaced.
Teresa Del Ministro also stated that basically in combination they would derive objectives for infrastructure investments but other methods of investing would be considered as well. Also if a project was inadequately funded for these objectives, the governing body would reach out to other entities for support.
The regulated framework for the Durable Solutions Initiative (DSI) is coming to fruition with cooperation by the government of Ethiopia. Atrafi also states that there is a consensus on the upcoming future, in which partners have reconvened to work collectively. Thus, the entire operation process must be implemented.
The Somalian region, makes up for 10% of the regions in Ethiopia, the Durable Solutions Initiative (DSI) is currently in the phase of detailing options which internally displaced populations have. These options consist of: urban along with rural relocation, returning to original homelands, and potential integration in settlements where displaced populations currently reside in.
According to a report done by the World Bank labeled “Groundswell: Preparing for Internal Climate Migration” the number of climate induced migrants in Ethiopia could triple by 2050, where Addis Ababa is set to become an urban retreat which in turn would be a climate induced hot spot for migrants. Smaller cities, like Deri Dawa and Jigjiga, are predicted to receive a massive migration of which is climate induced.
Isabelle Peter states that the strengthening of capabilities are required for human resources in urban approaches. In addition, available financial resources is a necessity along with the development of skills and knowledge of individuals who are equipped for the obstacles in cities.
A consultant within the program management for the UN Habitat in Ethiopia by the name of Oana Baloi, illustrates the need for municipalities to obtain a greater accessibility to climate related finance opportunities. However, the thorough methodical process to implement well designed strategies, unless a climate change acclimated strategy is presented at local and regional levels, a high degree of climate induced displacement is expected. Baloi also states that climate financing accessibility for an abroad intervention program to ensure displacement and adaptation mitigation remains an obstacle.
Pablo Ferrández states there also is a necessity for decentralization so smaller settlements receive adequate resources required for supporting internally displaced individuals. He additionally states, bringing efforts up to par in order to achieve well designed strategies from the municipal and national level can translate into intervening beyond localities such as Mogadishu, Kismayo, Baidoa, in which the international presence has recognizable strength, to secondary settlements and rural areas.
In the future, migration into “urban hot spots” due to climate change will likely increase, and in doing so, collaborative efforts across sectors may help fragile municipalities deliver a more well designed humanitarian response during critical times while emboldening internally displaced populations to play an essential role for the purpose of thoroughly integrating into society. Consequently, the objective is that when climate induced migrants are given an opportunity to provide insight in the decision making processes within fragile cities those displaced individuals can create methodical approaches that will propagate a more stable future not only for the cities they reside in and for themselves, but for future generations.