Somalia is taking concrete steps to develop a more inclusive National Action Plan, aimed at preventing and countering violent extremism in the Horn of Africa country. The plan was coined during a two-day conference held at the office of Somali’s prime minister in Mogadishu.
The new plan will factor in the views and needs of all stakeholders, including the Federal Member States, to enable the implementation of a comprehensive strategy, that will tackle violent extremism more decisively.
Leaders agreed that the most critical approach to solving the crisis in the country was with homegrown solutions through listening to religious leaders especially.
Religious leaders play a critical role in dialoguing, opinion shaping and controlling violent extremism in Somalia, thus the emphasis on their active participation in the review exercise, expected to culminate in the implementation of a national strategy on Prevention and Counter Violent Extremism (PCVE), as provided for in the country’s Comprehensive Approach to Security (CAS), Strand 4.
The Federal Government plans to roll out an ambitious sensitization campaign, with emphasis on tolerance and dialogue among all Somalis, once the review of the national action plan is complete.
