Accountability and transparency are vital components in fostering public trust, improving revenue generation, and ensuring the adequate delivery of public services. As the commercial hub and most populous city in Puntland, Bosaso has a unique opportunity to lead by example in promoting transparency and accountability in fiscal and financial governance. For the first time in over 54 years, the city elected its district council members through a one-person-one-vote election. Working with these publicly elected representatives has been a significant milestone in my professional journey.

Over one year of working on the Increased Opportunity for Somali Citizens’ Scrutiny of Fiscal and Financial Governance project with Somali Public Agenda (SPA), I observed a strong public demand for accountability and transparency. The project activities involved conducting surveys, organizing forums with civil society organizations (CSOs), and holding workshops for district council (DC) members. These efforts enabled me to engage with various segments of the Bosaso community, including the public, CSOs, and DC members.

Organizing the CSO forums provided a valuable opportunity to engage with a diverse group of civil society members. Their strong commitment to promoting sound fiscal governance was truly inspiring and reinforced my dedication to this issue. The depth of their discussions and the quality of their contributions during the forums were impressive, demonstrating their readiness and enthusiasm to actively participate in transparency and accountability initiatives.

Engaging DC members and organizing the workshops was another key component of the project. These workshops, a vital tool for promoting transparency and accountability, created a productive platform for elevating citizens’ voices to DC members. In response, local government officials and DC members shared their plans and discussed the challenges they faced, which enhanced the accountability and effectiveness of the district councils. Alongside the formal sessions, I also held informal conversations with DC members to gain a deeper understanding of their perspectives. As a resident of Bosaso, being able to speak directly with them about governance challenges and offer suggestions was a meaningful achievement. Their commitment and the ideas shared during these discussions demonstrated a strong willingness to promote transparency and effective fiscal governance.

One particularly impactful aspect of the project was facilitating a dialogue between CSO leaders and DC members to discuss and address key issues affecting the district. As an organizer, witnessing open dialogue between the community and the city administration felt like a significant achievement. The DC members demonstrated a genuine commitment to engaging with the public, while the CSO leaders expressed a strong willingness to collaborate with them in promoting transparency and accountability.

As a resident of Bosaso, my aspirations go beyond the activities of the current project. I envision this district becoming a model for fiscal governance—a district that prioritizes the demands of its citizens, actively engages with them, and ensures that their voices are integral to the decision-making process. I hope to see the Bosaso local government uphold values such as transparency, accountability, and responsiveness. This vision instils a sense of pride in me, and I recognize the importance of actively contributing to its realization.

Throughout my tenure with SPA on this project, several milestones were achieved in Bosaso. Public awareness of fiscal governance significantly increased, and interactive forums between local government officials and citizens were held. In addition, the success of the DC workshops—designed to be both informative and practical—stands out as a significant accomplishment. Most importantly, strong communication channels were fostered with CSOs, local government officials, and DC members, which proved instrumental in the project’s progress.

Despite the project’s success, we encountered several challenges, including extreme summer weather in Bosaso, logistical difficulties, communication barriers, and challenges in data collection during surveys. However, overcoming these obstacles strengthened my skills and capabilities, contributing to the smooth execution of project activities.

I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to SPA and the entire project team for providing me with the opportunity to be part of this impactful initiative and to serve as an advocate for accountability and transparency in my community. Working alongside such a dedicated and professional team was instrumental to the project’s success.

My sincere appreciation also goes to the community of Bosaso—the mayor, the deputy mayor, DC members, CSO leaders, and the hardworking enumerators—who supported our work even in the scorching weather conditions. Your acceptance, participation, and valuable contributions were crucial to the project’s achievements.

This experience has further fueled my motivation to advocate for transparency. Engaging with different sectors of society allowed me to witness their interest, understanding, and commitment to transparency. Moving forward, I am committed to promoting transparency through meaningful initiatives, developing impactful activities, and contributing ideas that will drive lasting change.

Abdirahman Mohamed Warsame is Somali Public Agenda focal point in Puntland for the EU-funded project ‘Increased opportunities for Somali Citizens’ Scrutiny of Fiscal and Financial Governance