| Garowe, Puntland – 29 September 2026: The Media Association of Puntland (MAP), in partnership with Free Press Unlimited (FPU) under the Danwadaag Programme, convened a multi-stakeholder talk show bringing together government, civil society and climate experts to raise public awareness and strengthen preparedness ahead of the upcoming Deyr season. Somalia is entering the Deyr season with households, livestock and livelihoods already weakened by previous drought conditions. Against this fragile backdrop, the panel warned that heavy and prolonged rainfall associated with El Niño could increase the risk of flooding, damage to infrastructure, disruption of transport and livelihoods, and additional health and humanitarian pressures. Daljir Media Group hosted the panel discussion bringing together Puntland Minister of Information Farhan Ali Hirsi, Director General of the Puntland Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management Ahmed Nahar, PUNSAA Chairperson Abdirahman Abdirizak, and climate and weather expert Nuradin Mohamed Ahmed. The panel was broadcast through Daljir’s radio, TV, and social media platforms. The Director General highlighted government preparedness efforts, including the training of approximately 500 people to support continuous community awareness, while urging communities to avoid waterways, riverbeds and other flood-prone areas and advising fishing communities to exercise particular caution during the coming months.  “Preparedness cannot begin when the floods arrive. We are strengthening community awareness, but communities must also take early warnings seriously and avoid areas exposed to flooding,” said Ahmed Nahar, Director General of the Puntland Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management. A recurring concern throughout the discussion was that some communities continue to ignore or delay acting on early-warning messages, despite lessons from previous disasters. Panelists called for religious leaders, traditional elders and other trusted community figures to reinforce preparedness messages and encourage practical action. They also noted that although vulnerable locations have been identified, significant gaps remain in reaching remote communities, many of which have limited access to social media and depend on radio and local communication networks.  The Minister of Information stressed the importance of reaching communities through multiple channels, particularly those beyond urban centres.“Our awareness cannot depend on social media alone. Remote communities must receive timely warnings through radio, television and local communication networks, and understand what action they need to take,” said Farhan Ali, Puntland’s Minister of Information.The panel also identified a wider preparedness and coordination gap. While areas exposed to flooding and other hazards have been identified, there is limited reliable and consolidated information showing how prepared individual communities are, whether warnings have reached them, what protective measures are in place and where additional support is required. Panelists called for stronger coordination and regular community-level assessments to close this information gap.  The Chairperson of PUNSAA highlighted the particular vulnerability of internally displaced people and households already living in difficult conditions, while calling for stronger investment in water harvesting and management. “The most vulnerable communities, particularly IDPs, cannot be left to face these risks alone. We need stronger preparedness, better protection and a strategic plan to capture and manage the water rather than allowing it to become a source of destruction,” said Abdirahman Abdirizak, Chairperson of PUNSAA.  Climate expert Nuradin Mohamed urged Puntland to learn from previous experiences where warnings were not sufficiently acted upon and called for stronger, accessible public awareness, particularly through audio and radio-based communication. “We have seen the consequences when communities ignore warnings. We must learn from those losses and make sure early information reaches people in a form they can understand and act upon,” said Nuradin Mohamed, climate and weather forecasting expert. The discussion also highlighted the need to protect critical infrastructure, including roads and bridges, prepare for potential health and livestock impacts, and improve water harvesting and flood management. Panelists stressed that the potential impact of a damaged bridge or major transport route could extend far beyond one location by disrupting movement, markets and access to essential services. For MAP, the discussion reaffirmed the media’s role in connecting early-warning information with the communities that need it most. The priority now is to ensure that warnings move beyond announcements and become practical, community-level preparedness—supported by sustained communication, stronger coordination and reliable information on who is prepared and who remains at risk. MAP calls on government institutions, communities, civil society, humanitarian partners, religious and traditional leaders and media organizations to act before the rains intensify. Communities should take warnings seriously, avoid known risk areas and protect their families, livestock and property. Authorities and partners should strengthen outreach to remote areas, support vulnerable households, protect critical infrastructure and improve coordination and preparedness monitoring. END ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ END    |
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