News Desk
ISLAMABAD: United Nations Development Program UNDP-Pakistan chapter and UNDP-Somalia have organized the first-ever Somalia-Pakistan Ministerial Study Tour on Federalism, Devolution, and State-Building which began from December 20 to 27, 2022. The delegation paid visits to several offices, including NADRA (National Database and Registration Authority) to explore Pakistan’s assistance to Somalia in developing database and other constitutional, structural models.
The Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation (MOIFAR) of Somalia has sent the delegation comprising ministers on behalf of both the Federal Government and Federal Member States including representatives of Banadir Regional Administration (BRA).
Federal Interior of the Republic of Somalia Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, is leading the study tour.
The key objectives of the study tour are to learn from the process of consensus building on constitutional moves regarding the 1973 Constitution and 18th Amendment introduced in 2010, with a focus on processes defining the federal structure in the post-independence context.
Purpose of the tour also includes learning about the composition, scope, and functioning of Council of Common Interests (CCI) with a special focus on the management of inter-governmental relations and dispute resolution between and among Federal and sub-national governments.
Another objective is to know about the mechanism of fiscal equalization and fiscal federalism introduced through the 7th National Finance Commission (NFC) Award.
Other key objectives included knowing about the framework(s) of democratic devolution developed through local governance systems and structures; and policy, legislative and institutional dimensions of consolidating social contract between citizens and state.
NADRA Identification System
Members of the delegation also visited Islamabad’s NADRA regional office at the Blue Area office and the Citizen Registration Office at G-11, Islamabad. They were briefed on NADRA’s processes of citizen registration databases; the latest technologies being used, monitoring and administrative processes, suitable security measures, and also the expansion of NADRA databases in other zones such as social protection, immunization, and health benefits for the vulnerable and deserving population.
During the visit, Chairman NADRA Tariq Malik briefed the delegation about NADRA’s experience of creating evidence of identifying people and treating identity cards as a social contract between a citizen and the state. He added the procedure assists citizens to get access to social benefits and other entitlements.
In his remarks, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi said that they were here in Pakistan to learn from the 75 years of rich Pakistan’s experience about constitutional development so that state-building efforts in Somalia can take advantage of it.
Aliona Niculita, Resident Representative, UNDP remarked that UNDP has historical ties with Pakistan and has worked on several issues such as federalism, devolution, climate change, gender equality, rule of law, etc.
