In brief
- On 11 May 2024, Somaliland Standard reported that Somaliland, Ethiopian Somali Region, IGAD and UN officials launched the GaFa groundwater initiative in Wajale.
- The report does not establish who is funding the project, what it will cost, who is building it, or what has happened since the launch.
On 11 May 2024, Somaliland Standard reported that a high-level Somaliland delegation met Ethiopian Somali Region and IGAD officials in Wajale to launch the maiden Ground Water Access Facility (GaFa) initiative.
The delegation was led by Somaliland Minister of the Interior Mohamed Kahin Ahmed, according to the report. It also included the Minister of Finance, Water Resources, and officials of Gabiley region and Wajale district. They welcomed IGAD officials led by the President of the Somali Region of Ethiopia, named in one passage as Mustafa Muhammed Agjar and in another as Mustafe Muhammed Omar; the source does not reconcile the two name variants.
Those present participated in laying the foundation stone for a large-scale project on underground water utilization in Wajale, the report says. The event was described as part of a larger IGAD water programme. However, the article mixes that foundation-stone-laying with projects described as already being implemented, and it does not clarify which project is at which stage.
Ethiopian Minister of Water Dr. Habtamu Itafa said the gathering was for a large irrigation project in Togwajale intended to benefit communities of the two cities. Minister Kahin said Somaliland's message was the need to expand cooperation in traffic, economic, security and resource sharing. The report also states that water ministers of Kenya, Uganda, Southern Sudan and Djibouti attended the launch, though no names are given and attendance is not independently verified.
A separate visit on the same trip took in the Tog-Wochale water supply and sanitation project, reported by Somaliland Standard as under construction with a cost of over 490 million birr and a projected benefit for more than 56,000 residents. That figure is for the Tog-Wochale project only, not for the GaFa initiative.
The source does not state who is funding the GaFa initiative or the Wajale project, what the total cost is, or who is contracted to build it. It gives no completion date. Since the 2024-05-11 report, SCR has no evidence of progress, funding, contracting or construction at the site. The launch is attributed to that single report.
Frequently asked questions
What is the GaFa initiative?
Somaliland Standard reported on 2024-05-11 that it is a ground water access facility initiative aiming to address water scarcity in the Horn of Africa.
Who was at the launch?
Somaliland Standard reported that a Somaliland delegation led by Minister Mohamed Kahin Ahmed, Ethiopian Somali Region officials, IGAD officials, and water ministers from Kenya, Uganda, Southern Sudan and Djibouti attended.
Who is funding the project?
The report does not name any funder for the GaFa initiative or the Wajale project.