Somalia

Layered on top of this is a largely invisible but deadly crisis: explosive ordnance contamination. Decades of armed conflict have left behind landmines, unexploded bombs, and other hazardous remnants of war that continue to kill and maim civilians long after the fighting has stopped. This contamination restricts safe access to land, blocks the delivery of life-saving aid, and directly threatens the safety of over four million displaced individuals (Refugee International) who have little choice but to move through hazardous areas in search of safety and shelter. 

Addressing this challenge requires more than demining operations. It demands a robust, data-driven national authority capable of coordinating a complex, multi-actor response. iMMAP supports this by strengthening the institutional and technical foundations of the Somalia Explosive Management Authority (SEMA) — ensuring that land release decisions and survivor assistance are guided by accurate, real-time evidence, not guesswork. 

 OUR LEGACY
iMMAP’s footprint in Somalia is defined by an evolution from providing essential data to humanitarian partners to building sovereign national systems. Historically, our presence was anchored by the Humanitarian Information and Support Team (HIST), a flagship past project that provided a centralized information management support for the entire sector, achieving 100% geographic coverage across all Somali states. Parallel to these coordination efforts, iMMAP has maintained a long-term commitment to the Mine Action sector, recognizing that safe land is the prerequisite for all development. This dual legacy—facilitating broad humanitarian evidence via HIST and providing targeted technical support to explosive hazard actors— was reinforced in 2023 through the formal registration of our office in Somalia, marking our shift toward permanent, institutional capacity building for the Somali government. 

PROJECTS 

CAPACITY STRENGTHENING OF NATIONAL MINE ACTION AUTHORITIES 

Donor: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands
Project Period: 2025 – 2029 

Strategic Objective: To institutionalize international standards within the Somalia Explosive Management Authority (SEMA), enhancing its ability to lead and coordinate national mine action operations independently.

Key Partner: Somalia Explosive Management Authority (SEMA) 

Core Impact: 

 Project Snapshot

STRATEGIC OUTLOOK
Our focus in Somalia is the successful transfer of technical and operational capacity to national actors. By embedding our expertise within SEMA, we are ensuring that the digital infrastructure and coordination protocols required for a mine-free Somalia are fully managed and sustained by Somali experts. 

 But our commitment extends beyond mine action. As Somalia continues to face compounding crises — displacement, floods, food insecurity, and disease outbreaks — iMMAP remains committed to strengthening the country's broader humanitarian information management capacity. From disaster response coordination to real-time data systems that track population movement and needs.