Sustainable Water Governance Approach: Examining Public-Private Partnership and Community Management Approach in Somalia

Somalia faces a complex humanitarian emergency characterized by massive displacement, food insecurity, extreme water shortage, limited sanitation, and inadequate hygiene facilities. The number of people requiring humanitarian assistance, including WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) services, has risen dramatically from 5.2 million in 2020 to 7.7 million in 2022.
To address these immediate and long-term WASH needs, Save the Children prioritizes improving access to safe drinking water for both people and livestock during humanitarian crises. Key interventions include including strengthening and rebuilding water supply resilience through rehabilitation and construction of water sources and establishing and training water management committees to oversee water facilities.
As part of its exit strategy to ensure the sustainability of supported infrastructure, Save the Children has also rolled out Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in Mogadishu, Baidoa, and Mataban. These partnerships aim to improve water management in Somalia.
This study investigates various governance approaches to water supply systems, focusing on Public-Private Partnerships and community-based management. It will examine the structure, composition, and decision-making processes within these models in selected urban and rural study sites. Additionally, the study will explore the technical, financial, and institutional factors that facilitate or hinder the sustainability of water facilities under both PPPs and community-based management.