Radio is crucial to the spreading of news in Somalia. Photo Guy Calaf/AP

IMS has signed a contract with Kenya Based Star FM on a partnership to strengthen humanitarian information in Somalia

By Peter-Bastian Halberg, IMS coordinator for Humanitarian Information

IMS is launching a new Humanitarian Information support programme targeting Somalia and the Somali-speaking region in partnership with  Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), UNs humanitarian news and analysis provider IRIN and Star FM.

Somalia has been on the threshold of anarchy since 1991 when Dictator Mohamed Siad Barre was ousted and rival clans turned against each other. War continues between the country's weak transitional government and insurgents, and violence against journalists has not subdued.

Somalia was among the world’s deadliest countries in 2009, surpassing violent hot spots such as Iraq and Pakistan. As conflict continued between the weak Transitional Federal Government and multiple insurgent groups notably Al Shabab, nine journalists were killed in direct connection to their work, seven of them in the volatile capital, Mogadishu. An exodus of local journalists continued throughout the year, and few international journalists dared travel into the country for firsthand reporting, according to CPJ research. As a result, the amount and quality of news coverage of Somalia’s political and humanitarian crisis suffered greatly.

The country's poor standards have had an impact on dissemination and production of humanitarian information ever since the outbreak of war in 1991.

Access to verified and relevant information inside Somalia, as well as in the refugee camps in the neighboring countries that host fleeing Somalis, is difficult. With the protracted conflict lingering in its 19th year, it is of the utmost importance to bolster and expand the Somali people’s right to both information and a functional media landscape.

“In a complex emergency like Somalia flexibility is everything, if an intervention is not flexible, the response will not be able to utilise the windows of opportunity, nor to be able minimise operations when things deteriorate.”

The words comes from Joakim Gundel, Senior consultant and Somalia specialist, Katuni consult.

Clinging to these words, IMS has set up a flexible partnership that assists media and humanitarian organizations inside Somalia, beef up broadcasting abilities in and target diaspora and refugees regionally.

IMS has been consulting many stake holders in the area, in order to carve out common frame work for complex situation. Most responders agree on one thing; Star FM  is a crucial partner in order to rebuild the fragmented media landscape in the region

Star FM is no rogue amongst African broadcasters. Star FM recently was awarded the CNN & Mutichoice general news category. Star FM has a vision for covering all of the Somali speaking region with quality reporting and news like  Mr Mohammed interview with the wife of a Somali pirate entitled “I’m Married to a Pirate” .

- I am so delighted that our hard work is being recognized by CNN and Multichoice. It’s just the beginning and Star FM is determined to tell the African story, says Mr Mohammed (far right) during his acceptance speech for the award.

IMS is actively engaged in humanitarian information activities in Zimbabwe and Haiti.