This podcast takes listeners to the forefront of the internal displacement issue in Somalia where Mogadishu officials are spearheading a policy to address the needs of the hundreds of thousands of IDPs in their city. 

 

In the first part of the podcast, Durable Solutions Consultant for the Municipality of Mogadishu, Amun Osman, speaks with Research and Report Officer for the UN Secretary-General's High-Level Panel on Internal Displacement, Mark Yarnell (speaking in his personal capacity), about the practical challenges, opportunities, and daily realities of addressing the needs of IDPs in the lively and dynamic metropolis. From providing relief to victims of forced evictions to navigating sensitive relationships with "gatekeepers,” Amun's hands-on perspective depicts the nitty gritty reality of implementing positive change for some of the city's most vulnerable residents.

 

In the second part of the podcast, LSE MSc Conflict Studies student, Ben Grazda, speaks with Mark about the ins and outs of the High-Level Panel's work during the pandemic, what it takes to incorporate the perspectives of thousands of displaced persons, how climate change is making urban development an even more urgent priority, and ways that researchers and academics can currently contribute to the UN's work.

For more information visit the Durable Solutions Unit (DSU) under the leadership of the Mayor of Mogadishu and Governor of Benadir Region of Somalia: https://dsu.so/ and the UN Secretary-General's High-Level Panel on Internal Displacement: https://www.un.org/internal-displacement-panel/