Somalia and UN sign 2025 framework to strengthen protection for conflict-affected children

MOGADISHU — Somalia and the United Nations on Wednesday signed a 2025 Implementation Guide, a strategic “Roadmap” to strengthen the protection of children affected by armed conflict, marking a fresh milestone in the country’s effort to prevent grave violations and reinforce accountability across its security sector.

The agreement was formalized in Mogadishu by Somalia’s defense minister, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi; the Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary-General for Somalia, James Swan; and UNICEF Representative Sandra Latouff. U.N. officials described the document as a consolidation of recent gains and a pivot to renewed priorities for safeguarding children in conflict-affected areas.

“UNICEF welcomes the Federal Government of Somalia’s signing of the 2025 Roadmap to Strengthen the Protection of Children Affected by Armed Conflict, which marks a renewed commitment to end grave violations, strengthen accountability, and support children’s safe release and reintegration,” UNICEF said in a statement posted on social media.

The United Nations Transition Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS) called the signing a key milestone in Somalia’s efforts to prevent and address grave violations against children. “The Roadmap consolidates the progress achieved and builds on renewed priorities,” the mission said.

The 2025 Implementation Guide serves as an operational plan for the year ahead. It reflects the federal government’s continued commitment to curb abuses against children and to work more closely with international partners. Authorities said the framework aligns with ongoing institutional reforms intended to bolster oversight and accountability within security agencies while centering the safety and well-being of children living amid conflict.

Officials emphasized that the roadmap is designed to translate policy into practical action through clearer guidance, coordination and oversight. In particular, the plan focuses on:

• Preventing and ending grave violations against children in armed conflict
• Strengthening accountability mechanisms within security institutions
• Supporting the safe release, rehabilitation and reintegration of affected children
• Deepening cooperation with international partners to sustain progress

Somalia’s Inter-Ministerial Committee on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) attended the ceremony, alongside senior representatives from the ministries of Defense, Internal Security, Justice and Constitutional Affairs, and Family and Human Rights Development. Their participation underscored the cross-government approach required to implement the guide, from legal and justice pathways to community-based protection and reintegration services.

Officials framed the new roadmap as both a continuation and an acceleration of reforms. It aims to standardize protocols across agencies, strengthen prevention and monitoring, and ensure that children released from armed actors are provided with safe pathways back to families, schools and communities.

While the agreement outlines no new headline commitments, it sharpens operational priorities for 2025 and codifies the roles of national institutions and U.N. partners. The aim, signatories said, is to convert steady progress into sustained protection gains for Somali children affected by conflict.

By Ali Musa

Axadle Times international–Monitoring.