Our 2022 Impact

22 628

Approved investments Jobs created

1,753

$12 Million

Facilitated loans to to small and medium businesses

129

Increase in fishing products revenue over baseline

310

Jobs created for women Jobs created for youth

2,448

Measured and recorded fishing trips

83% Community members of fisheries co-management associations

Of participants report increased trust in the national government as a result of the CMA

Sustainable Fisheries Management and Livelihoods

Millions of tons of migratory fish pass through Somali waters, giving them the potential to be one of the most lucrative fishing grounds in Africa, if not the world. However, the fisheries sector remains underdeveloped, hindered by piracy, illegal fishing, a lack of infrastructure and data, and challenges to government capacity to enforce laws and regulations.

OEF connects fishers, companies, investors, scientists, and the government to develop the fisheries sector in a way that boosts livelihoods, improves food security, and mitigates conflict while strengthening fishery management. In 2022, OEF’s Secure Fisheries program facilitated the creation of co-management associations through landmark power-sharing agreements between governments and communities.

These partnerships and their associated capacitybuilding efforts increased the revenue of fishing products 83 percent in communities where they work, decreased spoilage, increased trust in local and national government, and addressed community conflicts. Nearly two-thirds of the participants in Secure Fisheries trainings increased their income, and women working in the fishing sector have become more involved in the industry, which not only boosts gender equity but also contributes to the overall development of the sector. In addition, OEF’s data collection project has developed a reliable picture of Somali fisheries to inform policy creation and improve the institutional capacity of ministries and the private sector.

Private Sector Development and Inclusive Access to Finance

A robust private sector is key to development and community stability, which in turn are the stepping stones to sustainable peace—and which will only be possible in Somalia with collaboration among communities, local government, and all other stakeholders.

Shuraako—meaning “partnership” in Somali—is an OEF program that connects entrepreneurs with capital to spark economic growth, create jobs, and promote stability. In 2022, managing the Nordic Horn of Africa Opportunities Fund, Shuraako approved $12 million in loans to foster the development of Somalia’s abundance of credit-worthy small businesses and created 262 permanent jobs in our partner organizations. OEF also partnered with SIDA on the Somali Credit Guarantee project, which guaranteed more than $1.2 million in loans made by Somali banks, helping to stimulate financial inclusion for underserved populations such as women, youth, and small businesses.

Partnerships in East Africa

Provided $12 million in loans to Somali small and medium businesses

Guaranteed $1.2 million in loans made by Somali banks