Mogadishu - The Mayor and Meeting with Staff

Since the pandemic began, I have obviously been unable to get to Somalia as much as I did beforehand. In some ways it has made my job easier (less travel; less time and energy spent in transit; more time to dedicate to some of the essential things that I do). In other ways, as for many people, it’s made my job more difficult. In our context, the impact of less face-to-face is more acute. It’s a culture where meeting people, shaking hands, having a cup of tea, solving problems in person, etc. are hardwired into the way society works. Video conversations with government officials and staff as a replacement aren’t easy, feeling sometimes that they are accepted begrudgingly. It could be that some are less comfortable with the technology but I suspect that many just find it annoying - a cheap substitute for the real thing. Elsewhere in the organization, particularly at higher levels, it's discussed as what the real thing has become. I suppose that's fine for what they do, but the closer you get to the tip of the spear, the more it doesn't work. We can continue to explore technology to enhance service delivery, but a Zoom call can't provide water or nutrition care to those in need.

I’m sure many, if not most, organizations have also experienced that over time, staff energy and engagement wanes. Activities lose momentum. People may also become more distracted by their private lives. Moreover, as staff are unable to meet and with no external visitors coming into the country, it can sap people’s motivation.

My HR Coordinator, one of the people organizing the visit, was telling me that the news that the director was coming, in and of itself generated some new energy. I suppose that’s a good thing but you sort of want the energy to come from other sources as well. I suppose we’ll take what we can get.

In 2019, about half of my work year was spent in Somalia. While it was tough spending so much time away from family, it was very beneficial in my job. Over that period I was able to strengthen my relationships with staff and government officials. I generally felt as though I gained a deeper understanding of what was happening politically as well as in key areas like security and economics. It’s a complex environment and without a significant investment, you’re likely not going to understand it well. Even after more than four and a half years of working in the context, there are still so many things I don’t understand. But I’m further along than I was.

Over the many trips back and forth between Mogadishu and Nairobi, I developed my routines. I was able to get to know people in immigration as well as those working security and at the cafes. I knew the people at the ticket counters, the flight attendants and some of the fellow travelers who were doing the same shuttle back and forth, though few were doing it as frequently as I was. It made it a more pleasant experience given how annoying air travel is (much more so now with the pandemic). It’s often tough getting up at 4:15am, hopping in a taxi and heading out into the dark, empty streets of Nairobi, knowing that you’re going to be away from family and bracing yourself for what is often tense and uncomfortable.

On this particular trip, I wasn't unable to slip back into my routines as I would have ordinarily. Saying Covid has changed things is becoming as trite as saying computers have changed things. It’s more than apparent to people by now and, sadly, some of it is likely here to stay. Many more steps are added to the already cumbersome travel experience. You now have the mandatory PCR test a couple days before departure. You need to add those results to your necessary travel documentation. You need a separate QR code which allows you to verify that your test is authentic. Many entrances require a fresh squirt of hand sanitizer. By the time I arrived at the guesthouse in Mogadishu I felt the need to wash off the thick gumminess that had built up from multiple applications of gooey sanitizer. Then there’s masks and distancing in the airport and masks on the plane. 

Upon arrival in Mogadishu, things are admittedly less uptight. Masks begin to lower and/or disappear completely. Distancing is clearly not a thing as people tend to queue up uncomfortably close. While in the queue at immigration, I found myself using my small rolling suitcase to create space between me and fellow passengers.

To be honest, it’s hard to know how to play it. At the time of this travel, I had a single dose of AstraZeneca which meant I was partially protected. But apparently I can still transmit the virus. You don’t want to be careless but there are some measures that I think are a bit over the top, particularly when you’re outside. Anyway, I tried to strike a balance throughout the trip.

* * *

The time in Mogadishu would be about five days. Day one was rather chill as there were no major meetings and I used the time for a couple smaller discussions and catching up on emails. The second day was much busier as we had our bi-weekly management meeting and then a series of other meetings, both face-to-face as well as online. Day three, however, was to be the heaviest day. My team had arranged a morning meeting with the mayor of Mogadishu and their regional health focal point. And then the full afternoon would be spent at a lunch and all-staff meeting. I had concerns about both: security for the first one and Covid for the second.

it rained while we were there, always a wonderful thing in Somalia

For the trip to the “city hall”, it’s in one of the more insecure parts of town in one of the more insecure cities in the world. I’ve been through there dozens of times and each time you sort of brace yourself and hope that you don’t end up on the wrong place at the wrong time. It has its share of bombed out buildings which adds a bit to the ambiance of the journey. It’s also one of the most fascinating and beautiful parts of the city. It’s basically the “old city” and it’s nestled up against the coast. Amazing architecture is everywhere and so are the gorgeous beaches. My dream is to someday be able to walk around and soak it all in. For now, it’s armored vehicle, bullet-proof glass and armed escorts.

this was apparently a cinema back in the day; hard to photograph through well-worn bullet-proof glass

I knew the previous mayor and had met him in the same office a couple of years ago. Sadly, he was killed by a suicide bomber where we were going to be meeting on this day. While that thought did cross my mind as we made our way up the stairs to his office, I didn’t dwell on it. I had too much other stuff on my mind. I suppose it’s a bit like athletes going into a game (thinking of rugby or American football). You know that there’s a chance of injury but you can’t let that take you away from your focus.

To my surprise there was almost no wait. We went directly into the meeting. I’m told the guy was a former warlord turned politician and now reports directly to the president. I honestly don’t know much about what others think of the guy but he seemed to me to be professional and knowledgeable. I very much liked his predecessor and felt that he had some pretty solid priorities in what is arguably the toughest mayor job in the world. In any case, I was pretty impressed with this guy with what little I know about him and I wish him the best.

Before long we were back out on the streets and heading back across the city to the hotel where the staff meeting would be. We do have a fairly large meeting room in our office but it can’t accommodate the full Mogadishu team, particularly with some healthy distancing. We have about 105 staff and I was told a little over 80 would be attending this event.

I had never been to this hotel/restaurant before. It opened not long ago and is located near the airport. Everything is quite new and nice. It seemed to have good security and it’s not too far from our office. We arrived much sooner than anticipated thanks to the efficiency of the previous meeting so we were able to settle in at a table in the courtyard, have some tea and have a small break. I often don’t think to take breaks during my day, or the opportunity simply doesn’t present itself, so this was quite pleasant. The weather, usually hot, was surprisingly comfortable.

Slowly everyone assembled in the meeting hall. It was a good facility for what we needed. I had nothing to do with the planning of the event but I felt the team did a good job. The main theme was to be on diversity, equality and inclusion, which we did cover, but invariably when you open the floor the conversation goes in all directions. It was good, though, and the best part was just being able to hang out with the team for a few hours. Given how limited our interaction has been for the past year plus, it was a nice boost.

* * *

The remainder of the week was spent in smaller, internal meetings, with the exception of a meeting with a health focal point from a region adjacent to Mogadishu where we have been considering working. Somalia has a large number of youngish, well-educated people and that could bode well for the country’s future, so long as the country keeps from unraveling. I was told that the country was in a similar situation before and then the twelve-year civil war happened. Anyway, this guy seemed pretty sharp and let’s hope he gets the resources and the stability to avoid losing his motivation.

On Thursday, thoughts began to turn towards travel and getting home to see my family. I flew the UN flight in both directions this time. Commercial travel between Somalia and Kenya was suspended due to a political spat (it has since re-opened) and the UN flight was the only option. When I first went to Somalia, it and the EU flight were all I was allowed to take. But I finally gained permission to venture out and take one of these small, commercial airlines. Turns out they were perfectly fine and safe. In fact, the commercial terminal, unlike the UN container-terminal, is spacious and nice. It has comfortable seating and serves much better food options, including good coffee and baklava. With the exception of the visit of our CEO in late 2018 (which needed additional security and special logistical support), I don’t think I’ve taken the UN flight from Nairobi since I started flying the commercial flights (though it's still often necessary for internal flights within Somalia).

Nonetheless, the UN flight did its job and I arrived safely. The suspension of commercial travel meant that the terminal in Nairobi was nearly empty. I sailed through security and immigration and soon I was in the taxi headed home. Hellacious traffic due to construction meant that I would be in the taxi for the next hour and a half but it was tolerable given that I could occupy my time doing work and the comforting thought that I would soon be home.