Business Community Engagement

The businesses Community in Galkayo work to promote peace in the city because it is the people who are affected by a conflict if they are not prevented, the businesses have to be destroyed.

Business people in Galkayo are investing heavily in maintaining peace in the city, and local agencies are working together to improve peace in the city. Armed militias as well a lack of funding to address insecurity in the city, and a weak government are responsible for much of the conflict in the region. Therefore, these challenges need to be addressed by the concerned parties, either by the community, the FG, and the FMS.

Fortunately, these days there is security in Galkayo, but there are economic issues cornering the high rate of unemployment of the youth, and their participation of the insecurity of the city, which is highly correlated. Similarly, the business community fuels the effect of clan conflict.

Identification and Selection of Business People

12 businesspeople were identified to attend the meeting, six from each including two women; the aim was to consult the need for and importance of establishing a joint business committee in Mudug. The meeting was productive, and the participants highlighted several challenges even though they acknowledged the current situation in Galkacyo.

The role of the Business Community in the peacebuilding of Galkayo city

The business community has a role to play when it comes to the peacebuilding activities in the city of Galkayo; their role these days is not focused very well due to the lack of an organized Chamber of Commerce in the city of Galkayo. Following is the informal role in the peacebuilding activities in the city, which needs to improve with time:

Work towards the stoppage of the clan conflict, using all the means necessary to stop it.

To work with the communities during the conflict to minimize the effects of the conflict.

To encourage peace, discourage clan conflicts, and clear the effects that conflict brings about.

To work towards the creation and the empowerment of the Chamber of Commerce in the city of Galkayo.

Rural areas conflict affect the Galkayo city, therefore, awareness-raising is therefore needed to prevent rural conflict from escalating. The business community is the people most affected by conflict as their business collapses and they start from scratch from time to time, hence, their participation in peacebuilding activities for them is a must. As the business community is a taxpayer, they should work with the Galkayo administration and work with them to prevent violence.

There is no unified Galkayo Chamber of Commerce, as the city does not have a single administration. Therefore, Galkayo needs to have a business center that contributes to the peace and stability of the people of Galkayo in both administrations.

The Business community has advised that the role of local and international organizations should be maintained, as needed, as well as the business communities are required to give back to the community and become responsible businesses.

Consultative Forum on: “Business for Peace”

During the consultative forum of the business community engagement, it was identified that they work informally to contribute towards the peace of the Galkyo city, therefore, it was advised that they need to formulate the Galkayo Chamber of Commerce, to facilitate how they participate in the peacebuilding activities they need to perform. Since their informal participation in the community activities has already existed, this will push their agenda further if formulated. Therefore, to go forward four individuals, led by Mr. Habiib – and elder and businessperson – were appointed to check whether there is an existing committee or not and to suggest how best to form this committee.

It was also suggested during the forum that they need to form and empower if they exist, the following committees were necessary alongside the business community engagement process, these includes the following:

Council of Ulema (Local Islamic Scholars),

Board of Elders Peace Committee,

Youth Peace Committee,

Women’s Peace Committee,

Board the authority of the two Galkayo administrations,

Unified Galkayo Chamber of Commerce.

After the development of all different committees, the need to establish a coordination body to strengthen the relationship, collaboration, and capacity of all the committees was advised, so that they work very closely.

Finally, the need to continue awareness-raising to build trust, integration, and strengthening roots for peace with particular focus on outside Galkacyo/remote communities in the Mudug region was highlighted during the forum for business community engagement idea-sharing.