Press Release…

Mogadishu, February 20, 2023 — The Somali National Bureau of Statistics launches the main report of the first Somalia Integrated Household Budget Survey (SIHBS) (2022) since 1985. The Survey (SIHBS) was implemented with support from the World Bank Group, through a grant from the International Development Association (IDA) toward the Somali Integrated Statistics and Economic Capacity Building (SISEPCB) Project.

The SISEPCB Project aims to strengthen Somalia’s national statistical system, the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system, and improve programming and analytical capacity of the government’s macroeconomics and fiscal programming agencies to enable them to regularly assess, analyze and improve public policies and the program’s performance and results.

Completion of the household budget survey was preceded by a series of consultative processes, including field visits to Federal Member States and the review of relevant policy documents. A total of 7,212 households were selected from 601 Enumeration Areas (EAs) across Somalia. About 35 EAs were sampled in each of the 17 covered regions, with 12 households (HHs) interviewed in each EA, totalling about 420 HHs per region.

Gracing the SIHBS launch event, Deputy Prime Minister, H.E Salah Jama remarked “By conducting the Somali Household Budget Survey, Somalia was not merely fulfilling an IMF/WB requirement to reach Completion Point of Debt Relief. It was a considered government effort to obtain reliable data via which all policies and programs are anchored. The work the SNBS is doing is a reflection of the progress in Somalia’s institutional reforms. I would like to commend the National Bureau of Statistics for making the attainment of this momentous milestone a reality. Every individual, household or nation need a plan to actualize their aspirations. And for every plan to succeed, it must be founded on accurate data. I also acknowledge our development partners, including the WB and IMF for supporting Somalia’s development agenda.”

The data generated from the SIHBS collected detailed information on household expenditures and consumption incurred on goods and services to monitor the welfare of private Somali households such as access to basic assets, facilities, and services, measure poverty, improve the GDP estimates, compile national accounts and generate new weightings for Consumer Price Index (CPI). The collected consumer price data will also measure inflation and serve as a baseline for a rapid monitoring system.

Speaking at the launch of the Somali Household Budget Survey, the Federal Minister for Planning, Investment and economic Development, H.E Mohamud Beeenebeene observed, “Somalia accomplished Decision Point for Debt Relief and Arrears Clearance in March 2020, under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, having already fulfilled all criteria for IMF conditionality, including the delivery of interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (iPRSP) through the approval of the National Development Plan (NDP-9) that met the Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy. One crucial HIPC Completion Point triggers is the satisfactory implementation of the poverty reduction strategy. The survey findings will help Somalia establish substantive poverty reduction measures, through the review of the NDP-9 and the application of the data generated via the survey”.

“The SIHBS data provides comprehensive statistics that is key for monitoring the government’s national poverty reduction strategies, including a better understanding of efficiency development policies, programs and projects aimed at improving the living standards of households,” said Sharmarke Farah, SNBS Director General.. “The SIHBS (2022) data will further present the government the basis for tracking economic development through assessment of program outcomes”, he concluded.

The SIHBS launch event has high level participation including Deputy Prime minister, Federal Minister of Planning, Investment & Economic Development, Deputy Minister of Finance, Ministers of Planning from Federal Member States, Director General & Deputy Director General, SNBS, World Country Manager, Development Partners, representatives from UN bodies, aid agencies, research firms, the academia, media fraternity and other stakeholders of the national statistical system.

For more info, contact us

Abukar Mohamed, Communication Specialist, SNBS on abukar@nbs.gov.so, You may also reach the SNBS on snbs@nbs.gov.so

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