“Our partnership is creating platforms that connect grassroots, civil society, and national actors in Somalia”

September 18, 2025

In recent years, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has emerged as one of Somalia’s most engaged development partners, supporting peacebuilding, governance, and resilience in communities most affected by fragility. Korea’s own history of overcoming conflict and poverty through institution-building and inclusive growth informs its cooperation model, which emphasizes the Humanitarian–Development–Peace (HDP) Nexus. For Somalia, this means a partnership that goes beyond short-term stabilization to focus on systemic investments in governance, women and youth empowerment, and sustainable peace.

In this interview, KOICA Country Director Mr. Wankyu Park shares his perspectives in conversation with Kamal Sigdel, Head of Communications at UNDP Somalia. Mr. Park reflects on the ongoing regional programme -- Peacebuilding and Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) in East Africa (2024-2027/US$18M) -- KOICA’s approach to linking community-level peace efforts with national dialogue, and the importance of balancing immediate recovery with long-term institution-building. He also highlights opportunities to expand cooperation in areas such as climate action, digital innovation, and youth livelihoods, signaling Korea’s enduring commitment to support Somalia’s efforts to build lasting peace and promote sustainable development.

Excerpts from the interview: 

KOICA has emerged as an important development partner for Somalia in recent years. What drives KOICA’s engagement in Somalia, and what values and unique aspects of Korea’s development cooperation model guide this partnership, especially in fragile contexts like Somalia?

KOICA’s engagement in Somalia is driven by the recognition that sustainable peace and development in fragile states is essential. Our approach is anchored in the Humanitarian–Development–Peace Nexus, which links immediate stabilization with long-term institution-building. What makes Korea’s model distinct is the integration of short-term support with systemic investments in governance, service delivery, and inclusive participation. This approach reflects Korea’s own history of transition from fragility to development, and in Somalia it means prioritizing youth and women’s empowerment, strengthening local governance, and ensuring that peacebuilding efforts are embedded in national policy frameworks. We believe Somalia, too, can achieve transformation through peace and inclusive development.

KOICA and UNDP have cooperated in development and humanitarian projects since 2006 with a special focus in the governance and peacebuilding sector, building on this previous partnership, both organizations have decided to expand the collaboration around peacebuilding and prevention of violent extremism. What key impact do you envision for the East African sub-region, especially in Somalia, through this regional initiative on prevention of violent extremism?

We expect that communities, especially youth and marginalized groups, will become more resilient against extremism through peer-to-peer exchanges, community dialogue, and multimedia peace narratives. Importantly, women will be engaged as active leaders in peacebuilding, reflecting their unique role in reconciliation. Through community-based reintegration, we aim to reduce re-recruitment and strengthen stability with psychosocial support and livelihood opportunities. In addition, by enhancing early warning and response systems and fostering regional cooperation, this initiative will contribute to a stronger, more cohesive East African sub-region, particularly Somalia.

KOICA’s support to the regional program on prevention of violent extremism is very timely. In your view, how can this support for community level violence prevention lead to bigger Track 1 mediation between parties to conflict?

In my view, higher-level mediation becomes more relevant and legitimate when it reflects real local concerns. Community-level successes in dialogue and reintegration serve as proof of concept, showing that peace is possible and shifting attitudes at the national level. By investing in locally driven prevention, we also create platforms that connect grassroots, civil society, and national actors—helping information, coordination, and trust flow across Track 3, 2, and 1 efforts. This lays stronger foundations for sustainable political settlements.

From KOICA’s perspective, how has the implementation of the prevention of violent extremism project progressed so far? What successes stand out, and where do you think improvements are needed to achieve greater impact?

We are well on track with the implementation of activities. We are particularly happy with the stronger national and community level collaboration, as seen in Somalia where communities, youth and women leaders, and government institutions have been actively engaging through dialogues and peace activities.

Additionally, there is regional and national policy influence derived from regional analysis and consultations, such as the development of six local PCVE (Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism) action plans in collaboration with stakeholders. And last but not least, we’re cognizant of the fact that all these efforts will lead to strong local ownership that will ultimately contribute to the sustainability of the project.

Even though measuring progress in preventing violent extremism and peacebuilding can be complex, it is still essential for us to adapt. To achieve greater impact, we would need regular feedback loops with communities to adjust our programming in real-time.

KOICA has been known for focusing on sustainable development approaches. How do you see the balance between short-term stabilization support and long-term institution-building in fragile settings like Somalia?

Indeed, short-term stabilization in Somalia and other fragile settings has often been prioritized over long-term institution-building, which has been underfunded most times. To balance the two, we must make them complementary – where short-term stabilization creates space for governance and institution-building to take root, while long-term institutional development ensures that short-term gains are not lost when donor support declines.

We must therefore ensure that short-term activities align with long-term governance goals. This includes investing in local governments in newly recovered areas through capacity-building, budgeting, service delivery and accountability, so they can respond to citizens’ needs. We must also integrate humanitarian responses with peacebuilding and development planning from the outset, as emphasized in KOICA’s HDP Nexus approach. 

Korea has partnered with UNDP in several countries to advance value chain development, youth skills, and vocational education. In Somalia, do you foresee future partnerships in these areas, and are there other sectors—such as climate action, youth development, or innovation—where Korea is looking to deepen or expand its engagement?

KOICA and UNDP have jointly identified two project models that reflect both institutions’ strengths and strategic priorities—one in the digital sphere and another in the climate field. As such, we see strong potential to deepen partnerships not only in value chain development, youth skills, and vocational education, but also in governance, digital innovation, and climate action. For example, in Somalia, there is scope to expand cooperation in climate-resilient livelihoods and digital solutions for inclusive service delivery. 

As the Country Director of KOICA, what message would you like to share with the Somali people about Korea’s solidarity and friendship with Somalia?

As KOICA’s Country Director, I want to assure the Somali people that Korea stands with you in solidarity and friendship. Korea knows from its own history what it means to overcome war and poverty through resilience and partnership. Today Somalia faces many challenges but also has great potential through its youth and communities. KOICA is committed to supporting peacebuilding, preventing violent extremism, and empowering youth and women, while linking short-term stabilization with long-term institution-building. We will continue to walk alongside Somalia as a trusted partner and friend.

Read more about the KOICA-funded program: Building Resilience and Community Empowerment for Peace

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