Phase Two of the Academy's Mapping Exercise Concluded

(Hargeisa, Somaliland, March 10, 2010) A team of researchers from the Academy's Decentralisation, Democratisation and Social Reconciliation pillars set out to Balligubadle, a district 40km South of Hargeisa, on March 4 with the purpose of holding focus group discussions (FGDs) on local governance, democracy and reconciliation for the various sectors of the communities living there.

Following the emergence of several research gaps in the countrywide mapping exercise that APD conducted in mid-2009, this field trip brought to an end the second phase of the mapping exercise in which the Academy's research team had been touring Somaliland's six regions during the past two months.

The Democratisation Pillar conducted a number of FGDs in Hargeisa, Burao, Borama and Gebiley in which the main theme of these meetings were youth's social, political and economic engagements.

	Erigavo Focus Group Discussion		Boorame Focus Group Discussion		Gebiley Focus Group Discussion

The Decentralisation Pillar also conducted a series of FGDs in Hargeisa, Burao, and Borame with the purpose of finding out the view of the pillar's stakeholders on how far decentralisation as a process has worked in Somaliland and the mounting challenges the process continues to face.

The Social Reconciliation Pillar conducted a number of FGDs in Togdheer, Sanaag and Hargeisa regions. The researchers travelled to Galgal, a village 20 km from Buhoodle district, where two sub-clans have been in conflict over its ownership over the years. The researchers engaged in consultative meetings with the elders of both conflicting sides in this highly volatile area. Following this, the researchers proceeded to Biyoguduud, another conflict-prone zone in Sanaag region, where they also met with and consulted the elders of the conflicting sides.

In June-July 2009, a team of the Academy comprising researchers from the three pillars as well as assistants including the Audiovisual Unit embarked on a countrywide 40-day tour with the purpose of evaluating the public's view on the institution's programs. In particular, the tour was a key component of ascertaining the relevance and priorities as well as opportunities and challenges facing the ongoing Pillars of Peace programme. Part of the objective of the tour and subsequent consultative meetings was to also assess the socio-economic and political transformation that has been taking place since the Academy's last such mapping exercise.

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