By Issa Abdull
Nairobi, Kenya – Senior officials and staff from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) of the Federal Republic of Somalia have commenced a week-long high-level capacity-building programme in Nairobi, Kenya.
The training brings together communications professionals from the Office of the Prime Minister, led by the Department of Communications, alongside officials from other key departments within the OPM.
The programme is being implemented through a partnership between the Office of the Prime Minister and the TGP State-Building Project, with the objective of enhancing the professional skills, strategic communication capabilities, and institutional capacity of government officials.
The initiative marks the first specialized strategic communications training of its kind organized by the Office of the Prime Minister. It represents a major milestone in the government’s ongoing efforts to modernize public communication, strengthen institutional coordination, and cultivate a highly skilled communications workforce capable of effectively engaging citizens and stakeholders.
The programme has been spearheaded by Abdinasir Ahmed Bashir, Director of Communications at the Office of the Prime Minister and Spokesperson of the Federal Government of Somalia. Under his leadership, the Communications Directorate has increasingly prioritized professional development, recognizing that effective government communication is central to transparency, accountability, and public trust.
Mr. Abdinasir Ahmed Bashir described the programme as a turning point in the evolution of government communications in Somalia.
“This training represents more than a professional development programme. It is the beginning of a long-term investment in the people who carry the government’s voice. Our responsibility is not only to communicate information, but to build public trust through accuracy, professionalism, consistency, and transparency.”
He noted that the rapidly evolving information landscape requires government communicators to possess a diverse set of skills extending beyond traditional media engagement.
“Today’s communications professionals must understand strategic messaging, digital platforms, crisis communication, media relations, public engagement, and the importance of presenting government policies in ways that citizens can understand and trust. Building these skills is essential for strengthening our institutions.”
Abdinasir added that the Office of the Prime Minister intends to institutionalize continuous learning and professional development for communications personnel across government.
“This is the first programme of its kind, but it will not be the last. We are committed to creating a professional government communications service that is equipped to serve the Somali people with integrity, competence, and excellence.”
Government communications experts note that strong communications units play a critical role in ensuring citizens receive timely, accurate, and consistent information about government policies, reforms, and public services. They also help counter misinformation, improve coordination between ministries and agencies, strengthen crisis response, and build public confidence in state institutions.
For Somalia, where government institutions continue to expand and public demand for reliable information continues to grow, investing in communications professionals is increasingly viewed as an essential component of state-building. Well-trained communications teams enable government institutions to explain policy decisions more effectively, promote transparency, engage constructively with the media, and foster meaningful dialogue with citizens.
Participants in the Nairobi programme will receive intensive training covering strategic communications, executive messaging, media engagement, speechwriting, digital communications, crisis communications, content development, public relations, stakeholder engagement, and communication planning. The practical sessions are designed to equip participants with modern tools and international best practices that can be applied across government institutions.
The programme forms part of the Federal Government’s broader public sector reform agenda under the leadership of Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, which places strong emphasis on institutional capacity development, human capital investment, and improving service delivery throughout government.
By investing in the skills of its communications professionals, the Office of the Prime Minister is laying the foundation for a more professional, coordinated, and responsive government communications system—one capable of strengthening public confidence, supporting national development priorities, and ensuring that the government’s message reaches citizens with clarity, credibility, and purpose.
The Nairobi training is widely regarded as an important milestone in the modernization of Somalia’s public communications architecture and signals the Office of the Prime Minister’s commitment to building institutions that communicate with professionalism, openness, and accountability.
