Publication date: February 2025
Author: SIPRI
Description: Communities in areas of south-central Somalia newly recovered from al-Shabab control are grappling with the interconnected challenges of climate change, environmental degradation and lack of access to basic services. Energy insecurity is a particularly pressing concern: only 39 per cent of the rural population has access to electricity, leaving most people dependent on biomass fuels such as firewood and charcoal. Women and girls bear a disproportionate burden of this energy poverty as cooking and firewood collection are traditionally gendered responsibilities.
