The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), a peacekeeping force deployed to Somalia since 2007, has been under scrutiny over its plans to build a waste incinerator in the capital, Mogadishu. While the mission claims the facility is necessary to address the city’s sanitation challenges, environmental and health experts are raising serious concerns about the potential risks it poses to the community and the environment.
The Need for Sanitation in Somalia
It is no secret that Mogadishu, like many other urban areas in Somalia, struggles with inadequate waste management. The city’s overstimulation of more than 2 million people, without a well-organized waste collection and disposal system, has resulted in an unhygienic environment and a significant health risk for the population. The lack of proper waste disposal has also led to the spread of diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and dysentery.
AMISOM’s Waste Incinerator Plan
To address these challenges, AMISOM has proposed the construction of a waste incinerator, which would be one of the largest in East Africa. The facility, expected to cost $10 million, would be designed to burn 200 metric tons of waste daily, producing ash and dioxide emissions as by-products. The mission claims that the incinerator would provide a more efficient and environmentally friendly way to manage the city’s waste, reducing the risk of disease transmission and improving public health.
Environmental Concerns and Contestations
However, environmental and health experts have raised several concerns about the project, highlighting the potential risks it poses to the environment and public health. Some of the concerns include:
- Air pollution: The incinerator’s emissions could contribute to air pollution, which would exacerbate existing respiratory problems and increase the risk of diseases such as asthma and lung cancer.
- Toxic ash: The facility’s ash output could contaminate the soil and water table, posing a risk to local ecosystems and human consumption of contaminated water and food.
- Lack of transparency: Critics argue that the project lacks transparency and environmental impact assessments, making it difficult to gauge its true benefits and risks.
- Community involvement: Some residents are concerned that the project will not be led by the local community and may not take into account their needs and concerns.
AMISOM Must Justify the Project’s Costs and Risks
Given the concerns raised, it is crucial that AMISOM justifies the potential costs and risks associated with the waste incinerator project. The mission must provide transparent and detailed information about the project’s environmental and health impacts, as well as its social and economic benefits. It is also essential to involve local communities and civil society in the decision-making process to ensure that their needs and concerns are heard.
The debate around the waste incinerator project is an opportunity for AMISOM to demonstrate its commitment to sustainable development, environmental stewardship, and human health. As such, the mission must demonstrate that the benefits of the project outweigh its risks and that it has a clear plan in place for minimizing its environmental and health impacts.
Conclusion
The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) must take a more holistic and transparent approach to addressing Mogadishu’s sanitation challenges, one that prioritizes public health, environmental protection, and community engagement. The waste incinerator project, if implemented without proper consideration of its environmental and health impacts, could exacerbate the city’s problems, rather than solving them. It is crucial that AMISOM justifies the project’s costs and risks, and that local communities are at the forefront of the decision-making process to ensure a sustainable and healthy future for Mogadishu.
Comments are closed