Hassan Istiila
Tuesday November 28, 2023
Mogadishu (HOL) - Jaantus, a nonprofit media startup dedicated to promoting data journalism in Somalia, has concluded its second annual budget reporting workshop for journalists.
The training workshop held in Mogadishu from Nov 25 to Nov 27, 2023, aimed to equip journalists with skills to analyze and report on the 2024 federal government budget.
Attended by 21 journalists from local media outlets, the workshop provided in-depth training on the budget process, budget analysis, data visualization, and storytelling techniques.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, former Somali Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Mohamed Mukhtar emphasized the crucial role of journalists in promoting fiscal transparency and accountability. He urged them to engage in credible, informed analysis and foster meaningful national debates on budgetary matters.
"I encourage you to delve deep into budgetary issues, scrutinize budget documents, ask critical questions, and provide the public with accurate and insightful reporting."
Representatives from the Ministry of Finance shared valuable insights on Somalia's public finance system, budget planning and formulation process, and budgetary control measures.
In his opening remarks, Director General Suleiman Sheikh Omar urged the media to raise public awareness responsibly regarding the country's ongoing progress and public finance reforms. Stressing the need for ethical reporting, he said: "You have a responsibility first to understand and then translate the budget numbers into accurate and engaging stories."
Participants expressed their satisfaction with the workshop's practicality and timely relevance. The Somali parliament, which resumed its sessions on Saturday, is set to deliberate on the executive budget proposal for 2024. The proposed budget amounts to 1 billion USD, a record high for the country.
Sadia Sheikh Bana, a journalist from Radio Arlaadi, said that she felt empowered and motivated to produce budget stories, "I learned a lot from this workshop, particularly on how to utilize Datawrapper to create charts that make budget data more accessible and engaging for our audience."
Qali Mohamed, a journalist from Radio Mogadishu, highlighted the workshop's timeliness, stating, "As we approach the budget season, this workshop was beneficial. I learned how to analyze budget data and inform the public about government spending, priorities, and challenges such as revenue mobilization."
The workshop received support from International Media Support, a nonprofit organization committed to enhancing the capacity and safety of journalists worldwide.