Somalia — Flow Monitoring Annual Report (February to December 2020)

Between February and December 2020, a total of 196,178 movements (people on the move) were observed at Flow Monitoring Points (FMPs). Operations were temporarily suspended between October 2019 and January 2020, hence the movements tracked in 2019 and 2020 are not directly comparable. However, a decline of movements was observed between March 2020 and April 2020 (a decrease of 60%), when most countries closed its borders. Out of the total observed movements, 65% were incoming flows and 35% out going flows (46% and 54% respectively in 2019). Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, the people on the move may have been able to enter Somalia but not easily exit. Somalia experienced its first COVID-19 cases on March 16, 2020 and Ethiopia closed all land borders on March 23, 2020.
Highest numbers of movements were observed at Bossaso FMP (28%), followed by Doolow FMP (16%), Dhobley FMP (15%), Buuhoodle FMP (14%), Cabudwaaq FMP (12%), Harirad FMP (10%) and Lowyacado FMP (5%).

From March 23rd, 2020, DTM Somalia started to collect COVID-19 related data. In particular, an indicator of COVID-19 awareness was included to capture knowledge of COVID-19 over the months. In April 2020, 70% of the people on the move interviewed declared being unaware about COVID-19. This percentage fell down to 43% in December 2020. Interviewees who reported not knowing about COVID-19 were offered an awareness raising session by trained enumerators utilizing posters in Somali, Oromo, Amharic, Arabic and English.
Those aware of COVID-19, cited the media as the main source of information (42%) followed by medical staff (40%).
People at higher risk of succumbing to COVID-19 above 60 years old (female and male) represented 2% of the movements observed since March 2020.