Mogadishu, Somalia – August 12-13, 2025: The Office of the Auditor General of the Federal Republic of Somalia (OAGS) has successfully concluded a two-day (12-13 August) training workshop for 18 journalists from nine media organizations, aimed at strengthening their ability to report on audit findings with clarity, accuracy, and impact.
The training, held in Mogadishu, forms part of OAGS’s mission to make audit reports more accessible and meaningful to the Somali public and key stakeholders. It focused on enhancing journalists’ skills to transform complex audit documents, often filled with figures and legal terms, into engaging, easy-to-understand stories that promote transparency and accountability.
Participants were taken through the Office’s operational structure, the legal frameworks and international standards guiding its work, audit timelines, release procedures, and specialized terminologies. They also engaged in practical sessions, analyzing real case studies to understand better how to communicate audit results in ways that can inform public debate and strengthen governance.
Abdiaziz Ibrahim Ahmed, one of the participating journalists, expressed his enthusiasm for the training: “I am very pleased to be among the eighteen journalists once again in this two-day workshop organized by the Office of the Auditor General of the Federal Republic of Somalia”.
The workshop’s primary objective was to enhance journalists’ ability to interpret and analyze audit reports, and to cover them in a manner that enables citizens to understand key findings and their implications. This, OAGS believes, will help the public and other stakeholders make informed contributions to national accountability processes.
At the closing session, participants commended OAGS for the initiative, and they also recommended holding similar training sessions regularly to sustain and expand the capacity of Somalia’s media sector in reporting on governance and public financial management.
Speaking after the workshop, Mohamed Daahir Aweis, Director of the OAGS Communication and Stakeholder Engagement, underscored the importance of the media’s role in public accountability:
“Well-informed media professionals play a crucial role in strengthening public accountability, promoting transparency, and advancing good governance. OAGS remains committed to sustaining such initiatives to ensure that audit information is communicated clearly, empowers citizens, and fosters constructive dialogue on public financial management.”
The OAGS recognizes journalists as key partners in ensuring that its audit findings reach the Somali public in a clear, factual, and impactful way, as this marks the second consecutive year the Office has conducted such training, reflecting its ongoing commitment to strengthening the capacity of Somalia’s media in reporting audit-related matters.
