Exploring the role of community participation in promoting sustainable development in Mogadishu, Somalia

Community participation is widely regarded as important to sustainable development, yet less is known about how its effects vary across project stages in fragile and post-conflict cities. This study examines how stakeholders in Mogadishu, Somalia, perceive community involvement in the planning, implementation, monitoring, and continuity of local development initiatives. It also explores the conditions that enable or constrain participation and the perceived social, economic, and environmental outcomes associated with it. A qualitative phenomenological design was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 purposively selected community leaders, civil society representatives, municipal officials, and community members, and the material was analyzed thematically. Because the study relies on stakeholder accounts rather than objective project indicators or a counterfactual design, the findings concern perceived relationships and mechanisms and do not establish causal effects. Participants most consistently identified early planning and priority-setting as the decisive entry point for aligning projects with local needs. Implementation converted consultation into cooperation, local contribution, and problem-solving, while community monitoring was considered valuable but was less consistently institutionalized. Participation occurred mainly through consultation and collaboration; evidence of full community control over decisions and resources was limited. Transparent communication, inclusive representation, institutional responsiveness, and trust encouraged engagement, whereas inadequate information, socioeconomic pressures, unequal inclusion, limited institutional capacity, mistrust, and security constraints weakened it. The study extends participatory development theory by showing that participation in Mogadishu is stage-specific and context-dependent: consultation produces stronger perceived benefits when community input affects decisions and is sustained through implementation and monitoring. Practical priorities include early participatory planning, documented feedback, inclusive project committees, and community-based monitoring with transparent reporting.