Chemical security in Somalia: An assessment survey about the chemical safety and security status in Somalia

Chemicals used in academic teaching laboratories, research institutions, and industrial facilities are mostly dual-use chemicals. They provide many desired benefits but at the same time may cause adverse effects to human health and environments. In the case of Somalia, there are gaps in terms of chemical security awareness and implementations, and this has resulted in terrorist attack involving dual-use chemicals. To fill this gap, over the past five years, the Somali Chemical Society has conducted chemical security training for chemical security practitioners from both academia and industry. These training sessions have uncovered a lack of basic knowledge among chemical practitioners about chemical safety and security. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and security systems in Somalia. The research method was an investigative survey to explore information related to the chemical safety and security systems in Somalia. The study was conducted with 20 universities in the country to evaluate their understanding of chemical safety and security. The questionnaire was answered by chemistry lecturers, university students, laboratory managers, and government lab personnel. One hundred and ten participants were selected through cluster sampling. Data were collected through a closed ended questionnaire. the reliability of the study resulted Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of .933.  A noteworthy finding indicated that the chemical safety and security status in Somalia was inadequate, and coordinated efforts by all stakeholders including Government, university leaders, and scientists from different disciplines are urgently needed for effective reforming of chemical safety and security in Somalia.