Last Thursday, at the People’s Palace, President Ismail Omar Guelleh officially launched the 2026 National Solidarity Week. In a speech with strong social and political implications, the Head of State emphasized that this annual event transcends mere symbolism, becoming a crucial moment for listening, evaluating, and adapting public policy to better address the realities faced by the most vulnerable populations. Stressing the importance of local solidarity, grounded in a deep understanding of communities and social situations, the President highlighted the reforms undertaken by the State, the central role of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Solidarity, and the need to reconcile social justice, inclusion, and sustainable economic development. The full text of the President’s speech follows.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are gathered here, as every year, for the launch of National Solidarity Week. This exercise, even if it seems routine, possesses a virtue and scope that deserve to be emphasized.
Indeed, it is a week of immersion in the realities of our fellow citizens. A time when public action is confronted on the ground with the faces, experiences, and expectations of those who live with precariousness on a daily basis. This week is therefore an essential moment in the decision-making process, where we must see, listen, and understand before deciding and acting.

Because the Solidarity we intend to promote is first and foremost a Solidarity of proximity.

A solidarity based on a renewed political perception, rooted in social reality.

A solidarity that allows us to accurately identify the needs and vulnerabilities of our populations, in all their territorial and social diversity.

“This week is therefore an essential moment in the decision-making process where it is necessary to see, listen and understand, before deciding and acting.”

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Since the creation of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Solidarity, the notions of poverty, precariousness, or vulnerability are no longer abstract concepts manipulated with statistical scalpels. They now have a face, a geography, a history.

And this is the major merit of this Ministry, which we must commend and appreciate for its true worth. Indeed, for the first time, a comprehensive overview, I would even say a veritable map of poverty and precariousness, has been established, notably thanks to the social register.

This differentiated mapping, taking into account social specificities and territorial distribution, has enabled a decisive break with past practices. It has allowed public action, previously scattered here and there, to be streamlined into targeted, adapted, and effective policies.

Thanks to this new methodology, the State’s responses have been carefully considered and tailored to closely reflect the realities experienced by our citizens. Thus, whether it be social safety nets or social assistance programs in the area of ​​health, the protection mechanisms we have put in place for the most vulnerable have been designed with flexibility to evolve and adapt to changing situations. Among these numerous programs, I want to emphasize the essential role of rural savings and credit unions, which promote the economic inclusion and empowerment of women. For we are convinced that investing in women means investing first and foremost in the individual, then in the family, but also in the community and the future of the nation.

Ladies and Gentlemen

Our national solidarity policy is unambiguous. It clearly distinguishes between assistance and dependency. Assistance is a religious, moral, and republican duty. It is an expression of national fraternity in the face of hardship. But dependency, when it becomes permanent without any prospect of empowerment, becomes a social nuisance. This is why our action is not limited to providing relief; it also aims to transform. Through tailored training, support for entrepreneurial projects, and the acquisition of useful and valuable skills, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Solidarity works to facilitate the shift: the one that leads from dependence to autonomy, from vulnerability to restored dignity.

“Since the creation of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Solidarity, the notions of poverty, precariousness, or vulnerability are no longer abstract concepts manipulated with statistical scalpels.”

Our concept of solidarity, ladies and gentlemen, does not oppose social development to economic development. It makes them complementary. One is a prerequisite for the other. There can be no sustainable growth without social justice. There can be no shared prosperity without inclusion.

Our country does not want growth that does not fuel the fight against insecurity and poverty.

We do not want flattering economic indicators that would leave a portion of our population behind. For the government, the fight against poverty and insecurity is an absolute priority.

Finally, to conclude, I would like to reiterate the central role of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Solidarity in the cohesion of our society.

“There can be no sustainable growth without social justice.”

It is the discreet but essential pillar of our national stability. That is why investing in local social infrastructure means preventing divisions before they deepen.

“There can be no sustainable growth without social justice.”

It’s about reducing inequalities before they become divisive. It’s about strengthening the social contract that unites us.

Thank you for your attention.