In June, the Mogadishu UN Camp marked Somali Cultural Day — a celebration of the heritage of the country the mission serves. ES-KO delivered full hospitality services for approximately 175 participants.
Somali culture rests on one of the world's great oral traditions. Poetry has long been public rather than niche here, used to settle disputes, record history and rally communities. Alongside it sit a deep pastoral heritage, the colours of the dirac and guntiino, and a cuisine shaped by centuries of Indian Ocean trade: cardamom, cumin and clove in the xawaash blend, canjeero flatbread, slow-cooked rice and goat, sweet spiced shaah. Above all, hospitality — feeding a guest well sits close to the centre of Somali social life.
The camp is one of the operational hubs of the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), established in 2009 and contributing to peace, security and stability in Somalia and the wider region. In practice that means rations, fuel, water, medical support, transport and accommodation for thousands of personnel.
Our team provided comprehensive food service throughout the celebration, holding consistent high-quality and service flow from first arrivals to the final guests. The highlight came from our on-site bakery: a custom cake, warmly received by participants.
Camp catering is often measured in covers served and standards met. Both are essential — but days like this one are a reminder of the other half of the job. In remote and difficult locations, the dining facility is where a mission actually comes together: where people mark a holiday, welcome a new colleague, or simply sit down with someone from another country and remember life is a gift.
ES-KO International — People to Trust in Difficult Times.
