Somalia vs. the UAE: Sovereignty, Gulf Rivalries, and the Hidden War

Somalia vs. the UAE: Sovereignty, Gulf Rivalries, and the Hidden War for the Horn of Africa

When Somalia announced, in January 12, it was annulling all agreements with the United Arab Emirates, the language from Mogadishu was unmistakable: sovereignty had been violated, …

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Israel's Somaliland Move Raises Proxy War Fears

Red Sea Rivalries: Israel’s Somaliland Move Raises Proxy War Fears

On December 26, 2025, the State of Israel formally recognized the self-declared Republic of Somaliland as an independent nation. This highly controversial move marks the first time …

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Are Somalis Black

Why Many Somali Americans Don’t See Themselves as “Black”

Somali Americans occupy a uniquely complex position in the U.S. racial landscape. They are racialized as Black but many of them resist identifying as such.

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Xeer Ciise Book violence

Between the Reflection of Xeer Ciise and the Resolve of Awdal

The ancient port city of Zeila, long a symbol of Awdal’s history and identity, became the epicentre of a violent political and social rupture the last couple of months.

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Trump’s “Garbage” Remarks

Deconstructing Trump’s “Garbage” Remarks and Their Strategic Resonance

The remarks made by US President Donald Trump, describing Somali Americans and Representative Ilhan Omar as “garbage,” go far beyond a simple inflammatory statement.

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Somalia's role in Sudan Conflict

Somalia’s Quiet Entanglement in Sudan’s War

Somalia has not officially chosen a side in Sudan’s civil war. Yet, through silence and deniability, it finds itself entangled in the conflict—a quiet entanglement that exposes the deep vulnerability of its fragmented state…

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Northeast State Map

The Dawn of a New Era: The Formation of Somalia’s North-East State

On July 30, 2025, a new chapter began in northern Somalia. Following a constitutional convention with 417 delegates in Las Anod, the former SSC-Khatumo state was officially renamed and expanded into the North-East State of Somalia..

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IOG and the Comfort of Continuity

Stability, According to Ismaïl Omar Guelleh

Ismaïl Omar Guelleh (IOG), Djibouti’s immovable president, has once again granted an interview — an exercise he indulges in from time to time, with the self-assurance of a man convinced that everything he touches turns to gold.

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Holding the Somali flag up

Beyond Clan Politics: Opportunities for Peace and Growth in Somalia

Somalia is not a failed state or a country defined by its past conflicts; it is a nation of extraordinary potential, filled with young minds eager to rebuild and a diaspora willing to invest their knowledge, skills, and resources.

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Ethiopia expansionism in Somalia

A Persistent Existential Threat: Somalia’s Historical View of Ethiopia

The relationship between Somalia and Ethiopia is one of the most protracted and deeply rooted conflicts in the Horn of Africa. For Somalis, Ethiopia …

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