Analysis

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…

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..

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.

Power and Impunity: MPs expose Hassan Sheikh Mohamud

Today, the administration of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud stands at the centre of an intensifying storm driven by persistent allegations from opposition lawmakers, growing public scrutiny, and deepening institutional tensions.

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.

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 …

Hassan Sheikh's tailor-made constitution

The Unilateral Gamble: Risking Somalia’s Fragile Unity for a New Constitution

On March 30, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud made a fateful unilateral gamble, forcing through a new constitutional draft in a move that is now risking Somalia’s fragile unity.

Aerial Standoff: How Somalia’s Airspace Became a Conflict Zone

A dangerous dispute over Somalia’s skies has escalated in 2024, pitting the federal government against the breakaway region of Somaliland…

Why Somaliland Poses an Existential Risk to the Somali Nation

The recent actions of Musa Bihi Abdi, the leader of the breakaway Somaliland region, have sparked significant concerns about the existential risk this renegade region poses to all of Somalia…

Somali Government Empowered Secessionist Leader

After two days meeting in Djibouti, from December 28 and 29, an agreement to restart talk on Somaliland secession between the federal government of Somalia and the secessionist region have set in motion a crisis in the Horn of Africa. This meeting, held at the behest of the British ambassador to Somalia, was hosted by […]

Canadian Forces Abuses In Somalia, 29 Years Later (15,943)
Canadian soldiers sent to Somalia as part of the global humanitarian effort captured a 16 year-old child named Shidane Abukar Arone and viciously tortured him to death in their camp.
The Reason Behind the Erroneous Assumption that Somalis are Caucasian (15,508)
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a belief known as the Hamitic theory gained popularity as an anthropological and linguistic theory.
Dila Massacre 1991 (14,683)
The Dila Massacre, the focal atrocity, involved a series of clan-based mass executions carried out by rebels of the Somali National Movement (SNM), dominated by the Isaaq clan, against the townspeople just after the collapse of the Somali government in early February 1991.
Borama Massacre: The Right To Remember (13,787)
After three decades, the right to remember the victims of the Borama massacre and to speak publicly about the killings committed by the SNM militia is still banned by the self-declared Republic of Somaliland.
How Foreign Lobbying for Somaliland Ignores a Tinderbox (10,865)
Foreign lobbyists campaigning for Somaliland base their arguments on carefully selected clichés or guided tours in Hargeisa...
Why the 1969 Revolution is still relevant today (8,627)
Today is the anniversary of the October 21, 1969 revolution that put the armed forces in control of Somalia. It all started with a bloodless coup after the assassination of the first democratically elected president, Abdirashi Ali Sharmarke, on October 15, 1969.
How Las Anod Killings Initiated SSC Self-rule (7,256)
By attempting to violently stifle the power of the people, the oppressive secessionist regime of Somaliland not only hastened its downfall but began the countdown to self-rule for Sol, Sanaag and Cayn (SSC).
The Flag Martyrs Of Somaliland (7,099)
Young people, girls and boys, who were celebrating the country's independence on June 26 outside the city of Borama were seized by police and then were taken to Hargeisa, Gabiley and Mandera Prison...
Factors Impeding Somalia-Somaliland Talks (6,968)
the issues I have discussed will provide readers with valuable insights into the factors impeding Somalia–Somaliland talks. I believe this will empower them to challenge the political elites who benefit from the status quo...
Awdal to Break Free from Somaliland (6,894)
Now that Las Anod regained its freedom, all eyes are on Awdal to break free from Somaliland oppressive choke-hold.
The 4.5 Clan Model: A Somali-owned Solution (6,418)
For decades, Somalia has been using a clan-power sharing model known as “4.5”. Some believe the model has an external origin (Sodere, 1997) and was institutionalized in the Arta (2000) peace process, in Djibouti. In reality, the initial shape of this model was locally devised in January 1991.
How Roble Prepared For His Coup Attempt (5,934)
Few people expected that Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble, described as a peacemaker for his apparent neutrality and his apolitical past, would be at the origin of this new crisis.
Somalia Elects Parliament Speakers Amid Controversy (5,929)
Following a tumultuous week, the two chambers of the 11th Somali parliament, whose members were sworn in on April 14, finally elected their speakers...
How Abiy’s Red Sea Speech Aims to Reshape the Horn of Africa (5,832)
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's obsession with access to the Red Sea came to light after the broadcast, on October 13, of a speech to parliamentarians...
The Irir Samaale Ploy to Divide and Perpetuate Chaos (5,746)
The clan-based political alliance around Irir Samaale, hatched by the Djiboutian president and his allies in Somalia, the president of the federal government and the head of the separatist region of Somaliland, has recently caused concern among the Somali public...