Analysis

Somali puzzle

The 4.5 Clan Model: A Somali-owned Solution

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. What is the 4.5 model? Essentially, the […]

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Lido Beach Attack

The Truth Behind The Lido Beach Restaurant Attack

The explosion two days ago at Mogadishu’s restaurant on Lido Beach is believed to be the work of a sophisticated network attempting to destabilize Somalia in order to secure an electoral win for the opposition. At the time of the blast, ten lawmakers and other dignitaries from Khatumo state of Somalia were having iftar with […]

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General Odowa

Meet Somalia’s Youngest Chief of Staff

Odowa Yusuf Rageh became Somalia’s youngest Brigadier General at 32 in 2019. Since his promotion by President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, he has been targeted by opponents of the President’s policies. The opposition, which now include Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble, hostile nations and foreign war profiteers, has called into question the young general’s age and […]

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Beledweyne Terror Attacks

Beledweyne Bombings: Who Is Behind?

On Wednesday evening, a suicide bomber blew himself at Lamagalay compound in Beledweyne killing MP Amina Mohamed Abdi and her security detail. The MP was walking to meet Hirshabelle President Ali Gudlawe Hussein in the heavily guarded compound which houses government’s offices. A second attack, this time with a car bomb, occurred just after the […]

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Canadian forces abuses

Canadian Forces Abuses In Somalia, 29 Years Later

29 years ago, 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. This incident would set the stage for a chain of events that would reveal the horrific side of militarized humanitarian aid in general and the reprehensible behavior of the Canadian forces and government specifically.

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EU Naval Forces

Somalia says No to EU Naval Forces in its Waters

The UN anti-piracy resolution officially ends tomorrow, March 3, thanks to Somalia’s permanent representative to the UN, Abukar Osman Baale, who put a lot of effort into convincing the UN Security Council that Somalia no longer wanted a renewal of the anti-piracy resolution.

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IOG Barons

Djibouti: Has The Race To Succeed IOG Begun?

Djiboutians have been witnessing for the last couple of weeks events worthy of a television series where barons of the current regime, under Ismail Omar Guelleh (IOG), have been locked up, for a few days unfortunately, at the “Gabode’s Sheraton‘‘. These barons used this oxymoron to refer to the infamous Gabode prison when they were […]

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Elections

How The Looming Deadline Reveals The Ugly Truth Of The Indirect Election

There are two days left to conclude Somalia’s parliamentary election as the February 25 agreed deadline approaches. With 70% of the 275 seats filled, politicians are resorting to dirty tricks to get their allies elected. Interestingly, the looming deadline revealed the ugly truth about the indirect election. For the past few days, things have been […]

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Shady deals

When Shady Oil Deals Collide With Integrity

A day ago, Abdirashid Mohamed Ahmed, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, sent shockwaves through Somalia by tweeting that he had signed seven Production Sharing Agreements (PSA) with Coastline Exploration Limited. This shady company, formerly known as Soma Oil and Gas, had coveted Somali oil for years and even conspired with Hassan Khaire, the disgraced […]

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Somalia Somaliland Map

Factors Impeding Somalia-Somaliland Talks

I have attended numerous Somali Twitter Space debates whose agenda was to find a solution to the factors impeding Somalia–Somaliland negotiations from making tangible progress. With all their good intentions, panelists invited to these forums have not only neglected to analyze this issue holistically, they also regurgitated the same talking points of British/Italian Somaliland and […]

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