The study investigates to what extent groups affected by past violations, including victims/survivors, affected communities, and society at large, are involved in these processes and how their participation could be enhanced. Applying a contextual and local lens, it examines and identifies ways in which transitional justice processes in Somalia have and could enable people’s agency over the goals, forms, and outcomes of processes dealing with the past.

This study aims to address this gap by examining how domestic actors in Somalia, including local media, civil society organizations, and government institutions, view and engage with accountability. It identifies overlooked perspectives, examines how local stakeholders attempt to improve accountability to their communities, analyses the political economy dynamics shaping these efforts, addresses main challenges and presents targeted recommendations to each stakeholder.

The paper indicates that there are, inevitably, opportunities linked to Somalia’s new membership of the EAC. These include allying with the region against insecurity, the standardization of laws and procedures, and enabling the country to adhere to international systems of finance, economy and technology. Integration will allow Somalis from the blue economy (Somalia lies on the Indian Ocean and Red Sea) to invest competitively in the EAC, bringing with it the possibility of opportunities for job creation. The study recommends that the Somali government carefully consider addressing the challenges presented both here and elsewhere.