Hirshabelle’s political settlement: Opportunities for meaningful and inclusive political processes
This policy brief, based on extensive empirical research, therefore provides an overview of the contentious issues at play before outlining a possible framework for transforming of the political settlement.
Agreements on power allocation and the judiciary through Somalia’s National Consultative Council: how to move beyond the current political impasse
This governance brief examines the NCC agreements on the judiciary model and power allocation. It explores the further challenges it faces, and puts forward several policy considerations.
The Rise of Youth Gangs (Ciyaal Weero) in Mogadishu
This governance brief examines the factors that contributed to the rise of Ciyaal Weero, their impact on security and mobility in Mogadishu, and puts forward some policy considerations including control of the import of drugs, development of a government strategy to tackle the youth gangs, and the creation of job opportunities.
Reviewing the Federal Government of Somalia’s 2022 near billion-dollar budget: development priorities and donor dependence
Although the annual government budget has progressively increased by around $816 million over the past 9 years, more than half of the budget (52 percent of the total budget) is made up of donor-funded projects. This brief examines the 2022 federal government budget for security, social services, and economic development and puts forward policy considerations.
Greed or Grievances: The Gedo Conundrum
This brief examines how Gedo became a key battleground for the center- periphery rift in Somalia’s federal politics. It investigates FGS control of Gedo, the complications and challenges surrounding the holding of elections in Gedo, and the triggers of the Gedo dispute: including unaddressed grievances, a lack of state-level security presence, and greed-induced motivations. The brief also puts forward several policy considerations.
Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama’a’s resurgence: factors, missed opportunities and the way forward
Galmudug State of Somalia (GSS) became embroiled in a bloody conflict after Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama’a’s (ASWJ) leadership returned to Galmudug in October 2021 under…
Lessons from Somalia’s 2021 Upper House Elections
After about three and half months, the election of the Upper House’s 54 members has been completed. However, the electoral process has not been undertaken without flaws. It empowered the presidents of Federal Member States (FMS) to submit a list of candidates for each…
Bridging the Gap between Policies and People in Somalia: Introducing Policy Design Centers
Policies, programs, and projects that are designed and implemented to serve the needs of Somalia’s citizens often fail to achieve their objectives. Regrettably, this observation is so widespread and noted so often that it is easy to gloss…
From Agreement to Implementation: The Operationalization of Somalia’s Indirect Election Agreement
On May 27, members of the National Consultative Council (NCC) signed an election agreement in Mogadishu. The agreement, which consists of eight points and a roadmap for the post-election government, addresses the core outstanding issues of the…
Who owns data in Somalia? Ending the country’s privatised knowledge economy
Over the past decades, donors, aid agencies, consultants and enumerators have conducted increasing amounts of aid-related research in the form of monitoring, assessments and surveys in Somalia. The rise of third-party monitoring (TPMs), new technologies and…
