Insecurity in Beledweyne: Context, causes, and the way forward
Residents in Beledweyne have been suffering
from insecurity in recent months that
has resulted from the coexistence of the
Hirshabelle state and the self-proclaimed
‘Hiiraan state,’ both of which have parallel
administrations in the town. The lack of a
single government authority responsible for
the security of the city has allowed an increase
in the presence and activities of armed militias
and vigilante groups, resulting in robberies,
roadblocks, and a surge of violence. The
parallel administrations’ struggle to control
the town has dented the trust of the local
constituents. The rivalry between the two
sides has disrupted economic activities with
roadblocks set up out of the town, causing
increases in commodity prices.
Analysis of the Federal Government’s push to end the UN’s Special Political Mission in Somalia (UNSOM)
This governance brief analyses the FGS’s demand to liquidate the special political mission, UNSOM. In so doing, it lays out brief context to the introduction of UNSOM in Somalia and proceeds to sketch out its role in Somalia’s political settlement landscape. Further, the governance brief discusses the FGS’ explanation of its demand; and provides a snapshot of the reactions of opposition politicians and the wider implications of closing the UNSOM office.
Review of the Federal Government of Somalia’s First Billion-dollar Budget for 2024
This brief analyzes the 2024 federal budget and its main allocations for the administration, security, social services, and economic development sectors. Finally, the brief outlines key recommendations including continuing accountability strengthening measures to reduce corruption and the perception of corruption.
The Constitutional Amendment Procedure: Analysis of the Process and the Role and Participation of the Civil Society
This brief analyses the Adoption Procedure for the Constitutional Amendment and the actors who opposed it. It explores ways that civil society can contribute to and influence the constitutional review process and concludes with several policy considerations. These include the suggestions that the Parliamentary Oversight Committee (OC) and ICRIC engage multiple stakeholders; that the federal government engages and involves other political stakeholders; and that civil society engages policymakers and citizens in the constitutional review process.
Mass Attitudes toward ‘One Person, One Vote’ in the Wake of Puntland’s 2024 Electoral Crisis
In this brief, we report the results of a survey conducted jointly by the Puntland Development Research Center (PDRC), the Sababi Institute, and Somali Public Agenda (SPA) during December and early January. The goal of the study was to understand citizen preferences regarding OPOV elections in Puntland.
The state of fiscal decentralization to local governments in Somalia
Decentralization has been emerging as a policy issue in Somalia since 2012. However, it has not been a dominant concern, in comparison to other problems that have overwhelmed policy forums of the executive and legislative branches in both the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and the Federal Member States (FMS). One expectation from the federal arrangement was that power would be decentralized to lower levels to enable local communities to effectively participate in deciding matters of their particular concerns, including devising local-level policies that reflect their immediate needs, such as the collecting local taxes and provision of essential services.
Examining the formation and functioning of local councils in Galmudug & HirShabelle
This governance brief presents preliminary findings for an ongoing study on district council formation, functioning, and way forward in Galmudug, Hirshabelle, and South West states.
Analysis of the University ‘Foundation Year’ Directive: Substance, Concerns, Consequences, and Policy Considerations
Considering the persistent challenges underlying the quality of higher education in Somalia, the FGS Ministry of Education, Culture, and Higher Education proclaimed, on 16 August 2023, a directive authorizing the introduction of a ‘foundation year’ that would precede the university undergraduate first year and will take effect in this academic year 2023/2024.
The role of 4.5 in democratization and governance in Somalia
This brief aims to promote and inform such discussions on 4.5, as well as clan-based power-sharing arrangements more generally.
Review of the Federal Government of Somalia’s Near Billion-dollar Budget for 2023
This brief analyzes the 2023 federal budget and its main allocations for the administration, security, social services, and economic development sectors. Finally, the brief outlines key recommendations including increasing accountability, building public trust, improving social services, encouraging domestic production and international trade, and expediting the debt relief process.
