The Somali Political, Security and Economic Dilemma

Somalia is listed as one of the poorest and most volatile countries in the world. More than 25 years of civil war, famine and a lack of government has left the country in fiascos. Unless realistic measures to fix the situation and the underlying causes; the situation will get worse, and time is not our side.

In the past, the international community has assumed that instability in Somalia is caused by its weak government and that the solution is to strengthen the government so it can enforce law and order in the country. However, this is only part of the problem. The real cause of the chaos in Somalia is the fragile economy and lack of security within the country. Unless these problems are solved, nothing will change in Somalia and things will continue to get worse for the country and the people of Somalia.

Somalia locates in the Horn of Africa and is an East African country with a history dating back more than 2,000 years. The country is home to numerous ancient ruins, including the capital city of Mogadishu, which is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the region. Despite its rich history and culture, life in Somalia has been difficult ever since independence from British rule ended in 1960. Since then, the country has suffered from political instability and economic decline.

Despite its rich history, Somalia is one of the most violent and unstable countries in the world. Ongoing conflicts and violence between rival clans, and Islamic insurgents have resulted in widespread human suffering and enormous economic losses.

The prolonged drought, the worst in at least 40 years, has affected about 7.8 million people, nearly half of Somalia’s estimated population. More than 1.1 million people have been displaced since 2021. An estimated 6.7 million Somalis are expected to face crisis-level food insecurity or worse due to the drought between October and December 2022. About 1.8 million children under 5 years of age will likely face acute malnutrition through mid-2023, including over 513,000 children who are expected to be severely malnourished. Even if no famine emerges, given rising death rates in many areas, the large size of the affected population and the likely duration of the crisis, the cumulative levels of excess mortality could be as high as in 2011 when more than 250,000 people lost their lives.

Somalia has one of the highest numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the world, estimated at 2.9 million people in 2022. Conflict and insecurity continue to displace civilians and have compound vulnerabilities, with nearly 770,000 people estimated to be living in areas with extreme access constraints due to the presence of non-state armed actors as of October 2022. Another 2.1 million people live in areas that are hard-to-reach/have high access constraints.

The combined impact of recurring stress factors and shocks has deepened poverty in the country. At least 71 per cent of Somalis are living below the poverty line. Preventable diseases such as acute watery diarrhoea and measles are endemic and cases continue to rise compared to recent years, driven by severe water shortages and poor sanitation, especially in settlements where displaced people live, and limitations in the health-care system.[1]

Why is a Solution Required?

Governments around the world are concerned by the violence and instability caused by political conflict, clan warfare and terrorism, and it is generally agreed that these issues must be resolved for countries to achieve peace and prosperity. Somalia is in desperate need of a solution to help it overcome its many problems and achieve lasting peace and order. However, there is no easy solution to this problem because the root of the problem lies deep inside the fabric of Somali society and cannot be solved by simply strengthening the government. This is a long-term problem that requires long-term solutions if it is to be overcome.

Political conflict and violent extremism lead to insecurity in a country and are therefore major problems that need to be dealt with urgently. Failing to deal with these problems can lead to the collapse of the state and lead to anarchy and civil war, in which millions of people can be killed or injured, and many more forced from their homes and left homeless. Therefore, it is essential that political conflict and violence be addressed as soon as possible before the situation gets any worse.

[1] About OCHA Somalia | OCHA (unocha.org)

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