TheSomaliDiary

Vector World Maps Given its advantageous position, abundant natural resources, and strong private sector, Somalia has the potential to become an economic powerhouse for Africa. Despite decades of conflict and unrest, Somalia has managed to sustain a thriving informal economy that contributes the majority of its GDP (GDP). The World Bank predicted that Somalia's GDP will reach $4.918 billion in 2020, growing at a 2.9% annual pace. Agriculture, particularly cattle, which accounts for around 60% of the GDP and 80% of exports, is one of the key drivers of the economy. In addition, Somalia has unrealized potential in the fields of fishing, mining, oil, and gas, as well as clean energy sources like solar and wind. Yet, Somalia confronts numerous obstacles that prevent it from developing economically and fighting poverty. They include recurring droughts and floods, unrest and violence, shoddy institutions and governance, a lack of essential services and infrastructure, high unemployment a

The 4.5 governance system in Somalia is not succeeding in establishing a representative and inclusive democracy there as envisioned. The system, which was put in place in 2000 as a short-term measure to put an end to the civil war and distribute parliamentary seats among the four main clans and a coalition of minority groups, has come under fire for enforcing clan politics, marginalizing minorities and women, and undermining the legitimacy of the federal government. Nasteha Ahmed, a researcher at the American University in Cairo, claims that because the 4.5 system does not adequately represent the richness and complexity of Somali society, it has also failed to merge traditional and contemporary governing systems. Clan rivalry, corruption, nepotism, and violence, among other social characteristics that have historically sparked conflict, she contends, have persisted as a result of the system. The 4.5 system was not included in the 2012 temporary constitution, which was meant to pave th

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 th

The month of July comes at a time president Hassan Sheik Mohamud is touring the neighboring countries in Africa and the Middle East. President Hassan visited UAE, Kenya, Djibouti, Eriteria and Egypt where he met his counterparts on strengthening collaboration between Somalia and those countries. Some of these countries have had political standoff between the recent government such as Kenya and UAE, Djibouti lost its position as a brotherly nation with Somalia and Egypt remained skeptical about the closer ties Somalia had with Ethiopia who’s its renaissance dam draw severe relations over the Nile water shares. President HSM have as well paid an official two days’ visit to Turkey for bilateral relations and steps to enhance cooperation. The Ankara-Mogadishu partnership is "extremely positive and growing by the day and by the night," said the visiting Somali president on Tuesday. Speaking at a panel titled Benefits of the Türkiye-Somalia Partnership, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said

Despite having serious tensions arousing from whose role it is to maintain security of the election venue ‘Afisiyone’ in Aden Adde International Aiport including controversy over the legitimacy of the parallel election of 16 seats elected in Elwak and Garbaharey, and acts of counterproductive kind of communication such as parallel and opposite nature directives by the offices of the president and the prime minister; the Somali lawmakers have made possible to achieve a major milestone to conclude the leadership of the senate and house of the people of Somalia’ the 11th Parliament which will take charge remaining election processes of a government that has a mandate to run the nation for four years term. On the 25th of April, 16 lawmakers elected in the Elwak district of Gedo region were sworn in at the Afisyone tent in Mogadishu. The swearing-in event was attended by the Interim Speaker of the House of the People Abdisalan Ahmed Dhabanad, the Lower House General-Secretary Abdikarim Ab

Another deadline for the completion of the parliamentary elections slated 15 th March has been missed. The international partners of Somalia showed grave concern over this repetitive delays of the election process. So far 16 seats to be elected at Garbaharrey of Gedo region remain very unlikely to materialise considering the rift between villa Somalia which controls the region and Jubbaland administration which has the authority for the state election process facilitation. Wednesday, March 30th, 2022. Prime Minister Mohamed Roble held talks with the General Secretaries of the Federal Parliament ahead of the swearing in of the newly elected legislators next month. According to a statement from the Office of the Prime Minister, the Lower House General Secretary Abdikarin Buhu and his Senate counterpart Ali Jamah met with the PM over preparations for the 11th Parliament. The meeting affirms the announcement by the Federal Indirect Elections Team mid this month which set the swearing ce

During the reporting month, The State Elections Implementation Team [SEIT] of the northern regions of Somalia/Somaliland concluded Lower House elections in the House of the People of the 11th Parliament. Parliamentary elections for the Northern Regions, which began on 1 November 2021, have seen the election of 46 MPs of the two Houses of Parliament representing Somaliland, with Deputy Prime Minister, Mahdi Mohamed Guled (Khadar) being the first member of Parliament to be elected in Mogadishu. Somalia’s election stakeholders including the Prime Minister and five state leaders representing South West, Jubbaland, Hirshabelle, Galmudug and Puntland have once again extended the completion time of the election process to March 15, 2022. This new extension came upon failure to meet the previous deadline, which was February 25, 2022. The country’s election stakeholders struggled to hold election, with polls delayed by more than a year. The announcement of the new election timeline came aft