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Somalia hails Sharm el-Sheikh ceasefire framework, calls it a ‘genuine step’ toward peace Somalia has welcomed a ceasefire framework announced in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, saying the effort to halt the war between Israel and Hamas could open a narrow but crucial window for humanitarian relief and political talks long seen as out of reach. In a statement late Thursday, Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs voiced support for the regional and international mediation that produced the agreement, which aims to secure a…

EU–AU human rights talks expose a shared crisis of civic space — and an urgent test of the partnership When civil society leaders stood before officials from the African Union and the European Union in Brussels on 7 October, their message was stark and unvarnished: the basic infrastructure of civic life — independent media, watchdog organisations, protest — is under pressure on both continents. For a gathering meant to stitch together cooperation across two sprawling political orders, the warning was less an appeal than a…

Oil, identity and consent: Why Ethiopia’s Somali region is pushing back There are two ways oil can arrive in a place like Ethiopia’s Somali region: with community buy-in and a clear ledger of who benefits, or with suspicion trailing the first truck. This week, as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed told lawmakers his government is ready to begin using oil from new wells in the Somali Regional State for domestic markets, the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) chose the latter framing—warning that a vital moment for Ethiopia’s…

Kenya’s mediation frays as passports withdrawal exposes fragile balance in Somalia Nairobi’s attempt to broker a truce between Mogadishu and Jubaland has produced not a ceasefire but a fresh crisis — one that underlines how external actors, local strongmen and fragile federal institutions are reshaping Somalia’s political future. Hours after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud flew to Kismayo for high-stakes talks with Jubaland leader Ahmed “Madobe” Mohamed, Kenyan authorities reportedly revoked the travel documents of two…

Mustafa Omer and the Somali Region: A Debate That Mirrors Ethiopia’s Bigger Test On a breezy evening in Jigjiga, you still hear the word “isbeddel” — change — tossed around tea houses in the old quarter like a benediction and a warning. It’s the phrase that came to define Ethiopia’s Somali Region after 2018, when a feared security state gave way to an administration that promised to open space, lower voices, and put civilians at the center. Today, that promise — and the man who personified it, regional president Mustafa…

Somalia’s turn toward Kiswahili: a classroom move with regional reach MOGADISHU — Somalia’s federal government has announced a policy shift that could reshape how the country talks to its neighbours: Kiswahili, the East African lingua franca, is to be introduced into the national school curriculum and promoted in Somali universities. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud framed the decision as part of a broader push toward regional integration. “The Somali National University, along with all Somali universities, must take the…

Uganda and Somalia tighten security ties after joint gains against al‑Shabaab A Kampala meeting with eyes on intelligence, training, and the front lines Kampala—Somalia and Uganda have moved to deepen their security partnership after a fresh battlefield gain in southern Somalia, with both governments framing the moment as a chance to accelerate counterterrorism coordination in the Horn of Africa. On Tuesday in Kampala, Somalia’s Minister of Internal Security, Gen. Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail Fartaag, met Uganda’s Minister of…

Somalia’s Fragile Federal Compact Tested Again as Jubaland Rift Deepens When Cabdirashiid Janan, once Jubaland’s security minister and now describing himself as the intelligence chief for Gedo, stood before supporters in Beled-Hawo this week and declared that the federal government had been “defeated” in Lower Juba, he did more than score a rhetorical point. He crystallised a slow-burning crisis at the heart of Somalia’s experiment with federalism — a contest over territory, revenue and the meaning of sovereignty that is…

The Hidden Dangers of Hot Dogs: What You Need to Know for Better Health Hot dogs bring to mind sunny barbecues, baseball games, and simple pleasures. But while they evoke fond memories, it’s essential to take a closer look at what’s really inside those tasty tubes of meat. Many hot dogs are not just about flavor; they can come packed with unhealthy ingredients that might end up impacting our health in ways we didn’t expect. In this post, we will explore seven troubling hot dog brands and uncover the additives that make them…

Somalia’s Quiet Test of Federalism: A New State’s Speaker Knocks on Mogadishu’s Door In the thick summer heat of Mogadishu, a meeting that might have gone unnoticed told a larger story about where Somalia’s fragile federal experiment may be heading. On Tuesday, Abdullahi Ali Hirsi Timacadde, the Second Deputy Speaker of Somalia’s Upper House, hosted Dr. Adan Abdullahi Aw-Hassan, the Speaker of the North Eastern State Parliament, for talks that were part ceremony, part signal, and all politics. The official readout was…