West Africa

Saturday March 14, 2026 MOGADISHU — Somalia’s federal government on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. state of West Virginia to develop the country’s critical mineral resources, officials said. The agreement, signed by Somalia’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Dahir Shire Mohamed and West Virginia Senate Secretary Kris Warner, sets a framework for cooperation in the exploration, extraction and processing of minerals. Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama led Somalia’s delegation.…

Hargeisa, North Western State of Somalia — A cargo vessel carrying hundreds of livestock from North Western State of Somalia sank Friday off Yemen’s southern coast near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, raising urgent questions over the fate of its seven crew members and renewed concerns about the safety of the regional maritime livestock trade. The wooden vessel, which departed the Port of Berbera, went down near Ras al-Ara in Yemen’s Lahj province, according to local sources. It was reportedly transporting about 400 sheep and 150…

Somalia warned Thursday that its territory cannot be used for foreign military operations, pushing back against reports that Israel is exploring an installation in North Western State of Somalia, the self-governing region across the Gulf of Aden from Yemen. “Somalia does not want to see its territory pulled into external confrontations or used in ways that could further destabilise an already sensitive region,” Ali Omar, Somalia’s state minister for foreign affairs, told Al Jazeera. The statement followed reports by…

Arab League hails Somalia’s revised constitution as ‘historic milestone’ despite opposition backlash MOGADISHU, Somalia — The Arab League on Friday welcomed Somalia’s adoption of a revised federal constitution, calling it a historic step in the country’s state-building and a boost to political stability, even as domestic opponents questioned the process and timing. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, secretary-general of the League of Arab States, said the Somali Parliament’s approval of the new charter and its entry into force complete a…

Somali traders dominate entire swaths of commerce across East and Central Africa—fuel distribution, cross-border transportation, cement imports and wholesale food supply. Their shops are busy, warehouses stacked high, and trucks constantly on the move. Yet beneath this visible dynamism lies a quieter, more consequential truth: a set of habits that quietly erode margins, breed fragile businesses, and undermine the very institutions entrepreneurs depend on. At its core, the Somali trading model thrives on speed, trust networks…

Domestic Petrol Prices Rise Amid Global Supply Concerns Initial hopes for a reduction in domestic petrol prices sparked by the International Energy Agency (IEA) announcing that oil-producing nations would ramp up production now appear to be short-lived. Just as expectations rose, the Iranian government's alarming statement regarding the potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz—a critical global supply route—sent international oil prices surging again. This unexpected turn of events followed assurances of price cuts from…

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has announced an investigation into the March 6 missile attack on a Ghanaian peacekeeping base in Lebanon. This move comes in response to a formal complaint lodged by the Ghanaian government, which is demanding a thorough inquiry into the strike that injured four soldiers amidst the escalating conflict involving Israel, Iran, and the United States. The wounded peacekeepers received immediate medical treatment at a facility within the base before being evacuated to the UN Mission's…

Roadside bomb kills at least five Puntland State soldiers near Bosaso; ISIS-Somalia suspected BOSASO, Somalia — At least five Puntland State Defense Force soldiers were killed and several others wounded Friday when a roadside bomb struck a military vehicle on the highway linking Bosaso and Dhaadaar in the Al-Khalifa area, security officials said. Local authorities said they believe the attack was carried out by the Islamic State group’s Somalia affiliate, which operates in the mountainous terrain of the Bari region. The…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali police arrested a well-known female auto rickshaw driver after she joined protests over soaring fuel prices that choked key roads in the capital, lawmakers and colleagues said Thursday. The driver, identified as Sacdiyo Moalim and widely known as “Sacdiyo Bajaj,” was detained following a demonstration by Bajaj operators who rallied against steep increases in fuel costs and worsening economic conditions in Mogadishu. Authorities have not publicly explained the basis for her detention or said how…

In Mogadishu’s tightening political season, former President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, known as Farmaajo, has reemerged with a packed schedule: meetings with supporters, quiet conversations with media figures and political brokers, and visible outreach to segments of the opposition. His renewed profile is unmistakable. But it also reveals a telling split-screen in Somalia’s politics ahead of a potential 2026 presidential contest: the energy of a comeback bid versus the structural headwinds of coalition math, federal…