West Africa

It's always a fascinating journey when cultures and ideas intersect, isn't it? Such was the atmosphere when Sheikh Noor Mohammad Hassan, serving as Somalia’s Ambassador to Pakistan, engaged in a pivotal meeting with Ibrahim Hasan Murad, President of the University of Management and Technology (UMT) and a former Minister. The setting? UMT’s verdant Johar Town campus in the bustling city of Lahore. This meeting was not your run-of-the-mill diplomatic dialogue. Instead, it was a conduit for sparking innovation and bolstering…

Mogadishu (AX) — In a significant stride towards bolstering national security, Somalia’s federal government recently dispatched elite units from the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) to invigorate ongoing military operations against the looming threats of Al-Shabaab and ISIS. This move, brimming with both hope and resolve, marks a new chapter in Somalia’s long-standing struggle against insurgency. The day was Tuesday, when the ceremonial drums beat in Mogadishu as President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud stood before…

BALIDHIDIN, Somalia — A lone figure lay on the sun-drenched ridge, a fallen Islamic State combatant, as Somali soldiers, heavily armed and determined, wound their way to a distant cavern. Their progress brought them to a new frontier against the global menace of the Islamic State. In the semi-autonomous region of Northeastern State, the threat has been growing. Foreign militants arrive in torrents, and these hostile infiltrators have turned Somalia into a pivotal launching pad for radical operations. By their side, money…

FILE - A solitary figure, a security officer, traverses through Balidhidin village, nestled in the rugged terrain of Northeastern State’s Bari region, Somalia, on an unusually cool January 26, 2025. A mere fortnight later, on February 11, 2025, Somali officials somberly announced a catastrophic attack by the Islamic State on a Northeastern State military base that claimed nearly 100 lives. Imagine the chaos: Almost 100 individuals meeting an untimely demise, and around 60 others bearing injuries, as the notorious Islamic…

Impact of Aid Withdrawal on Somalia’s Vulnerable Populations The United States Agency for International Development, better known as USAID, invested a substantial sum of $369 million in Somalia during 2021. This funding supported a spectrum of vital initiatives—from sanitation projects to emergency nutritional programs—implemented through both governmental and non-governmental channels. Yet, amid this significant humanitarian endeavor, an unexpected halt threatened to unravel the fragile threads holding numerous…

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (AX) — Picture this. A courtroom in Minneapolis bustling with intense emotion and dramatic declarations. This week, the trial of Aimee Bock, the alleged architect behind one of the most audacious fraud schemes of the pandemic era, captivated the city — and the nation. Dubbed a scam of monumental proportions, her case is tangled in claims, counterclaims, and a ponderous $250 million scandal. At the heart of this unfolding legal drama lies Feeding Our Future, a nonprofit intended to nourish low-income…

Mogadishu (AX) — In a striking gesture of solidarity and commitment, Somali legislator Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame has dedicated his entire monthly remuneration to bolster Northeastern State's security forces. But what drives a man to part with his earnings in such a fashion? Is it sheer patriotism, a call of duty, or something deeper in the heart of Somalia's political labyrinth? Whatever the motive, Warsame has set the gauntlet before his peers and the populace, encouraging both citizens and fellow parliamentarians to…

On a seemingly typical Monday, the United Nations relief agency issued a fervent plea for bolstered resources to combat the worsening drought crisis ravaging several regions in Somalia. To some, a drought might evoke images of a sun-baked desert, but here it embodies a looming catastrophe jeopardizing countless lives. But how did we reach this critical juncture? The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) sounded an alarm about persistently extreme dry conditions worsening the already precarious…

Dubai (AX) – Amid the swirling sands and towering skyscrapers that frame the 2025 World Government Summit in Dubai, President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro of North Western State of Somalia made a striking declaration. With a blend of resolution and hope, he underscored an ambition that echoes from the halls of Hargeisa to the corridors of power in Washington and London: international recognition of North Western State of Somalia as an independent state. Why does this aspiration for recognition seem so elusive yet…

Mogadishu (AX) — On a breezy Monday in Mogadishu, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud engaged in a crucial dialogue with a distinguished Turkish delegation, graced by the presence of Deputy Foreign Minister Prof. Burhanettin Duran. The discourse centered around fortifying the multifaceted ties binding Somalia and Türkiye, with the arcane melodies of anticipation in the air—a palpable rhythm of potentiality. One might ask, where does the soul of diplomatic relations lie? Perhaps, in moments like these. During their…