Somalia

Wednesday March 25, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — A senior Somali lawmaker has broken publicly with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s ruling political camp, resigning from a top party post and warning that disputes over governance, constitutional changes and elections are pushing the country into deeper political strain. Somali federal MP Abdirahman Mohamed Hussein Odawaa stepped down as Secretary General of the Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP) and relinquished his membership, according to a statement he published on his official…

In a move aimed at bolstering security and diplomatic efforts in a volatile corridor of global trade, the African Union has named Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete as its High Representative for the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, the AU said in a statement. The appointment was announced by Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, who emphasized the need for seasoned leadership to navigate the area's tangled political landscape. Kikwete, a former president of Tanzania, is credited with a measured diplomatic style and a reputation for steady governance.…

By Abubakr Al-ShamahiWednesday March 25, 2026 As fighting grinds toward its first month, United States President Donald Trump is pressing a claim that “productive” talks with Iran are already paving the way to end the war he launched alongside Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — even as Iran’s senior leadership continues to flatly reject that account. With wartime messaging and competing propaganda clouding the picture, it remains difficult to determine what is happening behind the scenes. One way to cut through…

By Pooja SalhotraWednesday March 25, 2026 The vast majority of the 80,000 Somalis who live in Minnesota are American citizens or legal permanent residents.Credit...Jamie Kelter Davis for The New York Times Somali immigrants in Minnesota are being pushed through immigration court at breakneck speed under a Trump administration practice that shortens timelines and, lawyers say, undercuts the basic protections of due process, according to a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday. In the complaint, two Minnesota legal providers argue…

Wednesday March 25, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — A Somali military court has handed down a 10-year prison sentence in a case prosecutors say involved plans to track and potentially target one of the country’s most recognizable athletes, boxer Ramla Ali, during her visit to Mogadishu. On Tuesday, the court convicted Abdisalaam Mohamed Hassan, widely known as “Aamusane,” of membership in al-Shabab and sentenced him to a decade behind bars. Prosecutors told the court he had been part of the group since 2014 and accused him of…

Wednesday March 25, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Reports of a Somali National Army (SNA) helicopter going down in Baidoa spread quickly this week, but both federal military leaders and Southwest State officials say the story is baseless. The SNA command said Tuesday that no helicopter crash had occurred in Baidoa — the interim capital of Southwest State — or in nearby areas, calling the claims false and unverified. “There is no truth to the reports circulating about a helicopter crash in Baidoa,” the statement said. “We call on…

Emmet RyanTuesday March 24, 2026 Nadia Adan helms a business with two garages, more than 500,000 followers on social media and €9m in revenue Nadia Adan says selling a car on the basis of a TikTok video convinced her to set up a dealership. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw When Nadia Adan sits in a spotless Co Wicklow showroom next to a Ferrari 488 GTB, it’s a scene that underlines just how far she has come since arriving in Ireland almost three decades ago. Adan, founder and owner of Ashford Motors, came to Ireland…

Tuesday March 24, 2026 Somalia’s federal authorities have thrown South West State’s leadership into fresh uncertainty, declaring late Sunday that the president and his administration have reached the end of their mandate as a bitter standoff with Baidoa deepens. In a statement, the Interior Ministry said the central government will no longer recognise any appointments or dismissals issued by the current South West State administration. It said local administrations in South West State will continue their duties until new…

Djibouti Bets Big: President Guelleh Launches $480 Million "Salaam City" DJIBOUTI CITY — In a bold push to tackle soaring housing needs amid brisk economic expansion, H.E. Ismail Omar Guelleh, President of the Republic of Djibouti, on Monday unveiled a $480 million residential venture known as “Salaam City.” Driven by developer Salaam Real Estate, the project will convert a vast tract on the edge of Djibouti City into a contemporary urban center, which officials describe as among the nation’s most ambitious housing efforts…

OP-ED: A Federation at a Crossroads: Somalia’s Leap from Standoff to Settlement Somalia is staring down a constitutional and political rupture that exceeds the usual turbulence of fragile states. A high-stakes confrontation between the Federal Government in Mogadishu, headed by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and the South West State administration led by President Abdiaziz Laftagareen, has emerged as the most perilous challenge to Somalia’s federal project since its launch. Beneath the surface lies an architecture…