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In a country that has waited more than half a century for modern workplace protections, a union-led, United Nations-backed push is taking the new law from paper to factory floors, markets and offices across Somalia. The Federation of Somali Trade Unions (FESTU) has launched a nationwide labour rights education drive to help workers understand, reclaim and defend their rights under Somalia’s newly adopted Labour Code — the first comprehensive reform in 52 years. The Labour Code emerged from sustained social dialogue among the…

Tuesday, March 3, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — The Federation of Somali Trade Unions (FESTU), backed by the United Nations, has launched a nationwide labor rights education campaign to turn Somalia’s first comprehensive Labour Code reform in 52 years into real protections in workplaces across the country. The newly adopted Labour Code was crafted through sustained tripartite dialogue among the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MOLSA), the Somali Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and FESTU, with technical and financial…

The United States has sharply escalated airstrikes and partner operations in Somalia, pushing the fight against the Islamic State group and al-Shabab deeper into militant strongholds to blunt plots aimed at the U.S. and Europe, according to Lt. Gen. John Brennan, deputy commander of U.S. Africa Command. Brennan, a former Special Forces leader who served in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, said the tempo is designed to deny militants time, space and capability to plan attacks. “There’s ISIS-inspired threats. They plot against the…

Somalia, Türkiye agree on Port of Mogadishu upgrades to boost trade, revenue MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia and Türkiye have agreed to develop new infrastructure projects at the Port of Mogadishu to expand trade, raise state revenue and improve efficiency at the country’s main maritime gateway, officials said Wednesday. The agreement followed talks in Mogadishu with a senior Turkish delegation led by Durmuş Ünüvar, Türkiye’s deputy minister of transport and infrastructure, signaling a renewed phase of cooperation…

North Western State of Somalia’s ‘island of peace’ narrative falters as leadership courts Israel and conflict deepens in SSC For more than three decades, North Western State of Somalia presented itself as an island of peace in a turbulent Horn of Africa — a self-governing enclave whose stability underwrote a drive for international recognition. That story, fused into a powerful claim of moral distinction and political maturity, is now under its most serious strain. As North Western State of Somalia’s leaders explore closer…

Taoiseach Micheál Martin will travel to China beginning tomorrow for a five-day visit, the first by an Irish leader since 2012, as Beijing moves to shore up ties with individual European Union members amid deepening trade and security frictions. China’s foreign ministry announced the trip, which runs through Thursday, saying Beijing “is willing to take this visit as an opportunity to enhance political mutual trust and expand mutually beneficial co-operation with Ireland.” Martin is due to meet Premier Li Qiang and Zhao Leji,…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s Ministry of Education says it is close to completing a long-promised plan to recruit 10,000 teachers nationwide, a push officials say will strengthen the curriculum, expand access to schooling in underserved areas and widen training for both new and current educators. Education Minister Farah Sheikh Abdulqadir announced the update Sunday, framing the initiative as the backbone of wider reforms to raise quality and bring consistency to the country’s fragmented school system. “We are finalizing…

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Ethiopia has renewed its push for sea access, calling it a national necessity tied to regional cooperation, economic growth and stability in the Horn of Africa, according to a new government-backed report presented in the capital. The document, unveiled by senior officials and allied experts, argues that Ethiopia’s campaign to secure a seaport rests on international law, historical justice and principles of cooperative engagement with neighbors. Framing the issue as an urgent matter of state policy,…

IMF, Somalia Reach Staff-Level Deal That Could Unlock $30 Million Somalia has secured a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund that could release roughly $30 million in fresh financing, a timely boost as the government faces tighter aid flows, the bite of climate shocks, and the demanding work of rebuilding a post-debt-relief economy. The agreement, announced Sunday after two weeks of talks in Washington and Mogadishu, will go to the IMF Executive Board in the coming weeks. If endorsed, it would mark…

The European Union (EU) is feeling a renewed sense of urgency regarding its competitiveness, particularly in light of Donald Trump’s election victory. According to Mario Draghi, the former head of the European Central Bank, concerns are growing that the EU may struggle to keep pace with major players like the United States and China. Before his election, Trump made it clear that the EU would face severe consequences for not purchasing enough American goods—specifically, he threatened tariffs as high as 10% on all imports…