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MOGADISHU, Somalia — On a warm afternoon in the capital, 23-year-old Abdirahim Ali Mohamud Shuriye refreshed a website that did not exist a year earlier: the Somali National Job Portal. The page was stark—search bar, vacancy list, live counters of job seekers and employers—but to a recent SIMAD University graduate who had spent months chasing scattered job posts on Telegram, Facebook and WhatsApp, its simplicity felt like a breakthrough. For years, Somalis applied for work through a maze of ministry notices, radio…

Mogadishu — Somalia’s federal government accused opposition figures on Tuesday of derailing high-stakes political talks in the capital by abandoning an agreed agenda, intensifying a standoff over elections and constitutional reforms as the United Nations urged both sides back to the table. In a statement, the government said the consultation process—launched in March 2025 to collect views from former leaders, politicians, academics and civil society—remains the vehicle to resolve what it called the country’s “fateful…

Somalia’s Yeheb tree is vanishing. Turning Cordeauxia edulis into a domesticated crop could secure food, fodder and fragile drylands. In the sun-scored rangelands of Hiiraan, Galmudug, Mudug and the Somali-Ethiopian borderlands, a native lifeline grows almost nowhere else on Earth: the Yeheb tree (Cordeauxia edulis), known locally as Jicib. Long relied upon for its edible nuts, livestock fodder and soil-restoring roots, this wild leguminous shrub is quietly slipping away—its populations down as much as 70% under pressure…

Opinion: Somalia should lead a Horn of Africa economic bloc built on connectivity corridors The Horn of Africa is at a hinge moment. After decades marked by fragmentation and instability, the region faces a practical imperative: build a regional economic bloc anchored in modern connectivity corridors or cede another generation to missed potential. For Somalia, whose Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden coastline sits astride one of the world’s busiest maritime routes, the choice is stark. With recent macroeconomic stabilization,…

The Bab al-Mandab Strait is fast becoming the world’s most consequential test case for managing great-power rivalry on a narrow, fragile stage. As consensus-based multilateralism stalls and selective enforcement of international law undercuts confidence in global rules, the Red Sea corridor has turned into a live experiment in how to handle competition in an increasingly multipolar world—without breaking the arteries of trade that connect Europe, Asia and Africa. This is not an abstract debate. An estimated 10–15 percent of…

Somalia launches East African Community passport, signaling push for regional mobility MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia has officially begun issuing the East African Community (EAC) passport, a step the federal government cast as historic for regional integration and a boost to global mobility for Somali citizens. Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre said Thursday that the introduction of the EAC passport will expand opportunities in travel, trade and education while strengthening Somalia’s engagement within the regional bloc.…

HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — A district court in Hargeisa on Tuesday sentenced musician Mubaarik Ahmed Yusuf, known professionally as Mubaarik Oktoober, to one year and four months in prison after finding him guilty of assault and bodily harm against his wife, fellow singer Farhiya Ahmed Addaawe Geedi, widely known as Farhiya Fiska. In a written ruling dated Feb. 17, 2026, the Hargeisa District Court convicted Mubaarik under Article 440(1) of the Penal Code, which covers offenses causing bodily injury. The…

Muslims across the world are scanning the skies for the slim crescent that marks the start of Ramadan, with a growing list of countries setting Thursday as the first day of fasting while others await final moon-sighting results. As of Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, authorities from Oman to Indonesia and Malaysia have confirmed a Thursday start, while Saudi Arabia — whose decision influences millions — is expected to announce later in the day. Oman became the first Gulf Cooperation Council state to set Thursday as the beginning of…

Qatar’s emir backs Somalia’s security, territorial integrity in call with President Mohamud MOGADISHU — Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Monday reaffirmed Doha’s support for Somalia’s security and territorial integrity during a phone call with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, according to Somali and Qatari officials. Officials said the leaders reviewed recent developments and discussed efforts to strengthen security, stabilize the country and preserve the unity of Somali territory. Sheikh Tamim conveyed…

Rubio seeks reset with Europe in Munich, vows renewed friendship but offers few specifics MUNICH — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio pledged to “revitalise” Washington’s friendship with Europe in a keynote at the Munich Security Conference, drawing a standing ovation after a year of turbulence in transatlantic relations. The speech, however, offered scant concrete commitments, made no mention of Russia and faulted Europe’s approach to migration and climate policy. “In a time of headlines heralding the end of the…