Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia — High-stakes talks at Villa Somalia between President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and opposition leaders collapsed Sunday without agreement, laying bare deep divisions over the electoral model meant to guide Somalia’s next vote. The second round of discussions between the presidency and figures grouped under the Somali Future Council ended in deadlock after the sides failed to reconcile positions on core political questions tied to Somalia’s electoral framework, according to sources familiar with the talks. At…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia plans to recruit 12,000 government-employed teachers by the end of 2026, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre said Saturday, framing the effort as the centerpiece of a drive to rebuild a long-fragile education system and place it on a domestically financed footing. Barre said his administration has already recruited and deployed 6,000 trained teachers in less than two years, a dramatic shift from the roughly 900 teachers on the federal payroll when the government took office. “In just two years, we…

Somalia to recruit 10,000 teachers, shift salaries to domestic revenue in education overhaul MOGADISHU — Somalia will hire 10,000 teachers over the next 45 months and pay their salaries entirely from domestic revenue, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre announced Friday, framing the move as a cornerstone of state-building and economic independence. “For the first time in Somalia’s history, teachers’ salaries will be paid entirely from domestic revenue rather than external support,” Barre wrote on X. “This is not just politics,…

WFP warns Somalia food aid could halt by April without new funds, putting millions at risk The U.N. World Food Program warned Friday that its life-saving food and nutrition assistance in Somalia could grind to a halt as early as April unless fresh funding arrives, threatening to push millions deeper into hunger after years of failed rains and conflict. The agency said an estimated 4.4 million people in Somalia face crisis-level food insecurity, with nearly 1 million already enduring severe hunger. A sharp drop in…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s Civil Aviation Authority has suspended several aircraft after inspections uncovered technical faults and non-compliance with international safety standards, escalating scrutiny of the country’s fast-growing aviation market following a Feb. 10 incident that stoked public concern. The regulator said the suspensions aim to strengthen flight safety oversight and restore passenger confidence after a Starsky Aviation plane experienced a technical malfunction shortly after takeoff from Mogadishu’s…

Somalia denies claims Türkiye is ‘unilaterally benefiting’ from oil, stresses sovereignty ahead of elections Somalia’s government has rejected online claims that Türkiye is reaping one-sided gains from the country’s natural resources, insisting a new energy partnership protects Somalia’s sovereignty and benefits its people as political tensions rise ahead of elections later this year. The Somali National News Agency said Friday that “allegations” circulating on social media about Türkiye’s exclusive benefit from Somali…

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.…

Somalia and Saudi Arabia on Friday signed a comprehensive maritime transport cooperation agreement in Riyadh, laying out a long-term plan to modernize Somalia’s ports, strengthen shipping services and deepen logistics ties along one of the world’s most strategic sea lanes. The accord was signed by Somalia’s minister of ports and marine transport, Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur, and Saudi Arabia’s minister of transport and logistics services, Eng. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser. Officials from both governments described the deal as a…

Analysis: U.S.-backed airpower reshapes Somalia’s fight with al-Shabab — but can gains hold as peacekeepers depart? Somalia’s government says a combination of U.S.-supported airstrikes and newly expanded ground operations has shifted the momentum in its long war with al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab. Officials tout battlefield gains, especially the retaking of territory long held by the militants and strikes on leadership nodes and bomb-making networks. The turn comes as African Union peacekeepers draw down and Somali forces assume…

Somalia urges U.N. to block any forced changes to Palestinian territories, condemns Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia UNITED NATIONS — Somalia on Thursday called on the international community to prevent any attempt to forcibly alter the geographic status of the Palestinian territories, while condemning Israel’s December move to recognize North Western State of Somalia and denouncing reported plans to relocate Palestinians to Somali soil. Somalia warns the U.N. Security Council against unilateral…