NAIROBI — Kenyan President William Ruto has said the Kenya-Somalia border will stay shut for now, pointing to lingering security risks, Somalia’s political instability and shortfalls in funding for security operations. Ruto said the move reflects the current security climate in the region, alongside uncertainty inside Somalia and the cost of putting in place the measures needed to manage cross-border travel safely. The border has faced repeated restrictions in recent years, with authorities citing threats linked to militant…

by STEPHEN ASTARIKOWednesday June 3, 2026 Health CS Aden Duale addressing residents of Maalimin, ladgera sub county./STEPHEN ASTARIKO Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has urged President William Ruto to reopen the Kenya-Somalia border and accelerate the tarmacking of the Garissa-Liboi road, arguing that both steps would unlock the economic promise of North Eastern Kenya. Speaking in Maalim Sub-County at the launch of a Mini-Grid project, Duale took the opportunity to deliver what he called a special appeal on behalf of…

By Afyare Abdi ElmiWednesday June 3, 2026 People protest against the extension of the extension of the mandate of the current federal government, at the Eng. Yariisow Stadium along Dr. Kadare Road in Mogadishu, Somalia May 10, 2026 With its election calendar broken and no political transition agreed, Somalia has slipped into one of the gravest and most perilous phases in its modern history. On May 15, the day President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s four-year term was originally set to end, United States- and United Kingdom-backed…

Tuesday June 2, 2026 Djibouti (AX) — Djiboutian opposition figure Alexis Mohamed Gueldon has accused Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of eroding the country’s federal system, arguing that decisions from Mogadishu have widened political rifts and weakened confidence in federal institutions. In a Monday post on social media, Gueldon said constitutional amendments, political standoffs and strained ties between the federal government and some federal member states have hurt the credibility of Somalia’s federal model. He…

Monday June 1, 2026 Seoul, South Korea (AX) — Somalia and Egypt used a high-level gathering in Seoul on Monday to press ahead with closer ties, as Somali Foreign Minister Abdisalam Ali met his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty, for talks on expanding strategic cooperation. The discussion took place on the margins of the Korea-Africa Ministerial Meeting, giving the two ministers a chance to review the state of relations and look at areas where the partnership could be strengthened. The ministers explored ways to broaden…

MOGADISHU – A Somali military court on Tuesday examined a case involving two Ethiopian nationals accused of ties to the Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab, judicial officials said. The men, named by prosecutors as Hamza Ibrahim Ali Abu Irshad and Nasri Abdirahman Ali Abu Safiya, appeared before the First Instance Court of the Somali Armed Forces, where military prosecutors detailed allegations that they were connected to the al Qaeda-linked insurgency. Prosecutors said both suspects were born in Harar, Ethiopia, and speak…

Somalia’s federal government has floated a plan to channel an expected opposition protest into designated parts of Mogadishu, according to security sources, as tensions mount ahead of a major anti-government rally scheduled for next week. MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s federal government has proposed assigning specific locations in Mogadishu for opposition groups to hold demonstrations, according to security sources, as political tensions rise ahead of a planned anti-government rally next week. The proposal was recently…

Friday May 29, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s infantry chief, Gen. Sahal Abdullahi Omar, held talks in Mogadishu on Thursday with an Italian government delegation focused on deepening military cooperation, training and support for the Somali National Army. The delegation, joined by Italy’s military attaché in Somalia, was welcomed at the Somali military headquarters by Sahal and senior officers of the Somali National Armed Forces. Military officials said the discussions centered on broadening ties between the Somali and…

Somalia: Rift Deepens Between President and Intelligence Chief Over Galmudug Election MOGADISHU, Somalia — A widening clash between Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) Director Mahad Salad has raised alarm over the risk of unrest in central Galmudug, according to people familiar with the talks. What began as a round of political consultations in Mogadishu has now soured into a breakdown in negotiations over who should lead Galmudug ahead of the regional presidential…

Somalia sits on a strategically important stretch of the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden, close to one of the world’s busiest chokepoints. The country’s maritime space influences how goods move between Europe, Asia and Africa—and how shipping security in the region is managed. This explainer outlines why Somalia matters to global trade routes, what has shaped maritime activity over time, and key facts that help explain the geography of shipping in the Horn of Africa. Somalia’s location: a gateway to major sea lanes…