Somalias

Somalia’s next election is unlikely to be a direct, one person, one vote contest. Time constraints and the limits of the current federal institutions point instead to another indirect vote. The decisive question is not the model, but whether the process can meet a minimum threshold of credibility. After two troubled cycles in 2016/17 and 2021/22, an integrity-first approach is the only path to an indirect election that voters, candidates and institutions can accept. Those past votes did not fail because indirect elections…

Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026 MOGADISHU, Somalia — Scuffles and shouting erupted during a joint session of Somalia’s parliament on Wednesday after the speaker moved to advance a package of constitutional amendments that opposition lawmakers said would extend political mandates, forcing the session’s abrupt suspension. The confrontation underscored the high stakes surrounding long-delayed efforts to finalize Somalia’s provisional constitution. The country has operated under the temporary charter since 2012, and repeated attempts to…

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s federal government has canceled an arrest warrant for Jubaland President Ahmed Madoobe, clearing the way for him to attend high-level talks in Mogadishu on Feb. 1 and potentially easing a long-running standoff between federal and regional authorities. The Banadir Regional Court issued the warrant in November 2024 after Madoobe secured a third-term victory in Kismayo, a re-election the federal government deemed illegal under the country’s shift toward a one-person, one-vote electoral system. The order…

Somalia’s parliament erupts in chaos over constitutional amendments, session suspended MOGADISHU — A joint session of Somalia’s bicameral parliament collapsed into disorder Wednesday as opposition legislators disrupted plans to debate sweeping constitutional amendments, triggering scuffles on the floor and forcing leaders to suspend proceedings. Opposition lawmakers protested proposed changes to five chapters of the Provisional Federal Constitution Clashes broke out between rival MPs; the session was suspended without…

EU hails Somali opposition joining national dialogue as positive step MOGADISHU, Somalia — The European Union’s envoy to Somalia has welcomed the decision by the country’s main opposition alliance to join a government-led consultation, calling it a constructive step toward national stability. The Somali Future Council — a coalition of regional leaders and former officials — confirmed it will attend the consultations scheduled for Feb. 1, 2026, in Mogadishu. The invitation was extended by the Federal Government of Somalia. EU…

Trump aide denies claims of Davos meeting with North Western State of Somalia president WASHINGTON — A spokesperson for Eric Trump, the son of U.S. President Donald Trump, has denied reports that he met Abdirahman Cirro — identified by some accounts as the president of Somalia’s northwestern regional administration — during a dinner event on the sidelines of the Davos meetings in Switzerland. Kimberly Benza, a spokesperson for Eric Trump, said no talks took place and no political or economic topics were discussed at the…

Somalia’s NISA kills Al-Shabaab finance chief in targeted operation MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency, working with international partners, killed Abdullahi Hassan Abdi Cosoble — widely known as Abdullahi Wadaad — in a planned operation on Jan. 23 in the Kuunyo Barrow area of the Lower Shabelle region, the agency said. NISA identified Wadaad as the militant group’s chief financial commander, overseeing the collection and management of money illegally extracted from Somali citizens.…

LAS ANOD, Somalia — Authorities in Somalia’s Northeastern State have dismissed as fabricated a video circulating on social media that purports to show Al-Shabab militants operating near Las Anod, calling it an artificial-intelligence–manipulated attempt to spread fear and misinformation. In a statement issued Saturday, the Northeastern Somali Police Force labeled the footage “fake,” saying it was crudely assembled from unrelated online clips and altered with AI tools. Police rejected claims that any portion was filmed in…

Somalia’s leaders pledge unity, faster local elections and intensified security after National Consultative Council meeting Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026 MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s top political leaders reaffirmed national unity, accelerated election timelines and stepped up security operations against extremist groups during a virtual session of the National Consultative Council chaired by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Saturday. In a statement after the meeting, the council endorsed the Federal Government’s…

Somalia foils suspected al-Shabab plot in Mogadishu: Five arrested, explosives seized MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali security forces arrested five suspected militants and seized explosives, weapons and vehicles in a Friday operation aimed at disrupting planned attacks on the capital, Mogadishu, the National Intelligence and Security Agency said. NISA said the group was preparing to enter the city to carry out attacks “threatening the security and stability of the capital,” and credited months of surveillance and close…