Somalias

In a world where communication is increasingly dominated by impersonal emails and voicemails, have you ever wondered what it takes to deliver a message with the weight of personal presence? Recently, a delegation composed of some of Somalia's earnest auditors and legal experts chose the path less traveled. When their calls and emails fell into an abyss of silence, they decided to hand-deliver their crucial letters. Venturing into the heart of Somalia's Supreme Court, they sought out someone—anyone—willing to accept their…

Mogadishu (AX) — In the latest Corruption Perceptions Index published by Transparency International, Somalia finds itself entrenched in a deeply troubling narrative: near the very bottom of the world’s ranks in 2024. This index, which scrutinizes 180 nations for perceived public sector corruption, paints Somalia in stark tones—positioning it at 179th with a dismal score of 9 out of 100, following a concerning decline of two points since the previous year. Such rankings have almost become an unfortunate…

Hargeisa (AX) — In a setting where the glimmer of the Gulf meets the vibrancy of ambition, North Western State of Somalia President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro conferred with UAE's Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum on a seemingly ordinary Tuesday. Yet, is any meeting truly ordinary when it dances around the themes of economic cooperation and regional stability? This rendezvous, set against the backdrop of the illustrious Global Government Summit held in Dubai, served as a beacon of…

File Photo In a daring operation that embraced the vast, rugged terrain of northern Somalia, over thirty militants from the infamous Daesh/ISIS faction met their demise under a barrage of airstrikes on Wednesday. Located in the Bari province of the semi-autonomous Northeastern State region, these strikes were a concerted effort to dismantle terror networks that have long cast a shadow over the area. The focal point of these airstrikes, the Sheebaab area nestled in the Almiskaad mountains, became an intense arena of…

In a poignant announcement, Somalia's Minister of Finance, Bihi Iman Egeh, heralded a defining achievement: the nation has successfully cleared approximately $4.5 billion in debt. This monumental accomplishment, attained through the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative spearheaded by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), perhaps turns a promising page in Somalia’s ongoing narrative. Who would have thought that such reformative strides could bring a country closer to financial stability? Egeh spoke…

It's always a fascinating journey when cultures and ideas intersect, isn't it? Such was the atmosphere when Sheikh Noor Mohammad Hassan, serving as Somalia’s Ambassador to Pakistan, engaged in a pivotal meeting with Ibrahim Hasan Murad, President of the University of Management and Technology (UMT) and a former Minister. The setting? UMT’s verdant Johar Town campus in the bustling city of Lahore. This meeting was not your run-of-the-mill diplomatic dialogue. Instead, it was a conduit for sparking innovation and bolstering…

Edward Wadie Said, that illustrious Palestinian-American scholar, quipped once about the complexities of identity — a mosaic of history, culture, and power dynamics. "Identity is never singular," he'd muse. Isn’t it intriguing how a single word can knot up a nation, uproot communities, and foster divisions we've long pretended to absolve? Germany’s Otto von Bismarck might have celebrated realpolitik, yet contemporary narratives in Russia and Ukraine paint a different scene, stirring deep-seated animosities tracing back to…

Impact of Aid Withdrawal on Somalia’s Vulnerable Populations The United States Agency for International Development, better known as USAID, invested a substantial sum of $369 million in Somalia during 2021. This funding supported a spectrum of vital initiatives—from sanitation projects to emergency nutritional programs—implemented through both governmental and non-governmental channels. Yet, amid this significant humanitarian endeavor, an unexpected halt threatened to unravel the fragile threads holding numerous…

In a striking turn of events, security forces in the semi-autonomous region of Northeastern State, Somalia, reported on Monday the death of over 13 Daesh/ISIS fighters following a strategic air assault in the Bari region. These militant operatives, foreign to the land they sought to infiltrate, were neutralized as part of an intense 24-hour counterterrorism campaign. What compels a nation to persistently struggle for peace amidst chaos? As regional security officials have stated, this airstrike forms a crucial thread in an…

Mogadishu (AX) – In a world that often seems frenetic and disconnected, an unexpected phone conversation can provide a reassuring sense of solidarity. Such was the case on Monday when Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud engaged in a telephone dialogue with Qatar's Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. This exchange, far more than a mere diplomatic nicety, sought to deepen the intricate tapestry of their nations' longstanding bilateral ties. Could words exchanged over a crackling line really influence the fates of…