Somalia

Who actually rules Somalia? The simple answer is, foreigners with vested interests. And as long as these external actors continue their meddling, regardless of the rhetoric, the Somali state-building project will stagnate

There have been numerous failed attempts to restore collapsed Somalia over the past two decades. A nation-building model that takes into account the society’s nomadic culture and the deeply embedded historical narratives that shape the people’s worldviews stands a chance.

The current debate about Somalia’s future and its relationship with foreign donors is split between two schools of thought – those who advocate ‘hybrid systems of governance’ and those who continue to see state-building as the necessary first step towards stability and prosperity.

The continued high-profile attacks by the Somali-based Islamist group are prove enough that various efforts to neutralize Al-Shabaab have not fully succeeded. More work is needed, not only by national and regional governments but also globally.

The type of federalism being promoted in Somalia is a foreign initiative meant to abort national reconciliation and institutionalize social fragmentation

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