By Abdi Mohamud
Global Somali Diaspora (GSD) will be celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2024. It was in Kigali, Rwanda, where prominent Somalis from the diaspora met in 2014 to lay the foundation for an organization with global reach and scope to mobilize and serve the Somalis in the diaspora. The images of the youthful faces that appeared on social media following GSD’s conference were sources of promise, hope, and inspiration. I was so elated because I believed that this organization would be a catalyst for the much-needed positive transformation of Somali communities in the diaspora. It presented itself as a unifying and dynamic force that would propel diaspora communities to new heights of cultural progress, cohesion, and vibrancy.
Its statement of objectives says, “GSD seeks to mobilize, organize, and empower Somali communities living in the diaspora. We want to provide a platform to improve communication and ties between members of the global Somali diaspora and serve as a focal point of action and advocacy on issues of importance to their communities. We will also promote the language, culture, and heritage of the Somali people, as well as enhance the capacity and skills of young Somalis living in Somalia and the diaspora. Lastly, GSD aims to contribute greatly to the development and rebuilding of Somalia.”
A decade since its establishment, has GSD achieved its objectives? I have been following this organization’s activities and observing its performances since its inception. I have written a half dozen articles assessing its progress since it came into existence. It is fair to say that GSD has not achieved anything meaningful that reflects its objectives. There is no data or analyses by GSD regarding sound achievements on its platforms. Therefore, we can argue that GSD exists only in name. Holding yearly gatherings is all the organization does, in which people deliver speeches and make promises of doing great things for the diaspora communities and Somalis in the motherland. These promises always remain unfulfilled, but GSD members seem not to be bothered by their inability to meet their promises. We usually do not see GSD reporting to the Somali public explaining reasons behind its lack of progress in its areas of interest. It seems there is no accountability nor questions asked.
GSD has plenty of talents and resources yet no goals based on deliverable programs and plans developed and carried out by GSD. GSD has no paid staff to develop programs, raise funds, or oversee the execution of strategies set by the board that governs the organization. And that may be one of the reasons why it has been unable to expand its operations and open chapters in places of high concentration of Somalis in the diaspora.
I once contacted some members of the board to gain better insight into the programs and inner workings of the organization. I received no satisfactory answers to several written questions that I sent to the board members. I was given vague, meaningless comments. They talked about ambitious plans that would encompass everything. They never elaborated on what those plans would entail or how they would benefit the diaspora communities. Unfortunately, the grandiosity of the yearly gatherings and big promises made there do not translate into actual work that can produce tangible, beneficial results.
No programs designed to prepare and mentor the youth are put in place. And no community mobilization activities are done that will enable respective communities to set up cultural centres to remain connected to one another. Such spaces are essential for any community to keep its distinctive identity and to survive culturally. In the absence of such programs and spaces, it is unlikely that Somalis in the diaspora will achieve the objectives GSD is claiming to be committed to.
The blame for the lack of progress should be equally shouldered by GSD’s board and members, as well as the diaspora communities in general. It seems that GSD’s leadership lacks the drive and commitment to unite and galvanize diaspora communities. There is also general disinterest and disengagement among the people in the diaspora in matters of common interest. These are few or none in the form of volunteering, financial support, or the input of ideas by diaspora community members. To shed light on this, the Sahan Journal will serve as a prime example of how community disengagement either kills or drives away programs and services meant to serve and benefit its members. This journal was founded by a Somali-American journalist named Mukhtar Ibrahim in Minneapolis in 2019. Mukhtar hoped to serve his community by showcasing its culture, businesses, and overall positive impacts on the city by Somalis. Unfortunately, Mukhtar did not receive the anticipated support and engagement from his community members. Thus, he turned to members of other communities, from Native Americans to African Americans to Asian Americans.
The journal writes about, promotes, and showcases the stories and successes of other non-Somali communities. Even ancient civilizations in the Americas, such as the Maya and Incas, are sometimes featured in the Sahan Journal. Somalis are the least represented group in the journal’s coverage. And often, stories concerning Somalis are gang-related and crime-related ones written by non-Somalis. Mukhtar Ibrahim independently started this journal in 2019, which grew into a 20-person team with an annual budget of $2.5 million.
Highlighting the success of Sahan Journal is important to show that great things can be done when there is commitment, purpose, and intention to accomplish something. So, GSD needs to rethink and recalibrate its strategies. It has to design pilot programs for youth to mentor and prepare them for leadership roles, and build on the successes realized from such an initiative. It also needs to reach out and appeal to people in the diaspora to come together and work for the common good. The importance of community cohesion and working with one another in tandem for the greater good of today’s and future generations should be emphasized. To achieve these objectives, there must be paid staff to execute plans, and spaces dedicated to activities and programs deemed beneficial. Without hard work, unity, and dedication, our communities will remain weak and unrespected. We are somewhat disorganized and disfragmented. So, changing the way we relate to one another and govern our communities is crucial if we have any interest in preserving our cultural heritage and identity.
Finally, GSD is holding its yearly conference in the UK on December 16–17, 2023. As usual, many people from different places are attending this meeting. The messages and talks delivered will likely be the same as the previous ones, and of little substance. With that said, I also want to mention that I sense GSD shows some interest in shifting its engagement to the motherland. While I am aware of the importance of the diaspora communities lending a hand to the disadvantaged people back home, it should not lose sight of focusing on the diaspora communities. Its commitment, energy, and resources should be directed more toward the people in the diaspora than any other group. It should stay true to its founding vision and objectives, and deliver them.
Abdi Mohamud
Email: [email protected]
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