LONDON: Mogadishu, Florence, Tuscany, Sardinia, Minneapolis. Somali artist Abdiaziz (Aziz) Osman has called all these places home. In terms of the mastery and execution of his art it is his years spent in Italy, he says, that proved most influential, while in terms of subject matter it is his homeland of Somalia. When he spoke...
July 2, 2025
Category: Camels and Poets
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How climate insecurity could trigger more conflict in Somalia
By Andrew E. Yaw Tchie, Senior Research Fellow, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs Climate change effects such as droughts, flash floods, erratic rainfall, disruption to the monsoon seasons, strong winds, cyclones, sandstorms, dust storms and increased temperature are being experienced across Somalia These effects are affecting livelihoods, and contributing to local grievances and community tensions....
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When The Drums Beat – Buraanbur
By Yasmeen Maxamuud Somali women are truly magical. They are resilient, bouncing back time and again while defying adversity and showing us the true meaning of uplifting society by the bootstrap, and we always knew that, they transcend pain, and hardship and we knew that too. But their ability and transformation power surprises me for...
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In remembrance of The Hobollada Waaberi; The National Jem of Somali Literature
By Avv. Abdiwahid Abdullahi Warsame “Iyana waxaan kaga gudbaa gobey liicoo ha jabin”by Hassan Ganey To be frank I love politics. This is because politics is the battleground for ideas and discourse in order to engineer a good society. Unfortunately, the nation that brought me to this world has been in turmoil which decapitated the...
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Opposing Influences of Tradition and Modernity in Contemporary Somali Literature
By Maxamed Daahir Afrax, PhD Introduction All writers begin with the literary tradition they inherit, no matter what they do to it, and they write for an audience educated to respond in particular ways. What is significant about the first novels is that writers used materials and techniques from older literary forms to provoke a...
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The beasts that beat the drought: Camels sought after for meat, milk and cheese
By Halina Bazckowski Camels have long been seen as pests, but a small and dedicated group of advocates is pushing for an export market to make good use of the beasts’ unique attributes. The “ships of the desert” have not just survived but thrived on some drought-stricken properties that have been forced to destock cattle....
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Paramountcy of Alliteration in Somali Literature
By Maxamed Daahir Afrax Alliteration, in Somali xarafraac, is a uniquely important feature in Somali literature. Scholars have observed and commented on the role of xarafraac as one of the two structural tools that regulate Somali poetry, the other one being miisaan (metre). However, what has not been noticed in the scholarship on Somali literature...
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Kenya Approves Resumption of Nairobi-Mogadishu Flights
Sign up to our Next Africa newsletter and follow Bloomberg Africa on Twitter Kenya will resume direct flights between its capital, Nairobi and Mogadishu in Somalia, the East African nation’s Civil Aviation Authority Director-General Gilbert Kibe said Friday. Kenya had stopped the flights in May amid a dispute with Somalia over ownership of a territory...
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Shut out and forgotten, refugees in Dadaab appeal for dignity
Dimming prospects of lasting solutions amid continued insecurity in Somalia and ever-shrinking resettlement slots have locked refugees in Kenya’s Dadaab camps in conditions of vulnerability and dependency. With severe mobility constraints and limited livelihood options, humanitarian assistance continues to be a vital lifeline for refugees. But surviving on a bare minimum of assistance means many have been...
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Meet Somalia’s trailblazing female camel trader
Zamzam Yusuf, a grandmother of 29, is breaking barriers by entering the once men-only camel trading industry in Somalia. By Abdishukri Haybe & Hamza Mohamed Kismayo, Somalia – Every morning just before sunrise, Zamzam Yusuf makes the short drive between her house in Kismayo to a farm about 30 kilometres (19 miles) outside the Somali port city....