By Abdullahi A. Nor Somalia’s federal government appears to have opened a new front—not against Al-Shabaab militants, but against dissenting voices and independent assessments of the country’s spiraling security crisis. In the span of just 24 hours, two respected figures—African Union Special Representative Sivuyile Thandikhaya and former Prime Minister and presidential candidate Abdi Farah Shirdoon...
By Mohamoud Gaildon Talk is circulating of a US tilt toward the recognition of Somaliland──a secessionist entity in northern Somalia──as a separate state. From the upper levels of the Trump administration, nothing public in this regard has emerged; but the signs are unmistakable that a pro-Somaliland drive is underway. Such, if it were to materialize,...
WASHINGTON (WDN)–Somaliland is ramping up its international campaign for recognition, with a major diplomatic offensive underway in the United States. Foreign Minister Abdirahman Dahir Adan, currently in Washington, confirmed that his visit is laying the groundwork for an official trip by Somaliland President Abdirahman Irro scheduled for May. Speaking to reporters, Minister Abdirahman Dahir said...
By Abdiqani Haji Abdi As Somalia prepares to enter one of the most critical political summits in its modern history, the country’s democratic foundations appear to be under siege. In a shocking turn of events over the past three years, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has led a sweeping campaign that has dismantled key state institutions,...
Mogadishu (WDN)-The anticipated visit of Prime Minister Hamse to Las Anod, the capital of the SSC-Khatumo Interim Administration, has been warmly welcomed by the local population and regional leadership. However, certain members of the Somaliland Parliament and political figures have issued provocative statements in response, raising concerns about heightened tensions and the potential undermining peace...
By Faisal A. Roble While this op-ed piece does not comprehensively appraise Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s rule in the last seven years, it does provide a cursory look at the missteps and dashed hopes that worsened the country’s structural problems. Seven years ago, millions of Ethiopians, including the influential Diaspora community, welcomed Abiy Ahmed’s arrival...
By Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, Member of Federal Parliament and the Leader of Wadajir Party Somalia stands at a critical juncture in its battle against Al-Shabaab as the militant group escalates its offensive against the Somali National Army (SNA) and local community forces. Despite earlier successes in pushing back the insurgents, recent months have witnessed a...
By Abdulfatah Hussein The article Ethiopia’s Cash Cow: The Kenni Cabal Draining the Somali Region exposed how an entrenched OPDO elite, known as the Kenni Cabal, has siphoned resources from the Somali region for the last six years. But before them, the TPLF-led EPRDF ruled the region in much the same way, draining its wealth...
By Isha Qarsoon [1] The electoral framework is fundamental to balancing central authority and regional autonomy in a federal system. It establishes the power structures necessary to sustain this balance, ensuring that governance is distributed between the central government and the Member States. Since adopting federalism, Somalia have not had a national electoral system to...
By Muhumed Haji Kaahin, a senior Prosperity Party memberof the Somalia Region The Somali region, one of Ethiopia’s most resource-rich yet historically marginalized territories, has long been subjected to political manipulation and economic exploitation. Successive governments, from the days of the TPLF-controlled EPRDF to the current Prosperity Party, have treated the region as a...