Politics of Somalia
Encyclopedia
The politics of Somalia are defined by the state of civil war which, since 1991, has divided the country. What started out as various warring entities and autonomist and secessionist regions fighting for control developed into a fragile government fighting an Islamic insurgency. In 1991, Mohammed Siad Barre fell. There was no permanent government until 2004. In 2004, a transitional federal government was formed. This had a 5-year mandate. The transitional federal assembly has 275-seats that has members chosen from various clans. There are 18 administrative regions. Somalia is full of different political parties. Due to the transitional government the political parties make no affect on it.
At the beginning of 2007 Somalia
was consolidating under the Transitional Federal Government
(TFG), which recently completed a military campaign against the Islamic Courts Union (ICU). The Islamic Courts Union is now part of the TFG, along with the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia
The TFG is supported by the United Nations
. Until recently, it governed out of an administrative capital in Baidoa
. In the last days of 2006, forces of the transitional government supported by Ethiopia
n forces ousted the ICU from Mogadishu
. Peace keeping forces from the African Union
are expected to support the transitional government in its bid to control the country.
During the war against the ICU, the autonomous states of Puntland
and Galmudug
had closely aligned themselves with the TFG and the supporting Ethiopian forces, while other former administrations such as Southwestern Somalia
, Hiraanland and the Juba Valley Alliance
fully integrated themselves with the TFG.
Somalia became a united independent state on 1 July 1960 upon the merger of British Somaliland
, which had become independent from the British
five days earlier on 26 June 1960 and Italian Somaliland
, which became independent from the Italian
-administered United Nations trusteeship
on 1 July to form the Somali Republic. The territory that was once British Somaliland is the area that now forms Somaliland
.
(USC) ouster of Major General Siad Barre
in 1991. The political situation of the Somali Civil War
has been marked by chaos, interclan fighting, random banditry, internecine warfare between proto-governments and resistance to the state. The breakaway country such as Somaliland
and Puntland
put together functional regional governance. In the rest of the country there are a wide range of semi-functional governments and anarchic conditions under various warlords (History of Somalia (1991-2006)).
In 2000, the international community recognised the Transitional National Government
, originally headed by Abdulkassim Salat Hassan, as the government for the entire country. The government only recently was able to enter the capital because of the violence occurring within the country(see Fall of Mogadishu
).
On October 14, 2004 Somali members of parliament elected warlord Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
, previously president of Puntland, to be the next president. He appointed a cabinet led by Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Ghedi. Because of the situation in Mogadishu, the election was held in a sports centre in Nairobi
, Kenya
. Yusuf was elected transitional President by Somalia's transitional parliament
. He won 189 of the 275 votes from members of parliament. The session of Parliament was also held in neighbouring Kenya. His government is recognized by most western nations as legitimate, although his actual authority is still limited.
Many other small political organizations exist, some clan-based, others seeking a Somalia free from clan-based politics (such as the United Somali Front). Many of them have come into existence since the new president was chosen.
On June 5, 2006, the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) defeated the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism
(ARPCT) in the Second Battle of Mogadishu
, bringing the ICU to power in the capital. The ICU took control of much of southern Somalia, with the goal of restoring law and order and instituting Islamic sharia
law. Talks between the ICU and the TFG did not lead to reconciliation or settlement. In September 2006, a proposal by the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development and the African Union
to introduce an 8,000 strong peacekeeping force into Somalia was rejected by the ICU (see IGASOM
). Islamist leaders threatened to turn the country into a graveyard for foreign soldiers should peacekeepers be introduced.
The Transitional Federal Government has ambassadors in a few countries, including but not limited to Arab League
states such as Saudi Arabia
, United Arab Emirates
, Kuwait
, Egypt
and Libya
. It also represents Somalia in the United Nations
, the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the Arab League
, IGAD, and other multilateral organizations.
Until the start of 2007 the Islamic Courts Union operated a government in Mogadishu
, after consolidating power from factions of warlords that previously shared control. The ICU leaders are Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, head of the executive committee, and Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, head of Shura
. The USA accuses Aweys and other ICU leaders of links with terrorism. The Islamic Courts Union (ICU) brought a degree of law and order to Somalia for the first time since the central government collapsed in 1991. It included the implementation of Sharia
Islamic law. But they were driven out of Somalia in late 2006 and early 2007 by a joint Ethiopian-American offensive.Thousands of Ethiopian troops poured across the border, backed up by American air strikes and American intelligence. The Islamic Courts Union (ICU) then went underground.
The Transitional Federal Government
is not a liberal democracy
because it operates not from a Constitution
, but from its authority outlined in the Transitional Federal Charter of the Somali Republic
which was ratified by the Transitional Federal Parliament
(TFP) consisting of mostly de facto powers, such as warlords and other closely selected representatives. There were no general elections for parliament. The Parliament also elected President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
; he was not elected by popular vote.
Somalia's transitional parliament fired its former speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden
and 30 other lawmakers for failing to attend sessions in recent months on April 17, 2007.
leaders took control of Somalia, a form of government referred to as warlordism. The resulting chaos and loss of life provided the context for the international intervention led by the United Nations
and the United States
(see UNOSOM I
, UNITAF
and UNOSOM II
). Because of local resistance to external interference, culminating in the First Battle of Mogadishu, UN operations in Somalia were curtailed, then finally withdrawn in 1995.
Since 1991, there have been fourteen efforts at national reconciliation; to date, none has been successful. Various groupings of Somali factions have sought to control the national territory (or portions thereof) and have fought small wars with one another.
Somaliland (Somali: Jamhuuriyadda Soomaaliland, Arabic: أرض الصومال Arḍ aṣ-Ṣūmāl) is a territory located in the Horn of Africa. It is regarded internationally as being an autonomous region of Somalia.[2][3] Although no sovereign state has recognised the independence of Somaliland, Israel and other regional states have expressed this possibility.[4] Since 1991 it has been governed by a secessionist administration as the Republic of Somaliland,[1] which is considered a de facto independent state.[5][6][7]
The breakaway republic, which declared its independence in May 1991,[8][9] remains unrecognised by any state or international organisation.[10][11] Although many foreign governments maintain informal ties with the state, with an increasing number of foreign delegations and embassies having been established in the capital Hargeisa, it does not have full diplomatic recognition.[12][13]
Somaliland is bordered by Ethiopia in the south and west, Djibouti in the northwest, the Gulf of Aden in the north, and by the Somalian region of Puntland in the east, covering most of the territory of the former British Somaliland protectorate.
In the northwest, there is the secessionist country of Somaliland
with its capital in Hargeisa
that declared its independence in 1991. This governing zone is not recognized by any major international organization or country, although it has remained more stable and certainly more peaceful than the rest of Somalia, neighboring Puntland
notwithstanding.
Puntland
in the northeast also remains autonomous and has suspended ties with the Transitional Government but, unlike Somaliland, still considers itself a part of the Somali Republic. Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
, Puntland’s original president, ruled until mid-2001. In November 2001, a convention of elders, in a process disputed by Yusuf, selected Col. Jama Ali Jama
to succeed him. Forces loyal to Yusuf, who had retreated to Galkayo, attacked Garowe in November, resulting in a de facto division of Puntland
. As many as 30 other factions vie for some degree of authority in the country.
Efforts at mediation
of the Somali internal dispute have been undertaken by many regional states. In the mid-1990s, Ethiopia
played host to several Somali peace conferences and initiated talks at the Ethiopian
city of Sodere
, which led to some degree of agreement between competing factions. The Governments of Egypt
, Yemen
, Kenya
, and Italy
also have attempted to bring the Somali factions together. In 1997, the Organization of African Unity and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development
(IGAD) gave Ethiopia the mandate to pursue Somali reconciliation. In 2000, Djibouti
hosted a major reconciliation conference (the 13th such effort), which in August resulted in creation of the Transitional National Government
, with a 3-year mandate to pursue national reconciliation. In early 2002, Kenya organized a further reconciliation effort under IGAD auspices.
On October 10, 2004, the Transitional Federal Parliament
elected Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
, then president of Puntland, to be the next President and formed a new Transitional Federal Government
. Because of the situation in Mogadishu, the election was held in a sports centre in Nairobi
. The government located for a time to Baidoa
. It has suffered internal crises, such as ministers quitting and a no confidence vote, but has survived.
In 2006 there emerged the Islamic Courts Union, supported by local businessmen who wanted to reclaim the country from factions of warlords, which effectively ruled it. Sharia
Islamic law was briefly enforced in areas controlled by the Islamic Courts Union. They steadily widened the area they controlled and stopped just short of Baidoa, where the transitional government with support by Ethiopia managed to check their advance. Subsequent fighting resulted in the complete oust of the ICU.
The absence of a functioning central government
in Somalia
since 1991 has allowed outside forces to become more influential by supporting various groups and persons in Somalia. Djibouti
, Eritrea
, and Arab states have supported the Transitional Federal Government but, following the emergence of the Islamic Courts Union, and the intercession of its regional rival, Ethiopia, Eritrea switched support.
Ethiopia
has provided political support to Somaliland
and for a time assisted a group of southern warlords
organized as the Somalia Reconciliation and Restoration Council
(SRRC), which opposed the TFG. The warlords were also supported by the United States
.
Ethiopia and the United States strongly opposed the Islamic Courts Union and both now support the nascent federal government. Ethiopian forces are located throughout southern and central Somalia, including the capital Mogadishu.
In January 2009, the former chairman of the Islamic Courts Union movement, Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, was elected president of Somalia in the second round of balloting held in the capital of neighboring Djibouti. Sharif received 293 of the 421 votes cast.
In late February, 2009, fighting between Islamists & AU peacekeepers resulted in 69 dead.
Hassan Dahir Aweys, who led the Islamic Courts along with Sharif Ahmed, returned to Somalia from Eritrea in Spring 2009 still opposing the TFG. Intensive fighting resumed in Somalia in May 2009, where Al-Shabaab
forces along with their allies, Hizbul Islam have fought the coalition government composed of Islamic Courts Union fighters still loyal to Sharif plus the various clan militias in Mogadishu
, surrounding areas of Hiiraan
, Galgaduud, and the Shabelle. AU Peacekeepers remain in Mogadishu guarding the port, Villa Somalia
, and the airport
.
|-
|President
|Sharif Ahmed
|Transitional Federal Government
|31 January 2009
|-
|Prime Minister
|Abdiweli Mohamed Ali
|Transitional Federal Government
|19 June
has 275 members, with each of Somalia's four major clans getting 61 seats in the parliament, while an alliance of minority clans was awarded 31 seats.
, Bakool
, Banaadir
, Bari
, Bay
, Galguduud
, Gedo
, Hiiraan
, Jubbada Dhexe
, Jubbada Hoose
, Mudug
, Nugaal
, Sanaag
, Shabeellaha Dhexe
, Shabeellaha Hoose
, Sool
, Togdheer
, Woqooyi Galbeed
. The North-Western regions seceded as Somaliland
ACP
,
AfDB
,
AFESD
,
AL
,
AMF
,
CAEU
,
ECA
,
FAO
,
G-77
,
IBRD
,
ICAO
,
ICRM
,
IDA
,
IDB
,
IFAD
,
IFC
,
IFRCS
,
IGAD,
ILO
,
IMF
,
IMO
,
Intelsat
,
Interpol,
IOC
,
IOM
(observer),
ITU
,
NAM
,
OAU,
OIC,
UN
,
UNCTAD
,
UNESCO,
UNHCR
,
UNIDO
,
UPU
,
WFTU
,
WHO
,
WIPO
,
WMO
,
WTrO
(observer)
At the beginning of 2007 Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
was consolidating under the Transitional Federal Government
Transitional Federal Government
The Transitional Federal Government is the current internationally recognized government of the Republic of Somalia. It was established as one of the Transitional Federal Institutions of government as defined in the Transitional Federal Charter adopted in November 2004 by the Transitional...
(TFG), which recently completed a military campaign against the Islamic Courts Union (ICU). The Islamic Courts Union is now part of the TFG, along with the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia
Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia
Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia is an organization created in September 2007 when Somali Islamists and opposition leaders meeting in Asmara, the capital of Eritrea, joined forces to fight the Transitional Federal Government and the occupation of Somalia by Ethiopian forces.Roughly 400...
The TFG is supported by the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. Until recently, it governed out of an administrative capital in Baidoa
Baidoa
Baidoa is a city in south-central Somalia, situated by road northwest of the capital Mogadishu. It is the capital of the Bay region, which is traditionally inhabited by the Digil and Mirifle clans....
. In the last days of 2006, forces of the transitional government supported by Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n forces ousted the ICU from Mogadishu
Mogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
. Peace keeping forces from the African Union
African Union
The African Union is a union consisting of 54 African states. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established on 9 July 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity...
are expected to support the transitional government in its bid to control the country.
During the war against the ICU, the autonomous states of Puntland
Puntland
Puntland , officially the Puntland State of Somalia , is a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998....
and Galmudug
Galmudug
Galmudug is an autonomous region in central Somalia. It is bordered to its north by the Puntland region, to the west by Ethiopia, and to the south by other regions of Somalia.Galmudug's name is derived from a conflation of the Galguduud and Mudug provinces...
had closely aligned themselves with the TFG and the supporting Ethiopian forces, while other former administrations such as Southwestern Somalia
Southwestern Somalia
Southwestern Somalia was an ostensibly autonomous self-proclaimed state in Somalia founded by Hasan Muhammad Nur Shatigadud, leader of the Rahanweyn Resistance Army on April 1, 2002...
, Hiraanland and the Juba Valley Alliance
Juba Valley Alliance
The Juba Valley Alliance is a political faction of the Somali Civil War. It was the primary opponent of the Somali Patriotic Movement and the Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council vying for the control of Kismayo and the Juba River valley, the area known as Jubaland.Following the...
fully integrated themselves with the TFG.
Somalia became a united independent state on 1 July 1960 upon the merger of British Somaliland
British Somaliland
British Somaliland was a British protectorate in the northern part of present-day Somalia. For much of its existence, British Somaliland was bordered by French Somaliland, Ethiopia, and Italian Somaliland. From 1940 to 1941, it was occupied by the Italians and was part of Italian East Africa...
, which had become independent from the British
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
five days earlier on 26 June 1960 and Italian Somaliland
Italian Somaliland
Italian Somaliland , also known as Italian Somalia, was a colony of the Kingdom of Italy from the 1880s until 1936 in the region of modern-day Somalia. Ruled in the 19th century by the Somali Sultanate of Hobyo and the Majeerteen Sultanate, the territory was later acquired by Italy through various...
, which became independent from the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
-administered United Nations trusteeship
United Nations Trusteeship Council
The United Nations Trusteeship Council, one of the principal organs of the United Nations, was established to help ensure that trust territories were administered in the best interests of their inhabitants and of international peace and security...
on 1 July to form the Somali Republic. The territory that was once British Somaliland is the area that now forms Somaliland
Somaliland
Somaliland is an unrecognised self-declared sovereign state that is internationally recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia. The government of Somaliland regards itself as the successor state to the British Somaliland protectorate, which was independent for a few days in 1960 as the State of...
.
Political overview
Somalia had a middle functioning government following the United Somali CongressUnited Somali Congress
The United Somali Congress is one of the major political and paramilitary organizations of Somalia. Formed in 1988, it played a key role in the ouster of the government of Siad Barre, and became a major target of the so-called Operation Restore Hope campaign in 1993...
(USC) ouster of Major General Siad Barre
Siad Barre
Mohamed Siad Barre was the military dictator and President of the Somali Democratic Republic from 1969 to 1991. During his rule, he styled himself as Jaalle Siyaad ....
in 1991. The political situation of the Somali Civil War
Somali Civil War
The Somali Civil War is an ongoing civil war taking place in Somalia. The conflict, which began in 1991, has caused destabilisation throughout the country, with the current phase of the conflict seeing the Somali government losing substantial control of the state to rebel forces...
has been marked by chaos, interclan fighting, random banditry, internecine warfare between proto-governments and resistance to the state. The breakaway country such as Somaliland
Somaliland
Somaliland is an unrecognised self-declared sovereign state that is internationally recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia. The government of Somaliland regards itself as the successor state to the British Somaliland protectorate, which was independent for a few days in 1960 as the State of...
and Puntland
Puntland
Puntland , officially the Puntland State of Somalia , is a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998....
put together functional regional governance. In the rest of the country there are a wide range of semi-functional governments and anarchic conditions under various warlords (History of Somalia (1991-2006)).
In 2000, the international community recognised the Transitional National Government
Transitional National Government
The Transitional National Government of Somalia was established in April–May 2000 at the Somalia National Peace Conference held in Djibouti....
, originally headed by Abdulkassim Salat Hassan, as the government for the entire country. The government only recently was able to enter the capital because of the violence occurring within the country(see Fall of Mogadishu
Fall of Mogadishu
The Fall of Mogadishu occurred on December 28, 2006, when the militaries of Somalia's Transitional Federal Government and Ethiopian troops entered the Somali capital unopposed...
).
On October 14, 2004 Somali members of parliament elected warlord Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed is a veteran Somali politician. He is one of the founders of the Somali Salvation Democratic Front, as well as the Puntland State of Somalia, where he served as the autonomous region's first President...
, previously president of Puntland, to be the next president. He appointed a cabinet led by Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Ghedi. Because of the situation in Mogadishu, the election was held in a sports centre in Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. Yusuf was elected transitional President by Somalia's transitional parliament
Transitional Federal Parliament
The Transitional Federal Parliament of the Somali Republic is an interim Parliament of Somalia formed in neighboring Kenya in 2004.The Transitional Federal Parliament has 550 members representing Somalia's clans, Islamist opposition, representatives of citizens' groups and the Somali...
. He won 189 of the 275 votes from members of parliament. The session of Parliament was also held in neighbouring Kenya. His government is recognized by most western nations as legitimate, although his actual authority is still limited.
Many other small political organizations exist, some clan-based, others seeking a Somalia free from clan-based politics (such as the United Somali Front). Many of them have come into existence since the new president was chosen.
On June 5, 2006, the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) defeated the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism
Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism
The Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism was a Somali alliance created by various warlords and businesspeople. The alliance included Botan Ise Alin, Mohammed Dheere, Mohamed Qanyare, Musa Sudi Yalahow, Nuur Daqle, Abdi Hasan Awale Qeybdiid, Omar Muhamoud Finnish and others...
(ARPCT) in the Second Battle of Mogadishu
Second Battle of Mogadishu
The Second Battle of Mogadishu was a battle fought for control of Mogadishu, the capital city of Somalia. The opposing forces were the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism , and militia loyal to the Islamic Court Union . The conflict began in mid-February, 2006, when Somali...
, bringing the ICU to power in the capital. The ICU took control of much of southern Somalia, with the goal of restoring law and order and instituting Islamic sharia
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
law. Talks between the ICU and the TFG did not lead to reconciliation or settlement. In September 2006, a proposal by the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development and the African Union
African Union
The African Union is a union consisting of 54 African states. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established on 9 July 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity...
to introduce an 8,000 strong peacekeeping force into Somalia was rejected by the ICU (see IGASOM
IGASOM
The African Union Mission in Somalia is an active, regional peacekeeping mission operated by the African Union with the approval of the United Nations in Somalia...
). Islamist leaders threatened to turn the country into a graveyard for foreign soldiers should peacekeepers be introduced.
The Transitional Federal Government has ambassadors in a few countries, including but not limited to Arab League
Arab League
The Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
states such as Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
, Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
. It also represents Somalia in the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the Arab League
Arab League
The Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
, IGAD, and other multilateral organizations.
Until the start of 2007 the Islamic Courts Union operated a government in Mogadishu
Mogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
, after consolidating power from factions of warlords that previously shared control. The ICU leaders are Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, head of the executive committee, and Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, head of Shura
Shura
Shura is an Arabic word for "consultation". The Quran and Muhammad encourage Muslims to decide their affairs in consultation with those who will be affected by that decision....
. The USA accuses Aweys and other ICU leaders of links with terrorism. The Islamic Courts Union (ICU) brought a degree of law and order to Somalia for the first time since the central government collapsed in 1991. It included the implementation of Sharia
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
Islamic law. But they were driven out of Somalia in late 2006 and early 2007 by a joint Ethiopian-American offensive.Thousands of Ethiopian troops poured across the border, backed up by American air strikes and American intelligence. The Islamic Courts Union (ICU) then went underground.
The Transitional Federal Government
Transitional Federal Government
The Transitional Federal Government is the current internationally recognized government of the Republic of Somalia. It was established as one of the Transitional Federal Institutions of government as defined in the Transitional Federal Charter adopted in November 2004 by the Transitional...
is not a liberal democracy
Liberal democracy
Liberal democracy, also known as constitutional democracy, is a common form of representative democracy. According to the principles of liberal democracy, elections should be free and fair, and the political process should be competitive...
because it operates not from a Constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
, but from its authority outlined in the Transitional Federal Charter of the Somali Republic
Transitional Federal Charter of the Somali Republic
The Transitional Federal Charter of the Somali Republic, or TFC is the principle organizing document of the Somali Republic, written and approved in February 2004 in Nairobi, Kenya...
which was ratified by the Transitional Federal Parliament
Transitional Federal Parliament
The Transitional Federal Parliament of the Somali Republic is an interim Parliament of Somalia formed in neighboring Kenya in 2004.The Transitional Federal Parliament has 550 members representing Somalia's clans, Islamist opposition, representatives of citizens' groups and the Somali...
(TFP) consisting of mostly de facto powers, such as warlords and other closely selected representatives. There were no general elections for parliament. The Parliament also elected President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed is a veteran Somali politician. He is one of the founders of the Somali Salvation Democratic Front, as well as the Puntland State of Somalia, where he served as the autonomous region's first President...
; he was not elected by popular vote.
Somalia's transitional parliament fired its former speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden
Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden
Sheikh Sharif Hassan Adan is a Somali politician. He is a former Finance Minister of Somalia, and the current Speaker of the Transitional Federal Parliament...
and 30 other lawmakers for failing to attend sessions in recent months on April 17, 2007.
Politics since 1991
In the wake of the collapse of the Somali Government in 1991, factions organized around militaryMilitary
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
leaders took control of Somalia, a form of government referred to as warlordism. The resulting chaos and loss of life provided the context for the international intervention led by the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(see UNOSOM I
UNOSOM I
United Nations Operation in Somalia I was the first part of a United Nations sponsored effort to provide, facilitate, and secure humanitarian relief in Somalia, as well as to monitor the first UN-brokered ceasefire of the Somali Civil War conflict in the early 1990s.The operation was established...
, UNITAF
UNITAF
Unified Task Force was a United States-led, United Nations-sanctioned multinational force which operated in Somalia between 5 December 1992 – 4 May 1993...
and UNOSOM II
UNOSOM II
United Nations Operation in Somalia II was the second phase of the United Nations intervention in Somalia, from March 1993 until March 1995....
). Because of local resistance to external interference, culminating in the First Battle of Mogadishu, UN operations in Somalia were curtailed, then finally withdrawn in 1995.
Since 1991, there have been fourteen efforts at national reconciliation; to date, none has been successful. Various groupings of Somali factions have sought to control the national territory (or portions thereof) and have fought small wars with one another.
Somaliland (Somali: Jamhuuriyadda Soomaaliland, Arabic: أرض الصومال Arḍ aṣ-Ṣūmāl) is a territory located in the Horn of Africa. It is regarded internationally as being an autonomous region of Somalia.[2][3] Although no sovereign state has recognised the independence of Somaliland, Israel and other regional states have expressed this possibility.[4] Since 1991 it has been governed by a secessionist administration as the Republic of Somaliland,[1] which is considered a de facto independent state.[5][6][7]
The breakaway republic, which declared its independence in May 1991,[8][9] remains unrecognised by any state or international organisation.[10][11] Although many foreign governments maintain informal ties with the state, with an increasing number of foreign delegations and embassies having been established in the capital Hargeisa, it does not have full diplomatic recognition.[12][13]
Somaliland is bordered by Ethiopia in the south and west, Djibouti in the northwest, the Gulf of Aden in the north, and by the Somalian region of Puntland in the east, covering most of the territory of the former British Somaliland protectorate.
In the northwest, there is the secessionist country of Somaliland
Somaliland
Somaliland is an unrecognised self-declared sovereign state that is internationally recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia. The government of Somaliland regards itself as the successor state to the British Somaliland protectorate, which was independent for a few days in 1960 as the State of...
with its capital in Hargeisa
Hargeisa
Hargeisa is a city in the northwestern Woqooyi Galbeed region of Somalia. With a population of approximately 2 million residents, it is the second largest city in the country. Hargeisa is the capital of Somaliland, a self-declared republic that is internationally recognized as an autonomous region...
that declared its independence in 1991. This governing zone is not recognized by any major international organization or country, although it has remained more stable and certainly more peaceful than the rest of Somalia, neighboring Puntland
Puntland
Puntland , officially the Puntland State of Somalia , is a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998....
notwithstanding.
Puntland
Puntland
Puntland , officially the Puntland State of Somalia , is a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998....
in the northeast also remains autonomous and has suspended ties with the Transitional Government but, unlike Somaliland, still considers itself a part of the Somali Republic. Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed is a veteran Somali politician. He is one of the founders of the Somali Salvation Democratic Front, as well as the Puntland State of Somalia, where he served as the autonomous region's first President...
, Puntland’s original president, ruled until mid-2001. In November 2001, a convention of elders, in a process disputed by Yusuf, selected Col. Jama Ali Jama
Jama Ali Jama
Jama Ali Jama is a Somali politician, and President of Puntland from November 14, 2001 to May 8, 2002.-Biography:Jama was a former colonel in the Somali military, and was imprisoned for 11 years during the reign of Mohamed Siad Barre after having been accused of trying to overthrow the latter.He...
to succeed him. Forces loyal to Yusuf, who had retreated to Galkayo, attacked Garowe in November, resulting in a de facto division of Puntland
Puntland
Puntland , officially the Puntland State of Somalia , is a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998....
. As many as 30 other factions vie for some degree of authority in the country.
Efforts at mediation
Mediation
Mediation, as used in law, is a form of alternative dispute resolution , a way of resolving disputes between two or more parties. A third party, the mediator, assists the parties to negotiate their own settlement...
of the Somali internal dispute have been undertaken by many regional states. In the mid-1990s, Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
played host to several Somali peace conferences and initiated talks at the Ethiopian
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
city of Sodere
Sodere
Sodere is a spa town in central Ethiopia. Located approximately 25 kilometres south of Adama and 120 kilometres southeast of Addis Ababa in the Misraq Shewa Zone of the Oromia Region, this town has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation of 1466 metres above sea level...
, which led to some degree of agreement between competing factions. The Governments of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
also have attempted to bring the Somali factions together. In 1997, the Organization of African Unity and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development
Intergovernmental Authority on Development
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development is an eight-country regional development organization in East Africa. Its headquarters are located in Djibouti City....
(IGAD) gave Ethiopia the mandate to pursue Somali reconciliation. In 2000, Djibouti
Djibouti
Djibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti , is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east...
hosted a major reconciliation conference (the 13th such effort), which in August resulted in creation of the Transitional National Government
Transitional National Government
The Transitional National Government of Somalia was established in April–May 2000 at the Somalia National Peace Conference held in Djibouti....
, with a 3-year mandate to pursue national reconciliation. In early 2002, Kenya organized a further reconciliation effort under IGAD auspices.
On October 10, 2004, the Transitional Federal Parliament
Transitional Federal Parliament
The Transitional Federal Parliament of the Somali Republic is an interim Parliament of Somalia formed in neighboring Kenya in 2004.The Transitional Federal Parliament has 550 members representing Somalia's clans, Islamist opposition, representatives of citizens' groups and the Somali...
elected Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed is a veteran Somali politician. He is one of the founders of the Somali Salvation Democratic Front, as well as the Puntland State of Somalia, where he served as the autonomous region's first President...
, then president of Puntland, to be the next President and formed a new Transitional Federal Government
Transitional Federal Government
The Transitional Federal Government is the current internationally recognized government of the Republic of Somalia. It was established as one of the Transitional Federal Institutions of government as defined in the Transitional Federal Charter adopted in November 2004 by the Transitional...
. Because of the situation in Mogadishu, the election was held in a sports centre in Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
. The government located for a time to Baidoa
Baidoa
Baidoa is a city in south-central Somalia, situated by road northwest of the capital Mogadishu. It is the capital of the Bay region, which is traditionally inhabited by the Digil and Mirifle clans....
. It has suffered internal crises, such as ministers quitting and a no confidence vote, but has survived.
In 2006 there emerged the Islamic Courts Union, supported by local businessmen who wanted to reclaim the country from factions of warlords, which effectively ruled it. Sharia
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
Islamic law was briefly enforced in areas controlled by the Islamic Courts Union. They steadily widened the area they controlled and stopped just short of Baidoa, where the transitional government with support by Ethiopia managed to check their advance. Subsequent fighting resulted in the complete oust of the ICU.
The absence of a functioning central government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
in Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
since 1991 has allowed outside forces to become more influential by supporting various groups and persons in Somalia. Djibouti
Djibouti
Djibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti , is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east...
, Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
, and Arab states have supported the Transitional Federal Government but, following the emergence of the Islamic Courts Union, and the intercession of its regional rival, Ethiopia, Eritrea switched support.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
has provided political support to Somaliland
Somaliland
Somaliland is an unrecognised self-declared sovereign state that is internationally recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia. The government of Somaliland regards itself as the successor state to the British Somaliland protectorate, which was independent for a few days in 1960 as the State of...
and for a time assisted a group of southern warlords
Warlords
Warlords may refer to:* The plural of warlord, a name for a figure who has military authority but not legal authority over a subnational region.* "WARLORDS", the call sign of a United States Navy Helicopter squadron based in Ayase city, Japan....
organized as the Somalia Reconciliation and Restoration Council
Somalia Reconciliation and Restoration Council
The Somalia Reconciliation and Restoration Council was a political movement, as well as an armed militia, founded by Hussein Mohamed Farrah Aidid, son of the late warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid...
(SRRC), which opposed the TFG. The warlords were also supported by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Ethiopia and the United States strongly opposed the Islamic Courts Union and both now support the nascent federal government. Ethiopian forces are located throughout southern and central Somalia, including the capital Mogadishu.
In January 2009, the former chairman of the Islamic Courts Union movement, Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, was elected president of Somalia in the second round of balloting held in the capital of neighboring Djibouti. Sharif received 293 of the 421 votes cast.
In late February, 2009, fighting between Islamists & AU peacekeepers resulted in 69 dead.
Hassan Dahir Aweys, who led the Islamic Courts along with Sharif Ahmed, returned to Somalia from Eritrea in Spring 2009 still opposing the TFG. Intensive fighting resumed in Somalia in May 2009, where Al-Shabaab
Al-Shabaab (Somalia)
Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen , more commonly known as al-Shabaab , is a terrorist group of militants fighting to overthrow the government of Somalia. As of 2011, the group controls large swathes of the southern parts of Somalia, where it is said to have imposed its own strict form of Sharia law...
forces along with their allies, Hizbul Islam have fought the coalition government composed of Islamic Courts Union fighters still loyal to Sharif plus the various clan militias in Mogadishu
Mogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
, surrounding areas of Hiiraan
Hiiraan
Hiran is an administrative region in south-central Somalia.-Overview:Hiiraan is bordered by the Somali Region of Ethiopia to the northwest, and the Somalian provinces of Galgudud to the northeast, Middle Shebelle) to the south, Lower Shebelle to the southwest, and Bay and Bakool to the west.The...
, Galgaduud, and the Shabelle. AU Peacekeepers remain in Mogadishu guarding the port, Villa Somalia
Villa Somalia
Villa Somalia is the presidential palace of Somalia, which sits on high ground near the shores of the Indian Ocean in Mogadishu, with access to both the harbor and airport....
, and the airport
Mogadishu International Airport
Aden Adde International Airport , formerly known as Mogadishu International Airport, is the international airport for Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. It is named after Aden Abdullah Osman Daar, the first President of Somalia....
.
Executive branch
|colspan=4|The following persons are de jure office holders|-
|President
|Sharif Ahmed
Sharif Ahmed
Sharif Sheikh Ahmed is the current President of Somalia and former Commander in Chief of the Islamic Courts Union .-Biography:...
|Transitional Federal Government
Transitional Federal Government
The Transitional Federal Government is the current internationally recognized government of the Republic of Somalia. It was established as one of the Transitional Federal Institutions of government as defined in the Transitional Federal Charter adopted in November 2004 by the Transitional...
|31 January 2009
|-
|Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Somalia
This page contains a list of the Prime Ministers of Somalia.-Prime Ministers of Somalia :-Affiliations:*SYL - Somali Youth League*SNL - Somali National League...
|Abdiweli Mohamed Ali
Abdiweli Mohamed Ali
Dr. Abdiweli Mohamed Ali is a Somali economist and politician. He is the Prime Minister of Somalia.-Personal life:Ali is originally from the autonomous Puntland region in northeastern Somalia. He holds both Somali and American citizenship....
|Transitional Federal Government
Transitional Federal Government
The Transitional Federal Government is the current internationally recognized government of the Republic of Somalia. It was established as one of the Transitional Federal Institutions of government as defined in the Transitional Federal Charter adopted in November 2004 by the Transitional...
|19 June
Cabinet
| Cabinet Position | Office Holder |
|---|---|
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | Mohamed Abdullahi Omaar |
| Minister of Defence | Abdixakim Mahamud Haji Fiqi |
| Minister of Planning & ineternational Co-operation | Abdiweli Mahamed Ali |
| Minister of Justice & Religious Issues | Abdullahi Abyan Nur |
| Minister of Interior Affairs & National Security | Abdishakuu Sheikh Hasan Farax |
| Minister of Finance & Treasury | Huseen Abdi Halane |
| Minister of Women & Familly Affairs | Maryama Qasim Ahmed |
| Minister of Agriculture & Livestock | Yusuf Malin Amin Badiyow |
| Minister of Health | Dr Adan Haji Ibrahim Daud |
| Minister of Information, Posts & Telecommunication | Abdikarim Hasan Jama |
| Minister of Social Affairs & Labour | Abdinuur Malin Mahamud |
| Minister of Fisheries | Mahamed Malin Hasan |
| Minister of Transport & Ports | Ahmed Abdirahman Abade |
| Minister of Federal Constitution & Reconsiliation | Mahamud Mahamed Bonoow |
| Minister of General Affairs & Reconstruction | Abdirashis khalif Hashi |
| Minister of Water,Minerals & Energy | Abdirisaq Sheikh Muhudin |
| Minister of Education & Culture | Abdinur Sheikh Mahamed |
| Minister of Trade & Industry | Mahamud Abdi Ibrahim |
Legislative branch
The Transitional Federal ParliamentTransitional Federal Parliament
The Transitional Federal Parliament of the Somali Republic is an interim Parliament of Somalia formed in neighboring Kenya in 2004.The Transitional Federal Parliament has 550 members representing Somalia's clans, Islamist opposition, representatives of citizens' groups and the Somali...
has 275 members, with each of Somalia's four major clans getting 61 seats in the parliament, while an alliance of minority clans was awarded 31 seats.
Political parties and elections
Administrative divisions
Somalia is divided in 18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka); AwdalAwdal
Awdal is a region in northwestern Somalia. Its capital is Borama.Awdal is bordered by Ethiopia, Djibouti, the Somali region of Woqooyi Galbeed, and the Gulf of Aden...
, Bakool
Bakool
-Overiew:It is bordered by the Ogaden and the Somalian regions of Hiiraan, Bay and Gedo.Bakool, like Gedo and Bay, as well as most parts of the Jubbada Dhexe region, used to be a part of the old Upper Region, which was subdivided in the mid 1980s...
, Banaadir
Banaadir
Banaadir is a region in southeastern Somalia.-Overview:The Somali term Banaadir derives from the original Persian word بندر bandar, meaning "port" or "harbour"...
, Bari
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
, Bay
Bay, Somalia
Bay is an administrative region in southern Somalia.-Overview:It is bordered by the Somalian regions of Bakool, Lower Shabele, Middle Juba and Gedo....
, Galguduud
Galguduud
Galguduud is an administrative region in central Somalia.-Overview:It is bordered by Ethiopia, the Somalian regions of Mudug, Hiiraan, Shabeellaha Dhexe , and the Indian Ocean....
, Gedo
Gedo
Gedo is an administrative region , formerly part of the historic Upper Juba Region in southern Somalia. Its regional capital is Garbahaarreey. Gedo is a region created in 1980s and is bordered by the Ogaden in Ethiopia, the North Eastern Province in Kenya, and the Somali regions of Bakool, Bay,...
, Hiiraan
Hiiraan
Hiran is an administrative region in south-central Somalia.-Overview:Hiiraan is bordered by the Somali Region of Ethiopia to the northwest, and the Somalian provinces of Galgudud to the northeast, Middle Shebelle) to the south, Lower Shebelle to the southwest, and Bay and Bakool to the west.The...
, Jubbada Dhexe
Jubbada Dhexe
Middle Juba is an administrative region in southern Somalia. With its capital at Bu'aale, it is located in the Jubaland autonomous region.Middle Juba is bordered by Somali regions of Gedo, Bay, Lower Shabele and Jubbada Hoose and the Indian Ocean...
, Jubbada Hoose
Jubbada Hoose
Lower Juba is an administrative region in southern Somalia. With its capital at Kismayo, it lies in the Jubaland autonomous region.Lower Juba is bordered by Kenya, the Somalian regions of Gedo, Middle Juba, and the Indian Ocean...
, Mudug
Mudug
Mudug is an administrative region in north-central Somalia. Bordered by the Ogaden, the Somalian regions of Nugaal and Galguduud, and the Indian Ocean, its capital is the city of Galkacyo.-Districts:...
, Nugaal
Nugaal
Nugal is an administrative region in northeastern Somalia.-Overview:It is bordered by Ethiopia and the Somalian regions of Sool to the west, Bari to the north, and Mudug to the south, with the Indian Ocean to the east....
, Sanaag
Sanaag
Sanaag is an administrative region in northern Somalia. Its capital city is Erigavo.Sanaag has a long coastline facing the Gulf of Aden to the north, and is bordered by the Somali regions of Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sool and Bari....
, Shabeellaha Dhexe
Shabeellaha Dhexe
-Overview:It is bordered by the Somali regions of Galgudud, Hiran, Lower Shebelle, and Banadir, as well as the Indian Ocean.As part of the former Benadir region, Shabeellaha Dhexe's capital was Mogadishu up until the mid-1980s, when the town of Jowhar became the capital...
, Shabeellaha Hoose
Shabeellaha Hoose
Lower Shebelle is an administrative region in southern Somalia.-Overview:It is bordered by the Somalian regions of Banadir, Middle Shebelle, Hiran, Bay and Middle Juba, and the Indian Ocean...
, Sool
Sool
Sool is an administrative region in northern Somalia.-Overview:With its capital at Las Anod, Sool is historically known for being the seat of the anti-colonial Dervish movement....
, Togdheer
Togdheer
Togdheer is an administrative region in northwestern Somalia. It lies in the territory of Somaliland, a self-declared republic that is internationally recognized as an autonomous region of Somalia.-Overview:...
, Woqooyi Galbeed
Woqooyi Galbeed
Woqooyi Galbeed, also known as Maroodi Jeex, is an administrative region in northwestern Somalia. It lies in the territory of Somaliland, a self-declared republic that is internationally recognized as an autonomous region of Somalia....
. The North-Western regions seceded as Somaliland
Somaliland
Somaliland is an unrecognised self-declared sovereign state that is internationally recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia. The government of Somaliland regards itself as the successor state to the British Somaliland protectorate, which was independent for a few days in 1960 as the State of...
International organization participation
Somalia is member ofACP
ACP countries
The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States is a group of countries , created by the Georgetown Agreement in 1975. The group's main objectives are sustainable development and poverty reduction within its member states, as well as their greater integration into the world's economy...
,
AfDB
African Development Bank
The African Development Bank Group is a development bank established in 1964 with the intention of promoting economic and social development in Africa...
,
AFESD
Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development
The Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development is a Kuwait-based, pan-Arab development finance institution. All member-states of the Arab League are members of the AFESD. As of 2003, it held around USD 7.3 billion in assets....
,
AL
Arab League
The Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
,
AMF
Arab Monetary Fund
The Arab Monetary Fund is a regional Arab organization, founded 1976, and operational from 1977. It is a working sub-organization of the Arab League.-Objectives:...
,
CAEU
Council of Arab Economic Unity
The Council of Arab Economic Unity was established by Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Yemen on 3 June 1957...
,
ECA
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa was established in 1958 by the United Nations Economic and Social Council to encourage economic cooperation among its member states following a recommendation of the United Nations General Assembly.It is one of five regional commissions.The ECA...
,
FAO
Food and Agriculture Organization
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and...
,
G-77
Group of 77
The Group of 77 at the United Nations is a loose coalition of developing nations, designed to promote its members' collective economic interests and create an enhanced joint negotiating capacity in the United Nations. There were 77 founding members of the organization, but the organization has...
,
IBRD
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development is one of five institutions that compose the World Bank Group. The IBRD is an international organization whose original mission was to finance the reconstruction of nations devastated by World War II. Now, its mission has expanded to fight...
,
ICAO
International Civil Aviation Organization
The International Civil Aviation Organization , pronounced , , is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth...
,
ICRM
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an international humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members and staff worldwide which was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human...
,
IDA
International Development Association
The International Development Association , is the part of the World Bank that helps the world’s poorest countries. It complements the World Bank's other lending arm — the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development — which serves middle-income countries with capital investment and...
,
IDB
Islamic Development Bank
The Islamic Development Bank is a multilateral development financing institution located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It was founded by the first conference of Finance Ministers of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference , convened 23 Dhu'l Qa'dah 1393 AH.The bank officially began its activities on...
,
IFAD
International Fund for Agricultural Development
The International Fund for Agricultural Development , a specialized agency of the United Nations, was established as an international financial institution in 1977 as one of the major outcomes of the 1974 World Food Conference. IFAD is dedicated to eradicating rural poverty in developing countries...
,
IFC
International Finance Corporation
The International Finance Corporation promotes sustainable private sector investment in developing countries.IFC is a member of the World Bank Group and is headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States....
,
IFRCS
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is a humanitarian institution that is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement along with the ICRC and 186 distinct National Societies...
,
IGAD,
ILO
International Labour Organization
The International Labour Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labour issues pertaining to international labour standards. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. Its secretariat — the people who are employed by it throughout the world — is known as the...
,
IMF
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
,
IMO
International Maritime Organization
The International Maritime Organization , formerly known as the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization , was established in Geneva in 1948, and came into force ten years later, meeting for the first time in 1959...
,
Intelsat
International Telecommunications Satellite Organization
The International Telecommunications Satellite Organization is an intergovernmental organisation charged with overseeing the public service obligations of Intelsat.-External links:*...
,
Interpol,
IOC
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
,
IOM
International Organization for Migration
The International Organization for Migration is an intergovernmental organization. It was initially established in 1951 as the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration to help resettle people displaced by World War II....
(observer),
ITU
International Telecommunication Union
The International Telecommunication Union is the specialized agency of the United Nations which is responsible for information and communication technologies...
,
NAM
Non-Aligned Movement
The Non-Aligned Movement is a group of states considering themselves not aligned formally with or against any major power bloc. As of 2011, the movement had 120 members and 17 observer countries...
,
OAU,
OIC,
UN
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
,
UNCTAD
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development was established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body. It is the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly dealing with trade, investment, and development issues....
,
UNESCO,
UNHCR
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , also known as The UN Refugee Agency is a United Nations agency mandated to protect and support refugees at the request of a government or the UN itself and assists in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to...
,
UNIDO
United Nations Industrial Development Organization
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization , French/Spanish acronym ONUDI, is a specialized agency in the United Nations system, headquartered in Vienna, Austria...
,
UPU
Universal Postal Union
The Universal Postal Union is an international organization that coordinates postal policies among member nations, in addition to the worldwide postal system. The UPU contains four bodies consisting of the Congress, the Council of Administration , the Postal Operations Council and the...
,
WFTU
World Federation of Trade Unions
The World Federation of Trade Unions was established in 1945 to replace the International Federation of Trade Unions. Its mission was to bring together trade unions across the world in a single international organization, much like the United Nations...
,
WHO
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
,
WIPO
World Intellectual Property Organization
The World Intellectual Property Organization is one of the 17 specialized agencies of the United Nations. WIPO was created in 1967 "to encourage creative activity, to promote the protection of intellectual property throughout the world"....
,
WMO
World Meteorological Organization
The World Meteorological Organization is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 189 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization , which was founded in 1873...
,
WTrO
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
(observer)
See also
- Somali Civil WarSomali Civil WarThe Somali Civil War is an ongoing civil war taking place in Somalia. The conflict, which began in 1991, has caused destabilisation throughout the country, with the current phase of the conflict seeing the Somali government losing substantial control of the state to rebel forces...
- Factions in the Somali Civil WarFactions in the Somali Civil WarOver the course of the Somali Civil War, there have been many revolutionary movements and militia groups run by competing warlords which have held de facto control over vast areas of the country.- Somali Salvation Democratic Front :...
- KritarchyKritarchyKritarchy refers to the rule of judges in ancient Israel during the period of time described in the Book of Judges. Because it is a compound of the Greek words for "judge" and "rule", its use has expanded to cover rule by judges in the modern sense, as well, as in the case of the Somalia, ruled by...
- History of Somalia (1991-2006)
External links
- BBC Country Profile for Somalia
- report about Somalian Economy (perhaps dated)