Transitional Federal Government
Encyclopedia
The Transitional Federal Government (TFG; ) is the current internationally recognized government of the Republic of Somalia
. It was established as one of the Transitional Federal Institutions
(TFIs) of government as defined in the Transitional Federal Charter (TFC) adopted in November 2004 by the Transitional Federal Parliament
(TFP).
The Transitional Federal Government officially comprises the executive
branch of government, with the TFP serving as the legislative
branch. The government is headed by the President of Somalia, to whom the cabinet
reports through the Prime Minister
. However, it is also used as a general term to refer to all three branches collectively.
The various departments of government, such as the Ministry of Defence
, fall under the different cabinet portfolios.
Backed by the United Nations
, the African Union
as well as the United States
, the government is currently battling Al Shabaab insurgents to assume full control of the southern part of the country. As of August 2011, the government and its AMISOM allies have managed to secure control over all of Mogadishu
. According to the AU and Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, with increasing troop strength, the pace of territorial gains is expected to greatly accelerate.
The mandate for the transitional government was to run out in August 2011, by which time it was expected that Somali should, ideally have a new and permanent Constitution. Intense international criticism put pressure on the Somali government to act. At the beginning of February 2011, the Somali parliament voted a three year extension for itself, and announced plans to hold elections in July or August 2011.
, religious law
, and traditional clan law
.
regime, it has been rebuilt and is now administered under different regional governments such as the autonomous Puntland
and Somaliland
macro-regions. In the case of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), a new judicial structure was formed through various international conferences.
Despite some significant political differences between them, all of these administrations share similar legal structures, much of which are predicated on the judicial systems of previous Somali administrations. These similarities in civil law include:
of Somalia. It lays out the basic way in which the government is to operate.
.
The current government posts and ministerial positions are as follows:
. The current Prime Minister is Abdiweli Mohamed Ali
, who took office on June 19, 2011.
elects the President and Prime Minister, and has the authority to pass and veto
laws. It is also in charge of governance and administration of Mogadishu
. Each of the four major clans hold 61 seats, while an alliance of minority clans hold 31 seats. After an alliance with the Islamic Courts Union and other Islamist groups was formed, the Islamists were awarded 200 seats. Representatives of citizens' groups and representatives of the Somali diaspora
hold 75 seats. By law, at least 12% of all representatives must be women. Members of parliament are selected through traditional clan leaders or shura
councils. General elections are being planned.
based in Mogadishu
was established, as well as an Appeals Court
. Smaller local courts were also established. A Judicial Service Council directs all judiciary and advises the president. All Sharia
courts established by the ICU were discontinued, but Islamic prinicples are to be used in TFG courts.
being spent on education. However, in practice, the education system is now largely private. In 2006, the autonomous Puntland
region in the northeast was the second territory in Somalia after the Somaliland
region to introduce free primary schools, with teachers now receiving their salaries from the Puntland administration. As of 2007, primary schools have also seen a 28% increase in enrollment over the preceding three years. In addition, several universities in Somalia, including Mogadishu University
, have been scored among the 100 best universities in Africa in spite of the harsh environment, which has been hailed as a triumph for grass-roots initiatives.
region has its own Ministry of Health, which is headed by Dr. Mohamed Bashir Ali Bihi, as does the Somaliland
region in northwestern Somalia, with its Ministry of Health led by Osman Bile Ali.
, the state-run radio station; and Somali National Television
, the national television channel.
included a Somali Air Corps
, and the Somali Navy
.
Today the Transitional Federal Government maintains an army of 10,000 soldiers, with the Ministry of Defense being responsible for the Armed Forces. It controls only a small part of the country. Its weapons arsenal consists of:
Technicals
are the only fighting vehicle in service.
In June 2009, the Somali Navy
was re-established. Up to 500 Marines began training in Mogadishu, with the force expected to reach 5,000 men. The Somali Navy will be based in Puntland
. The current commander is Admiral Farah Omar Ahmed. There are also plans for the re-establishment of the Somali Air Force. Two combat planes have already been purchased.
In addition, a new police force was re-established to maintain law and order. The first police academy to be built in Somalia for several years also opened on December 20, 2005 at Armo, 100 kilometres south of Bosaso. The Somali police also has a criminal investigations department in Mogadishu
.
The autonomous Puntland
and Somaliland
regions within Somalia have their own security forces.
recognizes Mogadishu
as the capital of Somalia. The Parliament of Somalia meets in the city, which is also the seat of the nation's Supreme Court
. In addition, Mogadishu is the location of the presidential palace, Villa Somalia
, where the President resides. The Prime Minister also lives in the city. As the largest city in Somalia, Mogadishu has a population of over 2 million people. Prior to the civil war, it was known as the "White Pearl of the Indian Ocean".
The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of the Republic of Somalia is the most recent attempt to restore national institutions to Somalia after the 1991 collapse of the Siad Barre
regime and the ensuing Somali Civil War
. Established in 2004 and internationally recognized, its support in Somalia was waning until the United States
-backed 2006 intervention by the Ethiopian military, which helped drive out the rival Islamic Courts Union (ICU) in Mogadishu and solidify the TFG's rule.
Between May 31 and June 9, 2008, representatives of Somalia's federal government and the moderate Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia
(ARS) group of Islamist rebels participated in peace talks in Djibouti
brokered by the former United Nations Special Envoy to Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah
. The conference ended with a signed agreement calling for the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops in exchange for the cessation of armed confrontation. Parliament was subsequently expanded to 550 seats to accommodate ARS members, which then elected Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, the former ARS chairman, to office. President Sharif shortly afterwards appointed Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke
, the son of slain former President Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, as the nation's new Prime Minister.
With the help of a small team of African Union troops, the coalition government also began a counteroffensive in February 2009 to retake control of the southern half of the country. To solidify its control of southern Somalia, the TFG formed an alliance with the Islamic Courts Union, other members of the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia
, and Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a
, a moderate Sufi
militia. Furthermore, Al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam, the two main Islamist groups in opposition, began to fight amongst themselves in mid-2009.
As a truce, in March 2009, Somalia's newly established coalition government announced that it would re-implement Shari'a as the nation's official judicial system. However, conflict continues in the southern and central parts of the country between government troops and extremist Islamist militants with links to al-Qaeda
.
On October 14, 2010, diplomat Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed was appointed the new Prime Minister of Somalia. The former Premier Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke resigned the month before following a protracted dispute with President Sharif over a proposed draft constitution.
Per the Transitional Federal Government's (TFG) Charter
, Prime Minister Mohamed named a new Cabinet on November 12, 2010, which has been lauded by the international community. The allotted ministerial positions were reduced from 39 to 18. Only two Ministers from the previous Cabinet were reappointed: Hussein Abdi Halane, the former Minister of Finance and a well-regarded figure in the international community, was put in charge of a consolidated Ministry of Finance and Treasury; and Dr. Mohamud Abdi Ibrahim remained the minister of Commerce and Industry. Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a
, a moderate Sufi
group and an important military ally of the TFG, was also accorded the key Interior and Labour ministries. The remaining ministerial positions were largely assigned to technocrats new to the Somali political arena.
The Transitional Federal Government continues to reach out to both Somali and international stakeholders to help grow the administrative capacity of the Transitional Federal Institutions and planned to work toward eventual national elections in 2011, when the interim government's mandate expires. A national election committee is also being organized to oversee the transition to a representative government.
, the African Union
, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The Permanent Representative of Somalia to the United Nations is Elmi Ahmed Duale
. The Deputy Permanent Representative is Idd Beddel Mohamed. Somalia is one of the founding members of the OIC. The TFG also has ambassador
s in other countries.
The Transitional Federal Government currently maintains embassies in 19 countries. Ethiopia
maintains an embassy in Mogadishu
, and consulates in Hargeisa
in Somaliland
and in Garowe in Puntland
. Djibouti
re-opened its embassy in Mogadishu in December 2010. The following year, India
also re-opened its embassy in the capital after a twenty year absence. Italy
maintains a special diplomatic delegation and a Technical Mission to Mogadishu, and is scheduled to re-open its embassy in the city. In 2011, the United Kingdom
likewise announced plans to re-open its embassy in Mogadishu.
from government-designated locations or from Somali embassies abroad.
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...
. It was established as one of the Transitional Federal Institutions
Transitional Federal Institutions
The Transitional Federal Institutions of Somalia are the key government foundations created in October–November 2004 at a conference held in Nairobi, Kenya. They include the following:* Transitional Federal Charter...
(TFIs) of government as defined in the Transitional Federal Charter (TFC) adopted in November 2004 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).
The Transitional Federal Government officially comprises the executive
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
branch of government, with the TFP serving as the legislative
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
branch. The government is headed by the President of Somalia, to whom the cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
reports through the 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...
. However, it is also used as a general term to refer to all three branches collectively.
The various departments of government, such as the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (Somalia)
The Ministry of Defense of the Transitional Federal Government of the Somali Republic is the government body in charge of the TFG armed forces-Established by Transitional Federal Charter:...
, fall under the different cabinet portfolios.
Backed 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...
, 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...
as well as the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the government is currently battling Al Shabaab insurgents to assume full control of the southern part of the country. As of August 2011, the government and its AMISOM allies have managed to secure control over all of 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....
. According to the AU and Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, with increasing troop strength, the pace of territorial gains is expected to greatly accelerate.
The mandate for the transitional government was to run out in August 2011, by which time it was expected that Somali should, ideally have a new and permanent Constitution. Intense international criticism put pressure on the Somali government to act. At the beginning of February 2011, the Somali parliament voted a three year extension for itself, and announced plans to hold elections in July or August 2011.
Structure
The legal structure in Somalia is divided along three lines: civil lawCivil law (legal system)
Civil law is a legal system inspired by Roman law and whose primary feature is that laws are codified into collections, as compared to common law systems that gives great precedential weight to common law on the principle that it is unfair to treat similar facts differently on different...
, religious law
Religious law
In some religions, law can be thought of as the ordering principle of reality; knowledge as revealed by a God defining and governing all human affairs. Law, in the religious sense, also includes codes of ethics and morality which are upheld and required by the God...
, and traditional clan law
Xeer
Xeer, pronounced , is the polycentric legal system of Somalia. Under this system, elders serve as judges and help mediate cases using precedents. It is a good example of how customary law works within a stateless society and is a fair approximation of what is thought of as natural law...
.
Civil law
While Somalia's formal judicial system was largely destroyed after the fall of the Siad BarreSiad 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 ....
regime, it has been rebuilt and is now administered under different regional governments such as the autonomous 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 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...
macro-regions. In the case of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), a new judicial structure was formed through various international conferences.
Despite some significant political differences between them, all of these administrations share similar legal structures, much of which are predicated on the judicial systems of previous Somali administrations. These similarities in civil law include:
- A charterCharterA charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
which affirms the primacy of shari'aShariaSharia 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...
or IslamIslamIslam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic law, although in practice shari'a is applied mainly to matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and civil issues. - The charter guarantees respect for universal standards of human rightsHuman rightsHuman rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
to all subjects of the law. It also assures the independence of the judiciaryJudiciaryThe judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
, which in turn is protected by a judicial committee. - A three-tier judicial system including a supreme courtSupreme courtA supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, instance court, judgment court, high court, or apex court...
, a court of appeals, and courts of first instanceCourt of First InstanceThe General Court is a jurisdictional instance of the Court of Justice of the European Union. From its inception on 1 January 1989 to 30 November 2009, it was known as the Court of First Instance .-Competence:...
(either divided between district and regional courts, or a single court per region). - The laws of the civilian government which were in effect prior to the military coup d'étatCoup d'étatA coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
that saw the Barre regime into power remain in force until the laws are amended.
Constitution
The Transitional Federal Charter of the Somali Republic serves as the constitutionConstitution
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...
of Somalia. It lays out the basic way in which the government is to operate.
Council of Ministers
The cabinet, formally known as the Council of Ministers, at first comprised 42 offices, but was later slimmed down to 31 portfolios during a period of contention in 2006. In 2010, it was further scaled down to 18 posts. The Council of Ministers is appointed by the Prime MinisterPrime 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...
.
The current government posts and ministerial positions are as follows:
| Cabinet Position | Office Holder |
|---|---|
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | Mahamed Mahamud Haji Ibrahim Mohamed Mohamud Ibrahim -Biography:From 2008 to 2011, Ibrahim lived in Harlesden in the United Kingdom, where he worked as an English support teacher at the Newman Catholic College.... |
| Minister of Defence | husein Rrab isse |
| Minister of Planning & ineternational Co-operation | Abdullahi Goodah Barre |
| Minister of Justice & Religious Issues | Ahmed Hasan Gabobe (Ugas Bille) |
| Minister of Interior Affairs & National Security | Abdisamad Mallin Mahamud Sheikh hasan |
| Minister of Finance & Treasury | Dr. Abdinaasir Mahamed Abdulle |
| Minister of Women & Family Affairs | Casho ismaan Aqil |
| Minister of Agriculture & Livestock | Abullahi Haaji Hasan Mahamed Nur |
| Minister of Health | Dr. Abdicasiis Sheikh Yusuf |
| Minister of Information, Posts & Telecommunication | Abdulqaadir Mahamed Ahmed |
| Minister of Employment, Youth & sports | Mahamed Muhiyadin Sheikh Mursal |
| Minister of Fisheries | Abdiraxmaan Sheikh Ibrahim |
| Minister of Transport & Ports | Adan Abdullaahi Adan |
| Minister of Federal Constitution & Reconsiliation | Abdiraxmaan Hosh Jibril |
| Minister of General Affairs, Housing & Reconstruction | Jaylani Nur Iikar |
| Minister of Water,Minerals & Energy | Abdulqaadir Maxamed Dhiaisow |
| Minister of Education & Culture | Prof. Axmed Aydiid Ibrahim |
| Minister of Trade & Industry | Abdiwahaab Ugas Huseen Ugas Khalif |
Executive branch
A President is elected by Parliament. The President is head of government, and chooses the Prime Minister, who leads the cabinet. The current President is Sharif AhmedSharif Ahmed
Sharif Sheikh Ahmed is the current President of Somalia and former Commander in Chief of the Islamic Courts Union .-Biography:...
. The current Prime Minister is 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....
, who took office on June 19, 2011.
Parliament
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...
elects the President and Prime Minister, and has the authority to pass and veto
Veto
A veto, Latin for "I forbid", is the power of an officer of the state to unilaterally stop an official action, especially enactment of a piece of legislation...
laws. It is also in charge of governance and administration of 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....
. Each of the four major clans hold 61 seats, while an alliance of minority clans hold 31 seats. After an alliance with the Islamic Courts Union and other Islamist groups was formed, the Islamists were awarded 200 seats. Representatives of citizens' groups and representatives of the Somali diaspora
Somali diaspora
The Somali diaspora refers to expatriate Somalis who reside in areas of the world that have traditionally not been inhabited by their ethnic group...
hold 75 seats. By law, at least 12% of all representatives must be women. Members of parliament are selected through traditional clan leaders or 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....
councils. General elections are being planned.
Judiciary
Under the Transitional Federal Government, a Supreme CourtSupreme court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, instance court, judgment court, high court, or apex court...
based 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....
was established, as well as an Appeals Court
Appellate court
An appellate court, commonly called an appeals court or court of appeals or appeal court , is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal...
. Smaller local courts were also established. A Judicial Service Council directs all judiciary and advises the president. All 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...
courts established by the ICU were discontinued, but Islamic prinicples are to be used in TFG courts.
State governments
Under the Transitional Federal Government, local state governments maintain some power over their affairs and maintain their own police and security forces, but are subject to the authority of the Transitional Federal Government.Education
The Ministry of Education is officially responsible for education in Somalia, with about 15% of the government's budgetBudget
A budget is a financial plan and a list of all planned expenses and revenues. It is a plan for saving, borrowing and spending. A budget is an important concept in microeconomics, which uses a budget line to illustrate the trade-offs between two or more goods...
being spent on education. However, in practice, the education system is now largely private. In 2006, the autonomous 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....
region in the northeast was the second territory in Somalia after the 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...
region to introduce free primary schools, with teachers now receiving their salaries from the Puntland administration. As of 2007, primary schools have also seen a 28% increase in enrollment over the preceding three years. In addition, several universities in Somalia, including Mogadishu University
Mogadishu University
Mogadishu University is a non-governmental university in Mogadishu, Somalia. As of 2011, its in the top 30 of African universities.-History:The idea to establish a non-governmental educational institution started in June 1993, after which time it took five years to develop and open the university...
, have been scored among the 100 best universities in Africa in spite of the harsh environment, which has been hailed as a triumph for grass-roots initiatives.
Healthcare
The Ministry of Health heads the country's healthcare system. The current Minister of Health is Qamar Adan Ali. The autonomous PuntlandPuntland
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....
region has its own Ministry of Health, which is headed by Dr. Mohamed Bashir Ali Bihi, as does the 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...
region in northwestern Somalia, with its Ministry of Health led by Osman Bile Ali.
Media
The federal government has two main media outlets: Radio MogadishuRadio Mogadishu
-History:Established during the colonial period in Italian Somaliland, Radio Mogadishu initially broadcasted news items in both Somali and Italian. The station was modernized with Russian assistance following independence in 1960, and began offering home service in Somali, Amharic and Oromo.After...
, the state-run radio station; and Somali National Television
Somali National Television
-Overview:Somali National Television is the principal public service broadcaster in Somalia. Headquartered in Mogadishu, the nation's capital, its main responsibility is to provide public service broadcasting throughout the country...
, the national television channel.
Military and police
Up to 1991 the Military of SomaliaMilitary of Somalia
The Military of Somalia was, up until 1991, made up of the army, navy, air force, and air defense command. The outbreak of the Somali Civil War during that year led to the de facto dissolution of the national armed forces. However, efforts to re-establish a regular armed force by a re-constituted...
included a Somali Air Corps
Somali Air Corps
The Somali Air Force is the air force of Somalia. The Somali Aeronautical Corps was the name of the Somali Air Force during the pre-independence period. After 1960, when Somalia gained independence, the name changed to the Somali Air Force...
, and the Somali Navy
Somali Navy
-Pre-Independence :During the pre-independence period, the Somali Navy was established in conjunction with the Italian Navy, the latter of which also helped maintain security in Somali waters.-Post-Independence :...
.
Today the Transitional Federal Government maintains an army of 10,000 soldiers, with the Ministry of Defense being responsible for the Armed Forces. It controls only a small part of the country. Its weapons arsenal consists of:
- AK-47AK-47The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
- Heckler & Koch G3Heckler & Koch G3The G3 is a 7.62mm battle rifle developed in the 1950s by the German armament manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH in collaboration with the Spanish state-owned design and development agency CETME ....
- PK machine gunPK machine gunThe PK is a 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun designed in the Soviet Union and currently in production in Russia. The PK machine gun was introduced in the 1960s and replaced the SGM and RPD machine guns in Soviet service...
- DShKDShKThe DShK 1938 is a Soviet heavy machine gun firing the 12.7x108mm cartridge. The weapon was also used as a heavy infantry machine gun, in which case it was frequently deployed with a two-wheeled mounting and a single-sheet armour-plate shield...
- ZU-23-2ZU-23-2The ZU-23-2, also known as ZU-23, is a Soviet towed 23 mm anti-aircraft twin-barreled autocannon. ZU stands for Zenitnaya Ustanovka - anti-aircraft mount.-Development history:...
- RPG-2RPG-2The RPG-2 was the first rocket-propelled grenade launcher designed in the Soviet Union.-Development:The RPG-2 , was a man-portable, shoulder-launched rocket-propelled grenade anti-armor weapon...
- RPG-7RPG-7The RPG-7 is a widely-produced, portable, unguided, shoulder-launched, anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade launcher. Originally the RPG-7 and its predecessor, the RPG-2, were designed by the Soviet Union, and now manufactured by the Bazalt company...
- RPDRPDThe RPD is a 7.62mm light machine gun developed in the Soviet Union by Vasily Degtyaryov for the intermediate 7.62x39mm M43 cartridge. It was created as a replacement for the DP machine gun chambered for the 7.62x54mmR Mosin rifle round...
- 120 mm MortarMortar (weapon)A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
Technicals
Technical (fighting vehicle)
A technical is a type of improvised fighting vehicle, typically a civilian or military non-combat vehicle, modified to provide an offensive capability similar to a military gun truck...
are the only fighting vehicle in service.
In June 2009, the Somali Navy
Somali Navy
-Pre-Independence :During the pre-independence period, the Somali Navy was established in conjunction with the Italian Navy, the latter of which also helped maintain security in Somali waters.-Post-Independence :...
was re-established. Up to 500 Marines began training in Mogadishu, with the force expected to reach 5,000 men. The Somali Navy will be based in 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....
. The current commander is Admiral Farah Omar Ahmed. There are also plans for the re-establishment of the Somali Air Force. Two combat planes have already been purchased.
In addition, a new police force was re-established to maintain law and order. The first police academy to be built in Somalia for several years also opened on December 20, 2005 at Armo, 100 kilometres south of Bosaso. The Somali police also has a criminal investigations department 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....
.
The autonomous 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 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...
regions within Somalia have their own security forces.
Capital
As with previous Somali administrations, the Transitional Federal Charter of the Somali RepublicTransitional 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...
recognizes 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....
as the capital of Somalia. The Parliament of Somalia meets in the city, which is also the seat of the nation's Supreme Court
Supreme court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, instance court, judgment court, high court, or apex court...
. In addition, Mogadishu is the location of the presidential palace, 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....
, where the President resides. The Prime Minister also lives in the city. As the largest city in Somalia, Mogadishu has a population of over 2 million people. Prior to the civil war, it was known as the "White Pearl of the Indian Ocean".
History
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 ....
regime and the ensuing 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...
. Established in 2004 and internationally recognized, its support in Somalia was waning until the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-backed 2006 intervention by the Ethiopian military, which helped drive out the rival Islamic Courts Union (ICU) in Mogadishu and solidify the TFG's rule.
Between May 31 and June 9, 2008, representatives of Somalia's federal government and the moderate 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...
(ARS) group of Islamist rebels participated in peace talks in 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...
brokered by the former United Nations Special Envoy to Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah
Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah
Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah is a Mauritanian diplomat and former senior United Nations official.-Background:Ould-Abdallah graduated from secondary school in Dakar, Senegal. He studied economics at the University of Grenoble and the University of Paris and political science at the Sorbonne...
. The conference ended with a signed agreement calling for the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops in exchange for the cessation of armed confrontation. Parliament was subsequently expanded to 550 seats to accommodate ARS members, which then elected Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, the former ARS chairman, to office. President Sharif shortly afterwards appointed Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke
Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke
Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke is a Somali diplomat and politician. He is the former Prime Minister of Somalia.-Biography:...
, the son of slain former President Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, as the nation's new Prime Minister.
With the help of a small team of African Union troops, the coalition government also began a counteroffensive in February 2009 to retake control of the southern half of the country. To solidify its control of southern Somalia, the TFG formed an alliance with the Islamic Courts Union, other members of 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...
, and Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a
Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a
Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a or ASWJ is a Somali paramilitary group consisting of moderate Sufis opposed to the radical islamist group Al-Shabaab. They are fighting to prevent strict sharia and Wahhabism from being imposed on Somalia and protecting the country's Sunni-Sufi traditions and generally...
, a moderate Sufi
Sufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
militia. Furthermore, Al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam, the two main Islamist groups in opposition, began to fight amongst themselves in mid-2009.
As a truce, in March 2009, Somalia's newly established coalition government announced that it would re-implement Shari'a as the nation's official judicial system. However, conflict continues in the southern and central parts of the country between government troops and extremist Islamist militants with links to al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
.
On October 14, 2010, diplomat Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed was appointed the new Prime Minister of Somalia. The former Premier Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke resigned the month before following a protracted dispute with President Sharif over a proposed draft constitution.
Per the Transitional Federal Government's (TFG) Charter
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...
, Prime Minister Mohamed named a new Cabinet on November 12, 2010, which has been lauded by the international community. The allotted ministerial positions were reduced from 39 to 18. Only two Ministers from the previous Cabinet were reappointed: Hussein Abdi Halane, the former Minister of Finance and a well-regarded figure in the international community, was put in charge of a consolidated Ministry of Finance and Treasury; and Dr. Mohamud Abdi Ibrahim remained the minister of Commerce and Industry. Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a
Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a
Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a or ASWJ is a Somali paramilitary group consisting of moderate Sufis opposed to the radical islamist group Al-Shabaab. They are fighting to prevent strict sharia and Wahhabism from being imposed on Somalia and protecting the country's Sunni-Sufi traditions and generally...
, a moderate Sufi
Sufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
group and an important military ally of the TFG, was also accorded the key Interior and Labour ministries. The remaining ministerial positions were largely assigned to technocrats new to the Somali political arena.
The Transitional Federal Government continues to reach out to both Somali and international stakeholders to help grow the administrative capacity of the Transitional Federal Institutions and planned to work toward eventual national elections in 2011, when the interim government's mandate expires. A national election committee is also being organized to oversee the transition to a representative government.
International relations
The Transitional Federal Government is internationally recognized as the official government of Somalia. It currently occupies Somalia's seat in the United NationsUnited 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 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...
, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The Permanent Representative of Somalia to the United Nations is Elmi Ahmed Duale
Elmi Ahmed Duale
-Biography:Duale graduated from the Sapienza University of Rome in 1960 with a Doctor of Medicine. From 1963 to 1968, he served as Director General of Somalia's Ministry of Health....
. The Deputy Permanent Representative is Idd Beddel Mohamed. Somalia is one of the founding members of the OIC. The TFG also has ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
s in other countries.
The Transitional Federal Government currently maintains embassies in 19 countries. 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...
maintains an embassy 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....
, and consulates 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...
in 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 in Garowe in 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....
. 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...
re-opened its embassy in Mogadishu in December 2010. The following year, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
also re-opened its embassy in the capital after a twenty year absence. 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...
maintains a special diplomatic delegation and a Technical Mission to Mogadishu, and is scheduled to re-open its embassy in the city. In 2011, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
likewise announced plans to re-open its embassy in Mogadishu.
Passports
For travel, Somali citizens can obtain a Somali passportSomali passport
The Somali passport is a passport issued to citizens of Somalia for international travel.-Overview:Somalia's former socialist government originally used to issue a non-biometric Green Passport...
from government-designated locations or from Somali embassies abroad.