A WAVE of public outrage has swept through Somalia after an eight-year-old girl, missing for six months, was found living with a man who claimed she was his wife. The disturbing case, reported by the BBC, has sparked widespread condemnation and reignited debate around Somalia’s lack of child marriage laws. The girl had vanished in September … Read more
SOMALIA and Ethiopia are negotiating a landmark agreement that could grant Ethiopia access to a port on the Indian Ocean. The move is seen as a potential breakthrough in easing tensions between the two nations, which have been at odds over Ethiopia’s push for a direct trade route to the sea. Framework agreement expected by June … Read more
SOMALIA has officially taken its place on the United Nations Security Council as a non-permanent member for the 2025-2026 term. In a ceremony on Thursday, the East African nation joined Pakistan, Panama, Greece, and Denmark in assuming seats vacated by outgoing members Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, and Switzerland. Elected by the UN General Assembly in … Read more
IN a significant diplomatic move, Ethiopia’s Defence Minister Aisha Mohammed Mussa visited Somalia on Thursday, marking the first high-level bilateral visit since relations soured over a controversial naval base agreement with Somaliland. Ali Omar, Somalia’s state minister for foreign affairs, confirmed the visit but declined to elaborate on the agenda. Ethiopia’s government has yet to … Read more
KENYA’S President William Ruto has announced a joint mediation effort with Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni to defuse escalating tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia. The dispute, centred on Ethiopia’s plans to build a port in Somaliland in exchange for possible recognition of its sovereignty, risks destabilising the region and aggravating existing political rifts. Somaliland at the centre of … Read more
SOMALIA’S parliament has approved a bill transitioning the country to universal suffrage, marking a pivotal shift from the long-standing clan-based voting system. The legislation, passed on Saturday by 169 lawmakers in favour, two against, and one abstaining, introduces one-person-one-vote and a multi-party framework, setting the stage for significant democratic reforms. Under the new system, Somalia’s … Read more
IN a significant step towards stabilising its economy, Somalia announced that the United States has cancelled over $1.1bn of its outstanding debt, marking a quarter of the country’s remaining financial obligations. This agreement continues a series of debt-relief measures from Somalia’s creditors, aimed at supporting the nation’s post-conflict recovery. Most of Somalia’s debt originated under … Read more
THE presidents of Egypt, Eritrea and Somalia agreed to boost cooperation for the Somali army to confront “terrorism” and protect its land and sea borders, a joint statement said, leaving Ethiopia further isolated in the region. The security agreement will unsettle Addis Ababa, which has thousands of troops in neighbouring Somalia fighting al Qaeda-linked insurgents, … Read more
Somalia’s cabinet has approved two crucial bills on Thursday aimed at transitioning the country from its long-standing indirect election system to direct one-man, one-vote polls, scheduled for 2026. This legislative move marks a significant step towards political stability in Somalia, according to political analyst Mohamud Abdikarim, based in Mogadishu. Abdikarim emphasized that while achieving … Read more
THE United Nations General Assembly elected Somalia to the 15-member U.N. Security Council on Thursday for a two-year term beginning in 2025. Somalia, along with Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, and Panama, received the necessary votes to secure their seats. ‘It is both symbolic and a strong diplomatic status for Somalia to appear among the Security Council … Read more