China to Eliminate Tariffs on African Imports While US Increases Them

 Source: The Voice of Africa published on 12 June 2025 an article titled “China Set to Eliminate All Tariffs on African Imports: A New Chapter in Global Trade.”

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced on 11 June that China is prepared to grant zero-tariff treatment to 100 percent of taxable products from all 53 African countries with which it has formal relations.  Only Eswatini, which recognizes Taiwan, is excepted.  Wang contrasted China’s policy with US plans to increase tariffs on African imports.

Comment:  While this could constitute an important change in the dynamics of China-Africa trade, the fact remains that China maintains a large and long-standing trade surplus with all of Africa.  On the other hand, over the last ten years the United States has had a modest trade deficit with all of Africa.  

Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Readying for Inauguration

 Source: Freeman’s Africa and the World posted on 13 June 2025 an article titled “Completed Ethiopia Dam — GERD Can Power East African Nations” by Lawrence Freeman.  

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is scheduled to be inaugurated in September, making it the largest hydroelectric dam in Africa and the 17th largest in the world.  It will have the capacity to generate 5,150 megawatts of electricity.  In addition to providing power for Ethiopia, it will sell power to Djibouti, Kenya, Sudan, and possibly Tanzania.

Traditional elders urge opposition leaders to join national consultation forum

Source: Hiiraan Online, Saturday June 14, 2025

Mogadishu (HOL) – A group of traditional elders on Saturday called on opposition leaders to participate in the National Consultation Forum convened by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, aimed at addressing the country’s pressing political and security challenges.

Speaking at a press conference in Mogadishu, the elders welcomed the President’s initiative, emphasizing the importance of inclusive dialogue among Somali political stakeholders to reach sustainable solutions to the nation’s critical issues.“We support the President’s call for national dialogue and urge all political actors, including the opposition, to come to the table,” said one elder, stressing the need for unity in this pivotal period.

The elders also expressed gratitude to the Somali National Army and the Ma’awisley community defense forces for their continued fight against the Al-Shabaab insurgency, urging the public to stand by the forces defending the nation.

In addition, they encouraged the Somali public to register for voting cards in preparation for upcoming local council elections, highlighting the role of civic participation in building a democratic future.

The National Consultation Conference is scheduled to begin tomorrow, June 15, bringing together Somali leaders to discuss key national issues, including the Constitution, electoral process, and the ongoing fight against Al-Shabaab.

However, opposition parties have set conditions for their participation in the talks, raising concerns that the opening of the forum may face delays.

Egypt FM, EU representative discuss restoring stability in Horn of Africa, Red Sea

Source: ahramonline, Friday June 13, 2025

Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty and European Union Special Representative for the Horn of Africa Annette Weber discussed pressing regional developments on Thursday, including the ongoing crisis in war-ravaged Sudan, security challenges in Somalia, and navigation in the Red Sea.

This came during a meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines of the annual Oslo Forum in Norway.

During the meeting, FM Abdelatty underscored the need to protect Sudanese civilians, mitigate their suffering, and safeguard Sudan’s national resources and unity.

He also outlined Egypt’s significant diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis swiftly and its readiness to participate in all mediation and settlement initiatives, according to a statement by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Moreover, the two sides exchanged views on the Horn of Africa’s broader political and security landscape.

Minister Abdelatty called for intensified international and regional cooperation to counter security threats, including terrorism and extremism.

He underlined Somalia’s primary security and political challenges, highlighting ways to bolster peace and stability by supporting state institutions and preserving its sovereignty and unity.

Discussions also covered the transition from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), with both sides emphasizing the necessity of sustainable funding for the mission.

With Egypt’s participation, the AUSSOM has been deployed in Somalia since January.

Furthermore, Egypt’s top diplomat stressed the importance of maintaining the stability of international shipping lanes and enhancing regional cooperation among Red Sea littoral states.

He said such cooperation is vital to ensuring the security of the Red Sea and freedom of international navigation. 

Abdelatty also warned that any threat to Red Sea security would directly impact the global economy, particularly given escalating regional challenges.

For her part, Weber praised Egypt’s pivotal and active role in supporting stability in the Horn of Africa.

She also affirmed the EU’s desire to continue consultation with Egypt on regional issues to foster regional security and stability.

Türkiye’s Oruc Reis vessel completes first intercontinental mission in Somali waters

Source: AA, Friday June 13, 2025

Oruc Reis Seismic Exploration Vessel, built by Turkish engineers, has successfully completed its first intercontinental mission according to the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources.

Operating in the open waters off Somalia, Oruc Reis conducted a 3D seismic survey across three distinct blocks, covering an area of 4,464 square kilometers, according to the press release.

Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, stated that Oruc Reis has been operating in Somali waters since Oct. 25, 2024, completing its 234-day mission.

“The data gathered during this mission will serve as a roadmap for evaluating Somalia’s maritime jurisdiction in the near future,” Bayraktar said.

Following the signing of a Production Sharing Agreement between Türkiye and Somalia on July 24, 2024, covering three offshore blocks, the Oruc Reis and its accompanying fleet set sail for Somalia on Oct. 4, 2024.

Oruc Reis, which is scheduled to depart from Mogadishu Port on June 15 to return to Türkiye, is expected to be ready for its next mission by August.

Minister Bayraktar emphasized that the seismic data collected during this operation will not only support maritime boundary evaluations but also inform future energy exploration.

“Following analysis in Ankara, drilling operations will begin at locations identified based on the results,” Bayraktar added.

Sweden oo ballaarisay iskaashiga gargaarka bani’aadannimo ee Soomaaliy

Source: Axad, Juun 8, 2025 (HOL) – Hay’adda Iskaashiga Caalamiga ah ee Horumarinta ee dalka Sweden (SIDA) ayaa ku dhawaaqday iskaashi cusub oo ay la yeelatay Qaramada Midoobay si loo xoojiyo dadaallada gargaar ee bani’aadannimo ee Soomaaliya, iyadoo diiradda la saarayo horumarinta sugnaanta cuntada iyo adkeysiga bulshooyinka reer miyiga ah.

SIDA ayaa ballanqaadday $3 milyan oo dheeraad ah si ay u taageerto Mashruuca Dhisidda Adkeysiga ee Shabeellaha Dhexe (BRiMS) oo ay hormuud ka tahay Hay’adda Cuntada iyo Beeraha ee Qaramada Midoobay (FAO). 

Hindisahan ayaa ujeedkiisu yahay in la taageero in ka badan 15,000 oo beeraley ah oo ku nool hareeraha wabiga, iyada oo la horumarinayo helitaanka iyo maareynta biyaha, si dib loogu soo celiyo wax-soosaarka dalagga waraabka leh ee ka jira degmada Jowhar.

SIDA ayaa horey u bixisay $2 milyan sanadkii 2022, taasoo wadarta guud ee maalgelinta ka dhigeysa $5 milyan saddex sano gudahood. Mashruuca waxaa lagu fulinayaa iskaashi lala leeyahay mas’uuliyiinta maxalliga ah, waxaana ku jira qaybinta agabka beeraha si loo kordhiyo wax-soosaarka.

Qaramada Midoobay ayaa sheegtay in mashruucan ay durba ka faa’iideysteen in ka badan 50,000 oo qof tan iyo markii la bilaabay, iyadoo la qorsheynayo in la gaarsiiyo 20,000 oo kale dhammaadka 2025.

Deeqda SIDA ayaa la jaanqaadaysa dhimista saboolnimada iyo taageeridda horumarka waara, iyadoo loo sii marayo Wasaaradda Arrimaha Dibadda ee ee dalka Sweden.

Trump bars citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen from entering
Friday June 6, 2025

US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation yesterday banning the citizens of 12 countries from entering the United States, saying the move was needed to protect against “foreign terrorists” and other security threats, Reuters reports.

The directive is part of an immigration crackdown Trump launched this year at the start of his second term, which has also included the deportation to El Salvador of hundreds of Venezuelans, as well as efforts to deny enrollments of some foreign students and deport others.

The countries affected by the latest travel ban are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

The entry of people from seven other countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela, will be partially restricted.

“We will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm,” Trump said in a video posted on X. He said the list could be revised and new countries could be added.

The proclamation is effective on 9 June. Visas issued before that date will not be revoked, the order said.

During his first term in office, Trump announced a ban on travellers from seven Muslim-majority nations, a policy that went through several iterations before it was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.

Former President Joe Biden, a Democrat who succeeded Trump, repealed that ban on nationals from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen in 2021, calling it “a stain on our national conscience.”

Trump said the countries subject to the most severe restrictions were determined to harbour a “large-scale presence of terrorists,” fail to cooperate on visa security and have an inability to verify travellers’ identities, inadequate record-keeping of criminal histories and high rates of visa overstays in the United States.

“We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen those who seek to enter the United States,” Trump said.

Somalia immediately pledged to work with the US to address security issues.

“Somalia values its longstanding relationship with the United States and stands ready to engage in dialogue to address the concerns raised,” Dahir Hassan Abdi, the Somali ambassador to the United States, said in a statement.

Source: Turkey supplies combat, Utility Helicopters to Somalia
Rojoef Manuel
Friday June 6, 2025

 T129 ATAK Attack and Tactical Reconnaissance Helicopter. Photo: Turkish Presidency of Defense Industry

Somalia has accepted helicopters from Turkey as part of bilateral defense cooperation between the countries.

The package comprises three T129 Atak combat systems for the Somali Air Force and two unnamed utility helicopters for the Somali Navy.

The aircraft shipment was conducted using six Turkish A400Ms and a Qatari C-17A transport, coinciding with the finalization of Turkey-led helicopter training for Somali pilots.

“The delivery of the Atak helicopters to Somalia is an indication that Ankara is not only aiming to transfer weapons but also to build up an integrated war capacity for Somalia,” a source told Türkiye Today.

Turkish-Somali Defense Pact

The delivery supports a 10-year bilateral defense agreement between the NATO member and the East African country to enhance the latter’s military readiness.

Signed last February, the partnership allows Ankara to aid Mogadishu in securing Somali coastlines and reinforcing its naval infrastructure amidst attacks in key regions claimed by the Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist militia Al-Shabaab and an ongoing dispute with Ethiopia.

This pact was followed by the deployment of approximately 500 Turkish troops to Somalia. About 300 of these soldiers will safeguard strategic facilities and assist in training Somali warfighters, while the remainder will support operations for Somali drones, including the Turkey-built Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial systems.

During the signing earlier this year, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud assured that the agreement with Turkey “is solely about cooperation on maritime defense and economy” and is “not in any way aimed at creating hatred or feud with another country or government.”

“We have been at war with terrorists to liberate our country and today we will start engaging in another war to defend our maritime territory from the terrorists or those who have violated our lawful rights and the international rule of law,” Mohamud said.

Impact of New US Sanctions on Sudan

 Source: The Sudan Tribune published on 27 May 2025 an article titled “New U.S. Sanctions Spark Economic Fears in War-torn Sudan.”

New US sanctions on Sudan that include restrictions on US exports and Sudan’s access to US government credit lines plunged Sudan’s parallel foreign currency markets into chaos and may have a long-term impact on remittances. 

A Conversation With Mai Hassan and Ahmed Kodouda

Sudan’s Intractable War

A Conversation With Mai Hassan and Ahmed Kodouda

Published on May 29, 2025Play

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The war in Sudan gets only a fraction of the attention that conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza and to potential conflicts elsewhere get. But after two years of fighting, it has created the biggest humanitarian crisis ever recorded. And as the two sides in the conflict, the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, vie for control of the country and its resources, there is little hope of a conclusion any time soon. As the war goes on, and a growing number of outside powers look for advantage in the carnage, the consequences are likely to get even worse, argue Mai Hassan and Ahmed Kodouda in a recent Foreign Affairs essay—not just for Sudan, but for the rest of its region as well.

Both Hassan, an Associate Professor of Political Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Kodouda, a humanitarian policy expert who was based in Sudan until March 2023, have spent years watching what is happening in Sudan. They joined senior editor Eve Fairbanks to discuss the roots of what has become an intractable conflict, and whether a path out of it is possible.

Source: “Sudan Is Unraveling,” by Mai Hassan and Ahmed Kodouda

The Foreign Affairs Interview is produced by Julia Fleming-Dresser, Molly McAnany, Ben Metzner, and Caroline Wilcox, with audio support from Todd Yeager and original music by Robin Hilton

President Mohamud announces National Consultation Forum amid rising political tensions

Source: Hiiraan Online, Sunday June 1, 2025

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has formally announced the launch of the National Consultation Forum, a high-level gathering of political and civil society leaders set to open in Mogadishu on June 15, 2025, as part of a broader effort to forge national consensus on key state-building priorities.

According to a statement from the President’s Office on Sunday, the forum follows weeks of private consultations with former national leaders, federal member state presidents, political parties, and civil society organizations. It is designed to provide a platform for an inclusive national dialogue on Somalia’s most pressing governance and security challenges.

The President outlined five priority areas for the forum, national security and the fight against terrorism, democratization and electoral processes, completion of the constitution, national unity, and reconciliation.

“We must engage in genuine consultations grounded in the collective interest of the Somali people,” President Hassan Sheikh said, calling for active participation from all stakeholders. Preparatory meetings will continue in the coming weeks to ensure wide representation and coordination.

A special committee, led by Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Hassan Macalin Mahmoud, has been appointed to oversee the technical preparations for the forum.

The announcement comes just hours after the Somali Salvation Forum, a coalition of key opposition groups chaired by former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, accused the President of undermining unity and the state-building process. The opposition bloc expressed concern over the expired mandates of some federal member states and warned against what it sees as attempts by the President to centralize power and engineer electoral outcomes.

Regarding the electoral process, the opposition has rejected a return to the 2022 model, instead advocating for one-person, one-vote elections based on the 2012 provisional constitution and laws passed by the 9th and 10th parliaments, including the Direct Election Law.

AFRICOM oo ugu baaqday Soomaaliya inay la wareegto masuuliyadda amnigooda

Source: Sabti, May 31, 2025 (HOL) – Taliyaha Taliska ciidanka Mareykanka ee Afrika (AFRICOM), Jen. Michael Langley, ayaa ku booriyay dalalka Afrika oo ay Soomaali kamid tahay inay la wareegaan doorka sugidda amnigooda, xilli Mareykanku uu dhimayo deeqaha uu horay u bixin jiray si loo xasiliyo gobolka.

“Waxyaabo aan horey u qaban jirnay, waxaa dhici karta inaan hadda ka dib qaban doonin,” ayuu yiri Langley Khamiistii, isagoo la hadlayay warfidiyeenka banaanka shirkii Taliyeyaasha Ciidamada Difaaca Afrika ee Nairobi.

“Waxaan idinka codsaneynaa inaad tallaabo qaaddaan oo aad mas’uuliyadda nala wadaagtaan.”

Langley wuxuu sheegay in kooxaha xagjirka ah sida Al-Shabaab ay isku dayayaan inay ka faa’iideystaan farqiga ka dhashay deeqaha la joojiyay, isagoo sheegay in Alshabaab ay dhisayaan maamulo hoosaadyo meelaha ka baxsan gacanta dowladda Soomaaliya.

Wuxuu sheegay in Mareykanku sii wadi doono taageerada sirdoonka iyo dhoolatuska ciidan ee la wadaago, balse taageerada guud ay noqon doonto mid ku saleysan danaha wadajirka ah iyo hoggaan maxalli ah oo ka jawaabi kara caqabadaha gudaha.

Dhanka kale, Shiinaha ayaa kordhinaya saameyntiisa qaaradda, wuxuuna sare u qaaday taageerada uu siiyo dalalka Afrika, oo ay ku jiraan tababarrada ciidamada iyo maalgelin ballaaran oo dhanka amniga ah.

Exclusive: Somaliland president says recognition of state ‘on the horizon’ following Trump talks

Source: Mark Townsend in Hargeisa
Saturday May 31, 2025

The breakaway territory’s independence has never been internationally recognised. Insiders say recent US overtures are encouraging – but the consequences could be inflammatory in the tinderbox region


Somaliland’s new president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, believes the territory is is likely to win acceptance of its right to self-determination. Photograph: Luis Tato/AFP/Getty Images

The new president of Somaliland says his state, which broke away from Somalia in 1991, is on the brink of securing international recognition – a development that would inflame tensions in the already tumultuous Horn of Africa.

In an interview in the presidential palace in the capital, Hargeisa, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi tells the Guardian it is “likely” that Somaliland will finally win acceptance of its right to self-determination, which has eluded the territory since it declared independence from Somalia 34 years ago.

“Recognition is on the horizon,” says the 69-year-old.

Such a move would infuriate Somalia, which would view it as an attack on its sovereignty, unsettle regional powers in the strategic peninsula and fan broader concern that it sets a precedent for secessionist movements across the African continent.

Despite its relative stability and regular democratic elections, Somaliland, a territory of about five million people, has yet to be recognised as independent by a single nation.

“It’s a matter of time. Not if, but when and who will lead the recognition of Somaliland,” says Abdullahi.

That goal, say Somaliland sources, has never been closer amid signs that the US president, Donald Trump, could be the first leader to recognise the self-declared republic in return for building a military base near the port of Berbera, a strategic location on the Gulf of Aden.

“We are a partner in security … a partner in counter-terrorism … a partner in safe marine routes for world trade” President Abdullahi.

A monument to independence in the state’s capital city, Hargeisa. Somaliland broke away from Somalia in 1991. Photograph: Eduardo Soteras/AFP/Getty Images

Abdullahi revealed that US military officials, including the Horn of Africa’s most senior officer, have recently visited Hargeisa. Another Washington delegation is expected to “evaluate the asset [Berbera]”.

A key US military base, Camp Lemonnier, is located in neighbouring Djibouti but concern is growing over Chinese influence there as Beijing continues to strengthen its ties with Africa.

Project 2025, the alleged blueprint for the second Trump presidency, proposes the recognition of Somaliland as a “hedge against the US’s deteriorating position in Djibouti”.

In April, US aircraft carriers off the coast of Somaliland played a part in US bombing raids on Yemen, responding to Houthi rebels’ disruption of Red Sea shipping lanes.

The US has yet to announce any formal arrangement with Somaliland, but Abdullahi said they were embedded in attempts to safeguard global maritime trade.

“We are a partner in security. We are a partner in counter-terrorism. We are a partner in safe marine routes for world trade,” says Abdullahi, who was sworn in as president five months ago. In that time, he says, the US ambassador to Somalia has visited him three times.

The Trump administration is split over its approach to Somalia, which still considers Somaliland part of its territory.

Recent gains by al- Shabaab Islamist militants have raised questions in the Trump administration over the worth of US counter-terrorism operations in Somalia. The withdrawal of US personnel and the closure of the US embassy in Mogadishu, the Somali capital, has been mooted..

Sources indicate that elements of the Trump team want to drop the US’s longstanding “one Somalia” policy. Ditching support for Somalia’s weak central government would pave the way to officially recognise Somaliland.

“The US and maybe other international partners will [soon] have to recalculate their policies regarding Somalia,” says Abdullahi.

The former defence secretary, Gavin Williamson, a prominent advocate for recognition of the ex-British protectorate, believes a recalculation is very much under way.

Williamson, speaking to the Guardian earlier this month, said US officials had assured him that recognition for Somaliland would happen.

“I was talking to a few people this week and the thing I was getting from them is that it [recognition] is getting there. They’ve already started shifting away from the one Somalia policy.”

Williamson, like Abdullahi, believes recognition will happen by 2028 at the latest. He adds: “Before President Trump’s term ends, the US will have recognised Somaliland. My hope is that within a year we will have the first country within the United Nations to have recognised Somaliland.”

Bashe Omar, former representative of Somaliland to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), says US officials he met recently in Abu Dhabi were “frustrated” at the one-Somalia policy.

“What we are hearing, behind the scenes, is encouraging us. The US is moving in the right direction.”

Also waiting in the wings is the UAE, one of Trump’s closer allies, which has invested more than $442m to modernise Berbera’s port and a highway linking it to Ethiopia, a landlocked country that desperately wants maritime access.

Ethiopia’s desire for access to the sea remains a key geopolitical theme of the region, prompting a bitter diplomatic dispute last year after the signing of a deal with Somaliland to build a port.

The deal was reportedly made on the condition that Addis Ababa would recognise Somaliland.

The development enraged Somalia, prompting fears of a wider regional conflict with Egypt backing Somalia largely over its anger with Ethiopia for building a dam on the Nile.

Officially, the US state department continues to assert that it “recognises the sovereignty and territorial integrity” of Somalia. A statement added that it was “not in discussions” with Somaliland to recognise it as a state.

Another factor remains, however farfetched it might seem, that could yet prove significant: the proposed resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza to the African breakaway state.

“Palestinians have been moving here for a long time, since 2004, 2005. Somaliland welcomes all refugees
Aidrous Osman Hussain,” Somaliland refugee department.

The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, recently suggested that operations in Gaza would not end until the forced displacement of all its Palestinians had taken place.

Trump has talked of the US relocating Gaza’s population to allow the strip to be remodelled into the “Riviera of the Middle East”.

Aidrous Osman Hussain, deputy director of Somaliland’s refugee department, says Palestinians have considered Somaliland a destination since the second intifada.

“Palestinians have been moving here for a long time, since 2004, 2005. Somaliland welcomes all refugees.”

Currently there are 12 Palestinian families, but officials say they are happy for the numbers to grow.

“The people of Somaliland, the community of Hargeisa, wants to help refugees,” says Hussain.

Almost 23,000 refugees of different nationalities have moved to Somaliland with 2,875 arriving last year. More than 300 Sudanese families have arrived there since its brutal civil war began and Somaliland’s population of Syrians, who left during the civil war, numbers about 2,000 people.

One Syrian family, who fled fierce fighting Damascus in 2023, describes Hargeisa as perfect for Muslims; Syrian restaurants, supermarkets and dentists are dotted throughout the capital.

As he verified his family’s paperwork at the refugee processing facility in the Sha’ab area of Hargeisa, Hassan says: “Somalilanders are Muslim; here it is safe for us and our family.”

Hassan, who did not want to share his surname, adds: “The most important thing that mattered to me was security. Here, it’s a very open community and we integrate well.”

Yet to help further, Somaliland needs international recognition to access more help from the wider community.

Hussain adds: “If Somaliland gets recognition, we can help share the burden; we can help more people.

Abdullahi, flanked by nodding advisers, says the US is yet to officially float the prospect of resettling people from Gaza.

“We are a hospitable people. They, the Palestinians, are our brothers. If they decide to come on their own, we don’t mind.

“But there is no discussion on that issue with the Palestinians or with any other country.”

Talo soo jeedin  ku wajahan dawladda Somalia and  axsaaBta mucaaradka Somalia

Madaxda dawladda Somalia iyo hogaamiyaasha mucaaradka waa iney ka fogaadaan tilaabo kasta

oo wax u dhimi karta dawladnimada dalka and shacabka Somaliyeed, kana fogaadaan faragalin dibadeed.

Shacabka Somaliyeed waa iney  ka hortagaan tilaabo kasta oo dalkooda lagu burburinayo. Caalamka Somalia taageera  indhaha ayey ku hayaan marxaladda hadda dalku marayo iyo tilaabooynka siyaasiyiinta Somalia qaadayaan!!!

Abdillahi Jama, www.sirclund.se

UN Security Council must renew the arms embargo on South Sudan

Free access to weapons would only heighten the ongoing violence in the country.

• Source: Tigere ChagutahAmnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa

Published On 27 May 202527 May 2025

In 2015, as a civil war was raging in South Sudan, the United Nations Security Council imposed the first set of sanctions on the country, including asset freezes and travel bans on various senior officials. Three years later, after a ceasefire agreement was repeatedly violated, the UNSC mustered the votes to impose a full arms embargo. Fragile peace eventually settled in, but the embargo was kept in place and was extended every year.

The review of the embargo is now coming up on May 29 and there is a push from African members of the UNSC – Sierra Leone, Somalia and Algeria – to lift it. On March 18, the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) publicly called for this measure to end.

Somalia risks losing AfDB reform funds as implementation stalls

Source: Hiiraan Online, Tuesday May 27, 2025



Mogadishu Port, in the capital of Somalia. Photo: Shutterstock.

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia is at risk of forfeiting millions in unspent reform funds unless it accelerates a lagging governance overhaul backed by the African Development Bank.

Eighteen months into the $13 million Institutional Support for Economic Governance Project (ISEGP), the country has used just 15.2 percent of the funds, leaving federal finance officials racing to triple their monthly disbursement rate before the project’s deadline in December 2026.

The AfDB’s May 2025 report paints a mixed picture: tax revenues rose to 2.8% of GDP in 2023, and Somalia’s public-sector accountability score on the Ibrahim Index climbed to 20.1%, passing its 2026 benchmark. But analysts caution those gains stem from temporary boosts—like tariff adjustments and GDP rebasing—not structural reforms.However, most project outputs are still in the early stages. Only one of 16 outputs—a Medium-Term Revenue Strategy launched in 2024—is complete. The report confirms that the strategy informed Somalia’s 2025 revenue forecasts and was developed through consultations with the federal government and key stakeholders.

Puntland standoff slows implementation

A key infrastructure component of the ISEGP—modernizing inland revenue offices across Somalia’s Federal Member States—has encountered political roadblocks. According to the AfDB’s May 2025 report, preliminary designs for these tax offices have been approved by all Federal Member States (FMSs) except Puntland, which has withheld endorsement of the central blueprint.

The delay is attributed to what the report calls “political misunderstandings” between the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and Puntland. The federal finance ministry is currently engaging with Puntland officials to address the economic implications of the delays and propose a way forward, with a resolution deadline set for December 31, 2025.

If unresolved, it could jeopardize broader program goals, especially those tied to equitable infrastructure distribution and national revenue unification.

The standoff is particularly consequential: the port city of Bosaso, under Puntland’s jurisdiction, accounts for a substantial amount of federal customs revenue. Without Puntland’s participation, key project assumptions related to domestic revenue mobilization could fall apart, particularly those embedded in the 2025 revenue forecasts guided by the new Medium-Term Revenue Strategy.

Until the designs are approved, detailed blueprints and bills of quantities (BOQs) for the Puntland office cannot move forward. The consulting firm hired for this component, Ecotech Ltd., began work in August 2024 and completed preliminary consultations with the other FMSs; however, progress in Puntland remains frozen.

Inflation and systemic risks

The project faces a secondary risk from rising global construction-material prices, largely due to trade friction between the United States and China. “Much of the construction materials used in Somalia are sourced from China,” the report warns, urging the federal implementation unit to fast-track procurement before prices climb further.

The report confirms that Somalia has fully operationalized the Commonwealth Meridian debt management platform, including ICT upgrades and staff training. However, debt statistics bulletins—16 promised by project end—are flagged as “not on track,” and integration with Somalia’s national Financial Management Information System (FMIS) system remains incomplete.

On gender, the project sets a target of 20% female participation across all training modules, including debt, procurement, and public investment. Yet the most recent monitoring update confirms that women’s participation remains at or near zero across all training indicators.

The AfDB still classifies ISEGP as a “non-potentially problematic project,” citing ongoing procurement progress and expected acceleration in 2025. Yet with over UA 8.48 million (approx. $11 million) still undisbursed, donors must decide whether to extend timelines or risk a final-year spending surge that could compromise oversight and delivery.

The ISEGP forms part of a push under Somalia’s NDP-9 and Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative to rebuild fiscal institutions and secure full debt relief. With political consensus, public trust, and external financing all on the line, the coming year may determine whether the country’s most ambitious reform project can meet its goals—or end up as another footnote in Somalia’s long aid history.

Judge accuses Trump administration of creating chaos for migrants held in Djibouti

Source: CNN, By Katelyn Polantz, Priscilla Alvarez and Lauren Chadwick, CNN
Wednesday May 28, 2025

This aerial photo shows Djibouti, East Africa, in December 2024. Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images

A federal judge, in his latest finding that immigrant detainees the US intended to send to South Sudan aren’t being given due process, told the Trump administration he believes it is manufacturing chaos and trying to evade court orders.

The latest written order from Judge Brian Murphy of the District Court in Massachusetts comes after the Trump administration asked the judge to revisit an earlier ruling he made that would have allowed the detainees more proceedings to object to their deportation.

Fewer than 10 migrants are being held in US custody at a military base in Djibouti, according to the Trump administration. The judge on Monday said he wouldn’t reconsider or delay an earlier ruling, which he noted Justice Department lawyers had helped him shape, on giving the detainees some due process proceedings while they are held there.

“It turns out that having immigration proceedings on another continent is harder and more logistically cumbersome than Defendants anticipated. However, the Court never said that Defendants had to convert their foreign military base into an immigration facility; it only left that as an option, again, at Defendants’ request,” Murphy wrote in a 17-page order issued Monday night. “From this course of conduct, it is hard to come to any conclusion other than that Defendants invite lack of clarity as a means of evasion.”

Murphy, who was nominated by former President Joe Biden, is considering potentially holding administration officials in contempt of court for violation of his orders, in one of the latest major clashes between a judge and the Trump administration over immigration and due process.

“The previous administration brought chaos to America in the form of a four-year border crisis that the Trump administration is still trying to clean up,” Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday asked the Supreme Court to weigh in on the matter as he seeks to make it easier for his administration to deport people to South Sudan and other countries that are not their homeland.

Lawyers for the migrants first filed the case in late March, alleging that the Trump administration was removing migrants from the US to third countries without providing them the opportunity to show they were at “risk of persecution or torture” there. The court said the government cannot send a noncitizen “to a country where they are likely to be tortured” under the United Nations Convention Against Torture.

The court battle prompted Murphy’s emergency intervention this month, when some detainees were told they were being sent to South Sudan, a country on the cusp of another civil war. Fewer than 17 hours later, they were put on a plane and flown out of the US.

The detainees had essentially no opportunity to reach their lawyers or families, nor did they have “meaningful opportunity … to present fear-based claims,” the judge found on Monday.

Murphy acknowledged the migrants had criminal histories but said “that does not change due process.”

He added in the order on Monday that he has refrained from issuing orders that would micromanage the executive branch’s agencies.

Last week, Murphy had ordered the Trump administration “to maintain custody and control of class members currently being removed to South Sudan or to any other third country, to ensure the practical feasibility of return if the Court finds that such removals were unlawful.”

This story has been updated with additional developments.

Somali opposition conference opens in Mogadishu with focus on elections, security, and leadership

Source: Hiiraan Online, Wednesday May 28, 2025

Mogadishu (HOL) — A major political conference bringing together key Somali opposition figures opened in Mogadishu on Wednesday, focusing on the country’s political future, security landscape, and electoral process.

The high-profile gathering is seen as a critical moment in Somalia’s evolving power dynamics.

Former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed is chairing the meeting, which has drawn a powerful bloc of former leaders, including former Prime Ministers Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, Hassan Ali Kheyre, Abdi Farah Shirdoon, and Mohamed Hussein Rooble, former Speakers of Parliament Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden and Mohamed Mursal, as well as current lawmakers, former ministers, and other influential political figures.

In his opening remarks, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed emphasized the importance of Somalia’s path toward a One-person, One-vote election system. “It is a good idea, but it must be implemented with broad consensus and constitutional respect,” he stated.

Former Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Rooble echoed the sentiment, stressing that the conference aims to promote public safety and course correction for the federal government.

“The Somali people have always backed the One Person, One Vote system, but the transfer of responsibility must be done properly and fairly,” he added.

The opposition conference is expected to release a joint communiqué addressing key issues of political legitimacy, security concerns, and election readiness. Participants also plan to elect a formal opposition leadership structure to consolidate their political influence moving forward.

The Federal Government, while not officially represented at the meeting, has recently issued warnings ahead of the event, urging political figures not to mobilize armed security teams in the capital.

The opposition gathering is widely viewed as a demonstration of unity and defiance, highlighting growing frustration with unilateral political decisions and perceived exclusion from the electoral process. The coming days are likely to reveal how the federal government responds — and how the opposition intends to shape the political narrative in the lead-up to the next elections.

Somaliland President begins working visit to Kenya

Source: Hiiraan Online, Monday May 26, 2025

Nairobi (HOL) – Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro departed for Nairobi on Monday for a multi-day working visit to strengthen ties with Kenya and engage international stakeholders.

The President is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including the Minister of the Presidency, Minister of Planning, Minister of Communications and Technology, Director of the National Intelligence Service, and the Chief of Staff, according to a statement released by the Somaliland Presidency.

During the visit, President Irro is expected to hold talks with Kenyan President William Ruto and other top government officials to discuss matters of mutual interest, particularly related to trade, security, and diplomatic cooperation.

“The President of the Republic of Somaliland and his delegation, during their stay in Nairobi, will hold meetings with the government of Kenya led by President William Ruto, discussing key issues of particular importance to the Republic of Somaliland,” the official statement read.

The visit also includes engagements with international organizations and several foreign embassies based in Nairobi, reflecting Somaliland’s efforts to expand its diplomatic footprint.

A key highlight of the trip will be the inauguration of a new, modern building for the Somaliland Representative Office in Kenya — a significant milestone in its diplomatic outreach.

President Irro has consistently emphasized the importance of regional and international relations, particularly with Kenya, Ethiopia, the UAE, and Djibouti. Since assuming office, he has already made official visits to the UAE and Djibouti, continuing his administration’s active foreign engagement.

US military shifts messaging in Africa, telling allies to prepare to stand on own

Source: BySAM METZ Associated Press and MONIKA PRONCZUK Associated Press
Monday May 26, 2025

TAN TAN, Morocco — The U.S. military is backing off its usual talk of good governance and countering insurgencies’ underlying causes, instead leaning into a message that its fragile allies in Africa must be ready to stand more on their own.

At African Lion, its largest joint training exercise on the continent, that shift was clear: “We need to be able to get our partners to the level of independent operations,” Gen. Michael Langley said in an interview with The Associated Press.

“There needs to be some burden sharing,” Langley, the U.S. military’s top official in Africa, said on Friday, the final day of the exercise.

For four weeks, troops from more than 40 countries rehearsed how to confront threats by air, land, and sea. They flew drones, simulated close-quarters combat and launched satellite-guided rockets in the desert.

Maneuvers mirrored previous editions of African Lion, now in its 21st year. But mostly gone now is language that emphasizes ideas the U.S. once argued set it apart from Russia and China.

Messaging about the interwoven work of defense, diplomacy and development once formed the core of Washington’s security pitch. In their place now are calls for helping allies build capacity to manage their own security, which Langley said was a priority for President Donald Trump’s Defense Department.

“We have our set priorities now — protecting the homeland. And we’re also looking for other countries to contribute to some of these global instability areas,” he said, referencing U.S. support for Sudan.

The shift comes as the U.S. military makes moves to “build a leaner, more lethal force,” including potentially cutting military leadership positions in places like Africa, where America’s rivals continue to deepen their influence.

China has launched its own expansive training program for African militaries. Russian mercenaries are recalibrating and cementing their role as security partner of choice throughout North, West and Central Africa.

In an interview a year ago, Langley emphasized what U.S. military officials have long called a “whole of government approach” to countering insurgency. Even amid setbacks, he defended the U.S. approach and said force alone couldn’t stabilize weak states and protect U.S. interests against the risk of violence spilling out.

“I’ve always professed that AFRICOM is not just a military organization,” Langley said last year. He called good governance an “enduring solution to a number of layered threats — whether it be desertification, whether it be crop failure from changing environments, or whether it be from violent extremist organizations.”

The “whole of government approach” no longer occupies the same place at the center of U.S. messaging, though Langley said holistic efforts have worked in places like Ivory Coast, where development coupled with defense had reduced attacks by jihadi groups near its volatile northern border.

But such successes aren’t a pattern.

“I’ve seen progression and I’ve seen regression,” said Langley, who is scheduled to exit his post later this year.

The U.S. military’s new posture comes even though many African armies remain ill-equipped and insurgent groups expand.

“We see Africa as the epicenter for both al-Qaida and Islamic State,” a senior U.S. defense official said earlier this month, noting both groups had growing regional affiliates and the Islamic State group had shifted command and control to Africa. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to discuss the issue publicly.

Africa has rarely ranked high on the Pentagon’s list of priorities, but the U.S. has still spent hundreds of millions of dollars on security assistance and has roughly 6,500 Africa Command personnel on the continent. In some regions, the U.S. faces direct competition from Russia and China. In others, regional affiliates of al-Qaida and the IS still require direct military action, Langley said.

The messaging shift from “whole of government” to more burden-sharing comes as fears grow that rising violence could spread beyond hotspots where insurgents have expanded influence and found vacuums in which they can consolidate power.

Parts of of both East and West Africa have emerged as epicenters of violence. In 2024, more than half of the world’s terrorism victims were killed across West Africa’s Sahel, a vast desert territory ruled by military juntas, according to the Institute for Economics and Peace. The group, which compiles yearly terrorism statistics, also found Somalia accounted for 6% of all terrorism-related deaths, making it the deadliest for terrorism in Africa outside the Sahel.

Since Trump took office, the U.S. military has escalated airstrikes in Somalia, targeting IS and al-Shabab operatives. But despite air support, Somalia’s army remains far from being able to maintain security on the ground, Langley acknowledged.

“The Somali National Army is trying to find their way,” Langley said, adding that they had regained some footing after years of setbacks. “There are some things they still need on the battlefield to be very effective.”

Similarly in West Africa, the notion that states could soon have the capacity to counter such threats is a distant prospect, said Beverly Ochieng, an analyst at Control Risks, a security consulting firm. Even before Western influence began to wane in the Sahel, needed military support was limited, threats remained active, and local militaries were left without the tools to confront them.

Western powers with a presence in the Sahel have gradually scaled back their engagement, either by choice or after being pushed out by increasingly hostile governments.

“Many of them do not have very strong air forces and are not able to monitor the movement of militants, especially in areas where roads are very difficult to traverse, the infrastructure is extremely poor,” Ochieng, who specializes in the Sahel and Great Power competition in Africa, said.