Somalia

Somalia has been a country in chronic complex emergency since 1991 when the Siad Barre government collapsed. The resulting civil war and frequent natural disasters have led to a lack of basic services and great human suffering and humanitarian crises.

World Vision has been working in Somalia since 1992 and is currently providing essential services (including health, water, education and livelihoods) for around 550,000 people in south and central Somalia and Somaliland.

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As a result of years of civil war since the fall of the government in the early 1990s, Somalia has remained extremely poor and underdeveloped. Somalia faces some of the most appalling humanitarian conditions in the world and has consistently been ranked among the least developed countries.

Somalia is prone to drought and flooding. Localized interclan conflicts, especially in south-central Somalia, frequently disrupt farming activities. The prolonged combination of these factors have eroded food security and livelihood capacities, preventing sustained development. Somalia has chronic food shortages and high levels of malnutrition, low access to healthcare services and safe drinking water. Somalia is considered 75% food insecure – the highest in sub Saharan Africa.

Statistics

Political situation

The Somalia Transitional Federal Government (TFG) came into power in August 2004. This is the latest of 14 attempts since 1991 to restore normal governance to the country. Due to continuing insecurity in Mogadishu the government is based in Baidoa (Bay region) rather than the capital. The president, Yusuf Abdullahi, who was sworn in in October 2004, recently appointed a new Prime Minister, Nur Hassan Hussein.

The TFG has faced challenges in reconciling the different clans and bringing peace and stability to the country. According to the latest UN reports, an ongoing insurgency by opposition groups in Mogadishu has displaced about 600,000 people in 2007. An African Union Peacekeeping force is in place in Somalia to help stabilise the situation.

Two regional administrations exist in northern Somalia, which have achieved relative stability. Puntland is a semi autonomous region wishing to remain part of Somalia. The region of Somaliland declared itself independent in 1991. While it is not recognised internationally, it has a functioning government. Dahir Riyale Kahin was elected President in presidential elections deemed free and fair by international observers in May 2003.

For an in-depth description of the political situation see
Reuters AlertNet Somalia profile

The Economy

The economy is largely based on trans-national trade (e.g. sugar and electronic durables) and livestock (estimated worth $120 million in Somaliland alone in 2001). There is a booming urban private sector particularly in services (TV/radio/ telecommunications and internet). Expatriates remit up to US $1 billion per year, dwarfing the assistance of traditional Western donors (average $130 million per year). Remittances finance a range of activities in private enterprise, service delivery and safety nets for the extended family networks.

Clans

The mostly Muslim Somali society is based on a complex clan and subclan structure extending into Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti. Clan identity—a combination of family lineage and social ‘reconstruction’—has become particularly important since the collapse of the state. There are six main clan groupings: the Dir, Darod, Isaq, Hawiye, Digil and Mirifle (aka Rahanweyne) plus small Bantu, Arab and other minority groups. Although much current power is in the hands of armed factions usually linked to business interests, the clan system still dictates allegiances and the faction leaders are largely divided along clan or sub-clan lines.

Livelihoods

Somalia’s relatively harsh semi-arid environment places real limits on the ‘carrying capacity’ of the land, and favours pastoral nomadism. Only about 13% of the land is arable while about 45% is suitable for livestock keeping.

Somali’s are essentially pastoral nomadic people, herding camels, sheep and goats and in favourable regions, cattle. Between 60% and 70% of the population are nomadic or have nomadic affiliation, while many of the remainder who cultivate also keep livestock.

How Life Continues

The absence of a central government has a surprisingly limited effect on daily life with ‘local authorities’ largely filling the vacuum. Ordinary life is sustained by a vigorous economy based on pastoral and agro-pastoral livelihoods, and on trade. Commercial infrastructure and institutions are functional and relatively sophisticated. Service delivery is undertaken by a mixture of NGO and commercial interests.

Lack of a central government has, however, a noticeable and negative impact in some important areas. The livestock industry lacks proper regulation, and lacks certificate of origin regimes needed to meet phytosanitary requirements for international trade, affecting access to export markets. The lack of a monetary authority has resulted in the frequent issue of ‘counterfeit’ Somali shillings, triggering inflation. The informal Hawala systems of remittances, while efficient, are unable to demonstrate compliance with international standards and regulations, and have in some cases been subject to legal sanctions. In addition the absence of macro-economic management leaves the economy at the mercy of businessmen and money traders.

Humanitarian Aid

The UN estimate that 1.5 million people in Somalia require humanitarian assistance as a result of conflict, poor rainfall and flooding. An estimated 950,000 people are displaced internally in Somalia, including 600,000 displaced by violence in Mogadishu this year.  The lack of capacity within the Transitional Federal Government means that most essential services are provided by humanitarian agencies.