A Night of Hope. Aweys Addow, who was 19 years old when the flag was hoisted, was present to witness the event at Ficho Goberno, the former site of Mogadishu’s mayoral residence. At 12:00 hours (midnight) on 1 July 1960, Addow was among hundreds of jubilant Somalis who came out to celebrate the birth of…
In south-central Somalia, a trader knows what to expect at an al-Shabaab checkpoint. The rate is fixed, set out in a published schedule. The receipt allows passage through the next checkpoint without paying again. If the assessment seems unfair, there is a court the trader can appeal to. This is how a Mogadishu-based NGO director…
The opposition has called for protests after the president’s term in office was extended by a year.
Joint naval patrols are stretched thin by the Middle East crisis, but their ability to eradicate piracy was always limited. Piracy has re-emerged off Somalia’s coast. Numerous dhows and larger merchant vessels were targeted in April and May, with some ships and their crews held for ransom. In response, the Joint Maritime Information Center raised…
Nairobi, Kenya — Somalia’s Foreign Minister Abdisaalam Abdi Ali attended the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi on behalf of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, joining African and international leaders at talks focused on strengthening cooperation and reforming global governance institutions. The summit, part of broader Africa-France partnership discussions, brought together heads of state, ministers and senior…
Addis Ababa — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud called for an urgent overhaul of global governance on Monday, demanding a permanent seat for Africa on the UN Security Council during a high-level forum in the Ethiopian capital. Speaking on the sidelines of the African Union (AU) Summit, Mohamud addressed a session focused on the “Future…
Cairo — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and General Abdel Mageed Saqr, commander-in-chief of the Egyptian Armed Forces and minister of defence, attended the lineup of Egyptian troops assigned to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), Egypt’s military spokesperson said Wednesday. The ceremony underscored Cairo’s continued engagement in African peace and…
Mogadishu — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Sunday strongly condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to recognize Somaliland, describing it as a “move that fuels extremist groups and threatens regional stability.” Speaking in parliament, Hassan Sheikh also warned against what he called the “export of Israel’s aggressive actions into Somalia.” The president reaffirmed…
Addis Ababa — The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has congratulated the people of Somalia following the successful conduct of municipal elections in Mogadishu on 25 December 2025. He praised the calm, orderly, and peaceful nature of the voting process, describing it as a positive milestone for the country. More than…
Attackers have boarded a ship off the coast of Somalia after firing machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades at the vessel, according to a UK maritime agency. Greek shipping company Latsco Marine Management confirmed the attack on a ship carrying gasoline, saying all the ship’s 24 crew were “safe and accounted for” and “we remain in…
