Pentagon bombing operations against the Horn of Africa state of Somalia have killed numerous people over the last several weeks under the guise of the United States “war on terrorism.”

The recent release of many Rwandan political prisoners should not stop campaigns aimed at a more open and tolerant political environment in the country. 

The on-going state-building efforts in Somalia require a leader who is genuinely patriotic, competent in post-conflict statecraft, and conscious of the social ills stoking conflict, violence, and divisions in the country and who is willing to cooperate with other actors in those state-building efforts. 

Somaliland’s government perceives the talks as an opportunity to gain recognition; Somalia’s federal government, on the other hand, envisages recognition as a process of tearing the “Somali Republic” apart. Whatever the myths surrounding any rational decision, the world is watching to see whether Somalis mend or break the fence that has divided them for decades.

The recent vote of no confidence against former Speaker of the People's House of Somalia, Mohamed Osman Jawari, in very troublesome circumstances, is a clear indication of the gangsterism nature of the country's politics.  To exit from being a failed state, there is need for strict adherence to the constitution, democratic values, and rule of law by all citizens. 

Somalia has seen renewed international interest this year, with visits from foreign leaders, international conferences on ending piracy and significant foreign investment. Bashir Goth links these developments to the global realization that the world economy suffers from Somali-based piracy, caused by neglect of the Horn of Africa nation during its 20 years of collapse.

Sexual violence continues to increase in Somalia following the recent impeachment against the president, which caused political instability and a crackdown on IDPs around the capital city.

Many efforts to restore Somalia to stability have proved disastrous precisely because solutions are imposed from outside and do not reflect the realities of the country. Usually there are no mechanisms to involve the Somali people – only warlords, some elites and neighbouring nations are consulted.

Sexual violence remains one of the most pressing problems faced by the IDPs who live in insecure areas controlled by armed militias in the Somali capital. The rainy season has already started and those forcefully evicted by the government are once again suffering from the cold weather.

The mobile revolution. Geopolitical power shifts. A radically altered global economy. The world is changing, and so is the way that people fight for their rights. In order to be effective, Amnesty International’s (AI) International Secretariat needs to change how we work. That’s why we have opened an East Africa Regional Office in Kenya. And why we need your field research expertise with us on the ground.

It will be impossible to reconstruct Somalia without addressing its complex past. Yet the current definition of transitional justice appears too narrow to be beneficial, since it limits the space for local-based procedures in favour of Western concepts like the state, rule of law and democracy.

Nearly two decades of foreign interventions have failed to build peace or a viable state. International engagement has served to deepen the humanitarian and political crisis in Somalia.

The much-canvassed clan-federalism as a strategy for state building in Somalia will yield disastrous results for the country. Clan federalism is not supported by the Constitution, which prescribes that Somali territory and sovereignty are inviolable and indivisible

Special Representative of the UN Secretary General and Head of UN Assistance Mission in Somalia has emerged as the ‘supreme ruler’ who remains above the provisional constitution. He acts in conformity with foreign rules and agenda outside the Somalia, rendering local participation in politics futile

Some 2.9 people are threatened with starvation, but this alarming situation has not received any significant attention. Global focus is on the US-led war against al Shabaab militants and the quiet oil exploration by Western firms

Who actually rules Somalia? The simple answer is, foreigners with vested interests. And as long as these external actors continue their meddling, regardless of the rhetoric, the Somali state-building project will stagnate

There have been numerous failed attempts to restore collapsed Somalia over the past two decades. A nation-building model that takes into account the society’s nomadic culture and the deeply embedded historical narratives that shape the people’s worldviews stands a chance.

The current debate about Somalia’s future and its relationship with foreign donors is split between two schools of thought – those who advocate ‘hybrid systems of governance’ and those who continue to see state-building as the necessary first step towards stability and prosperity.

The continued high-profile attacks by the Somali-based Islamist group are prove enough that various efforts to neutralize Al-Shabaab have not fully succeeded. More work is needed, not only by national and regional governments but also globally.

The type of federalism being promoted in Somalia is a foreign initiative meant to abort national reconciliation and institutionalize social fragmentation