Politics of Somalia
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 Somalia portal |
The State
Currently, Somalia has no strong, united national government. For administrative purposes, Somalia is divided into 18 regions; the nature, authority, and structure of regional governments vary, where they exist. The only entity in Somalia claiming to represent the country as a whole is the Transitional Federal Government, formed in late 2004, that is still based in Nairobi, Kenya. Nominally recognized internationally, the government is still fearful about returning to the capital, Mogadishu. The Transitional Federal Government has ambassadors in a few countries, including but not limited to Arab League states such as Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Egypt and Libya. It also represents Somalia in the United Nations, the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the Arab League, and some other multilateral organizations.
The Political Economy
Internecine warfare between proto-governments has not yet resulted in a single hierarchy that can claim sole governmental power. Some argue the chaos itself acts as a sort of government: polyarchy, oligarchy, or kleptocracy. Others suggest Somalia is an example of "Stateless" or Anarcho- Capitalism", in which, absent a functioning government, production and distribution of all goods and services are allocated by a free market, which extends to include traditional government-supplied services, such as protection and a regime of law.
In Somalia, although there are various groups and warlords fighting for domination, there is a debate on just what the form of mainstream Somali society is. Stateless capitalists and this report (written by World Bank staff acting independently of their employer) say that Somalia is a reasonably stable stateless capitalist order.
Many Somali refugees and international aid organizations claim that Somalia is chaotic, that the lack of a dominant central government is responsible for the chaos, and that warlords and their centralized, hierarchical private armies are the main opposition to government, which is itself centralized and hierarchical. However, the credibility of both groups is the subject of considerable debate. Critics claim that refugees tend to exaggerate their claims in order to help gain entrance to their host country. Similarly, international aid groups have been accused of overstating crises in order to garner support and funding.
Political Conditions
The information contained in this section was taken from the US State Department website:
In the wake of the collapse of the Somali Government, factions organized around military leaders took control of Somalia. The resulting chaos and loss of life provided the context for the international intervention led by the United States, UNITAF. That operation was followed by the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM), which collapsed in 1994. Since 1991, there have been more than a dozen efforts at national reconciliation; to date, none has been successful. Various groupings of Somali factions have sought to control the national territory (or portions thereof) and have fought small wars with one another. Mohamed Ibrahim Egal was selected by elders in 1991 as President of the "Republic of Somaliland," which is made up of the former northwest provinces of the republic. In 1998, the area of Puntland in the northeast declared itself autonomous (although not independent) as the "State of Puntland," with its capital at Garowe. Puntland declared it would remain autonomous until a federated Somalia state was established. Abdullahi Yusuf, Puntland’s original president, ruled until mid-2001. In November 2001, a convention of elders, in a process disputed by Abdullahi, selected Col. Jama Ali Jama to succeed him. Forces loyal to Abdullahi, who had retreated to Galkayo, attacked Garowe in November, resulting in a de facto division of Puntland. As many as 30 other factions vie for some degree of authority in the country.
Efforts at mediation of the Somali internal dispute have been undertaken by many regional states. In the mid-1990s, Ethiopia played host to several Somali peace conferences and initiated talks at the Ethiopian city of Sodere, which led to some degree of agreement between competing factions. The Governments of Egypt, Yemen, Kenya, and Italy also have attempted to bring the Somali factions together. In 1997, the Organization of African Unity and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) gave Ethiopia the mandate to pursue Somali reconciliation. In 2000, Djibouti hosted a major reconciliation conference (the 13th such effort), which in August resulted in creation of the Transitional National Government, with a 3-year mandate to pursue national reconciliation. In early 2002, Kenya organized a further reconciliation effort under IGAD auspices.
On October 10, 2004 Somali MPs elected Abdullahi Yusuf, president of Puntland, to be the next President. Because of the situation in Mogadishu, the election was held in a sports centre in Nairobi, Kenya.
The absence of a central government in Somalia since 1991 has allowed outside forces to become more influential by supporting various groups and persons in Somalia. Djibouti, Eritrea, and Arab states have supported the TNG. Ethiopia has provided political support to Somaliland and assisted a group of southern warlords organized as the Somalia Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC), which opposes the TNG.
While clan fighting and resistance to any attempt to establish overarching authority is ongoing in most of Somalia, some government has been established in the north. In May 1991, the clan elders in former British Somaliland established the independent Republic of Somaliland, which, although not recognized by any government, maintains a stable existence, aided by the overwhelming dominance of the ruling clan and the economic infrastructure left behind by British, Russian, and American military assistance programs. Neighboring Puntland has also moved tentatively toward a recognized, elected government. In February 1996, the EU agreed to finance the reconstruction of the port of Berbera; since then, other aid projects have been assumed by the EU and by an Italian non-governmental organization.
Political parties and elections
Other data
Country name:
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Somalia
former:
Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic
Data code: SO
Government type: none
Administrative divisions: 18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka); Awdal, Bakool, Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe, Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed
Independence: 1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)
National holiday: July 1st.
Constitution: 25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: Somalia has no functioning government; the United Somali Congress (USC) ousted the regime of Major General Mohamed SIAD Barre on January 27, 1991; the present political situation is one of anarchy, marked by interclan fighting, random banditry, internicene warfare between proto governments and resistance to the state apparently consistent with the stateless capitalist ideal.
Legislative branch:
unicameral People's Assembly or Golaha Shacbiga
note:
not functioning
Judicial branch: (not functioning); note - following the breakdown of national government, most regions have reverted to Islamic law with a provision for appeal of all sentences
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and leaders: numerous clan and subclan factions are currently vying for power, along with the United Somali Front.
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Flag description: light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; design based on the flag of the UN (Italian Somaliland was a UN trust territory)
- See also : Somalia