Somalia

The United Nations Secretary-General and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission called on Somali leaders, on Tuesday, to resume dialogue to resolve outstanding differences concerning elections in the country. …

Somalia’s international partners, including the United States, have raised concerns about the political impasse that has delayed the country’s presidential and parliamentary elections. President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo four-year term in office expired on Monday, February 8, and the coalition of the opposition presidential candidates through their spokesman Ridwan Hajji said they will not recognize Farmajo as the head of state.

A new collaborative NUPI-SIPRI project examines how climate change affect peace and security in states and regions on the UN Security Council's agenda. On 4 February, the project launched its first fact sheet, looking into Somalia. 

Somalia has opened urgent talks with regional authorities to avoid a constitutional crisis. The Horn of Africa nation looks certain to miss a February 8 deadline to elect a new president.

The United Nations envoy for Somalia has strongly condemned Sunday’s terrorist attack on a hotel near the international airport in capital Mogadishu that left at least five people dead and dozens more wounded. 

[…] According to the UN relief agency, more than five million people are in need of aid through 2021 in Somalia because of climatic shocks, including floods and locust infestation, armed conflict and insecurity amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The United States military has completed withdrawing troops from Somalia, according to the U.S. Africa Command. ... The number of U.S. military personnel in Somalia ranged from 650 to 800 people. U.S. troops supported and mentored an elite Somali unit known as the Danab “lightning” brigade.

The Al-Shabaab insurgency is in attack mode as elections draw near in Somalia. To stop the militants from disrupting the vote, federal and regional authorities should bolster security measures around polling stations and prepare impartial means of resolving disputes that may arise over the outcome.

The Council prolonged the mandates of its two Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions in Somalia and Operation ATALANTA. The mandate of EUCAP Somalia, the EU's civilian capacity-building mission, EUTM Somalia, the EU's military training mission, and Operation ATALANTA, the EU’s executive military maritime operation, will now run until 31 December 2022.

Somalia has announced it is severing ties with Kenya, accusing its neighbour of interfering in its affairs on the eve of anticipated elections in 2021. The abrupt end came a day after Kenya hosted Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi, the head of the self-proclaimed independent state that is not recognised by Somalia.