A WDM Editorial There are moments in politics when what is left unsaid reveals more than what is spoken. Then there are rarer moments when a leader chooses candour over convenience, history over political calculation, and institutional memory over personal rivalry. President Said Abdullahi Deni’s remarks at the launch of Ambassador Mohamed Abdi Affey’s book … Continue reading Candour Over Convenience: President Deni’s Tribute to Abdullahi Yusuf and the Puntland Story →
By Ahmed Hassan Humbus Let’s stop hiding behind diplomatic pleasantries and face the brutal reality: Somalia is not a functioning sovereign republic. It is a hollowed-out, internationally subsidized welfare state on permanent life support. For decades, its national budget, its military apparatus, and its entire humanitarian sector have been completely bankrolled by financial injections from … Continue reading The Welfare State: Can Somali Unity Survive the Withdrawal of Western Aid? →
Forget the framing of Somalia “risking” fragmentation. Three federal member states have suspended relations with Mogadishu since 2024. A breakaway region got its first-ever sovereign recognition in December. The president is governing on a legally contested term extension. This isn’t a warning sign — it’s the current state of play.What actually happened: Puntland pulled recognition … Continue reading Somalia: Separation or Confederation-No Third Option →
Somalia is entering one of its most precarious moments in years. Washington has moved to terminate the UN’s logistical backbone for the African Union mission (AUSSOM) by year-end, even as it deepens direct engagement with Puntland, Jubaland and Somaliland outside Mogadishu. This week, both tracks converged: troop-contributing countries gathered in Kampala for an emergency summit … Continue reading The Horn at a Crossroads: AUSSOM’s Funding Crisis and Washington’s Regional Pivot →
By Abdiladif AhmedSomalia’s democratic future depends on constitutional governance, institutional accountability, credible elections, and unwavering respect for the rule of law. When constitutional mandates are disputed and electoral timelines repeatedly slip, the legitimacy of state institutions is inevitably called into question. Against this backdrop, the administration of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has faced mounting criticism … Continue reading Constitutional Crisis, Governance Failures, and Federal-State Tensions in Somalia: A Critical Political Assessment →
What Sharmarke has actually said publicly (as of this week) His recent public statements have been about de-escalation, not confrontation. He said he does not believe Puntland will declare itself independent, arguing that the current political tensions require dialogue and consensus (Hiiraan Online) , and said Puntland’s grievances with the Federal Government of Somalia should … Continue reading Rebuttal:What Sharmarke has actually said publicly (as of this week) →
Instead of serving as a moderating and unifying voice during a politically sensitive period, former Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke has come under criticism from political opponents and sections of the Puntland community. They argue that his perceived sympathy for irregular armed groups and extra-institutional political mobilisation risks undermining constitutional authority, deepening political … Continue reading Former Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke and the Constitutional Test of Statesmanship →
Recent reports have intensified political debate amid claims of travel-related restrictions involving individuals connected to senior Somali leadership, reportedly linked to actions by Kenyan authorities. The developments have drawn significant public attention following earlier controversies involving senior Somali officials. The reports include allegations relating to financial activities and other matters involving certain individuals; however, these … Continue reading Diplomatic Friction Raises Questions About Governance and Accountability in Somalia →
Somalia deserves a government where competence unlocks opportunity, integrity commands respect, and public office is treated as a constitutional trust—not a political inheritance. Instead, governance increasingly resembles a patronage marketplace in which loyalty is the favored currency and merit is asked to wait outside the door. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration, many experts argue, has … Continue reading Meritocracy Wanted; Patronage Need Not Apply →
By WDMThe battle is still underway.The United States and Israel may have succeeded in decapitating much of Iran’s senior political and military leadership. By any conventional military standard, that was an extraordinary tactical achievement.Yet the war has not ended.Instead, Iran’s regime remains intact, its armed forces continue to fight, and Tehran appears more assertive than … Continue reading The State of the Middle East War: Tactical Victory, Strategic Stalemate →
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