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Rift Valley Institute

Making local knowledge work

Key Project: Somali Dialogue Platform

Navigating Political Transition: Citizens’ Views on Elections, Legitimacy, and Governance in Somalia

Rift Valley Institute’s Somali Dialogue Platform (SDP) worked closely with Somali Public Agenda (SPA), a leading Somali think tank, to produce a new study: Navigating Political Transition: Citizens’ Views on Elections, Legitimacy, and Governance in Somalia. SPA’s strong local networks and knowledge were an excellent complement for SDP, helping us co-publish rigorous and unbiased research […]

SSC-Khaatumo: Perspectives on the significance and implications of its formation

On 15 April 2025, during a visit to the city of Las Anod in Sool, Prime Minister Hassan Abdi Barre officially declared the federal government’s recognition of SSC-Khaatumo (SSC-K hereafter) as a federal member state, marking an important milestone in the emergence of a new and autonomous federal member state between Puntland and Somaliland. At […]

Integration and Harmonization of FGS–FMS Revenue Systems and the 2023 Baidoa Agreement

Tax revenue collection in Somalia has, during the past decade, been hampered by—among other things—weak institutional capacity, lack of sound tax administration systems and a fragmented administrative structure that has often placed the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) at odds with Federal Member States (FMSs). Despite these limitations, however, Somalia’s domestic revenue tax mobilization reform […]

 Addressing contentious issues on elections in the constitutional review process 

Introduction  On 27 May 2023, Somalia’s National Consultative Council (NCC) agreed on elections at both a federal and state level.1 Unified local council elections were envisaged to start at district-level elections across all Federal Member States (FMSs) in June 2024, and state-level parliamentary and presidential elections in November 2024. Political parties, as per the agreement, […]

The Shaping of the Somali National Security Architecture

Executive summary This policy paper assesses the revised National Security Architecture (NSArch) in Somalia, pinpointing critical deficiencies and presenting policy recommendations to fortify the national security framework. Central to this analysis are questions surrounding the effectiveness of the NSArch, its reception among Federal Member States (FMSs) and the evolving role of the Macawisley (informal local […]

THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROCEDURE: ANALYSIS OF THE PROCESS AND THE ROLE AND PARTICIPATION OF THE CIVIL SOCIETY

On 24 January, Somalia’s Federal Parliament approved the ‘Adoption Procedure for Constitutional Amendment’ in a joint session of the House of the People and the Upper House. The five-page procedure consists of eight articles. Articles three, four, and five detail the three phases of the constitutional review and ratification process. The Independent Constitutional Review and […]

MA’AWISLEY: A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD IN THE FIGHT AGAINST AL-SHABAAB

Introduction One of the most significant recent developments in the prolonged struggle against al-Shabaab in Somalia has been the success of military operations led by the Somali National Armed Forces and allied self-defence militias known as Ma’awisley. Ma’awisley—named after the colourful sarong many members wear—were provoked into action by various grievances towards al-Shabaab, including high taxation, […]

ENABLING WOMEN’S REPRESENTATION AND PARTICIPATION IN POLITICAL DIALOGUES IN SOMALIA

SUMMARY  Somalia grapples with unique cultural, societal, and structural hurdles that hinder women’s access to political processes. Despite introducing a non-legally binding quota, the most recent federal elections in 2022 saw a decline in women’s parliamentary representation. Beyond this, women’s leadership in public spaces remains inadequate at all levels. Patriarchal norms, gender stereotypes, and cultural […]