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…
RVI publishes books, research reports, research papers, briefings and meeting reports in a range of formats. Publications cover policy, research, arts, culture and local knowledge in the countries of eastern and central Africa. Research publications—books, reports and papers—are peer-reviewed. Some RVI publications are also available in French and/or Arabic.
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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…
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,…
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…
Soo koobid Find the English version of this briefing here….
Summary Find the Somali version of this briefing here. …
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…
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,…
Summary In recent history, political processes in Somalia have been dominated by a narrow set of political and business elites, armed actors and external players. Following the collapse of the government in 1991, there were a series of conferences…
Hordhac Galmudug ayaa ilaa iyo dhawaanahan loo arkayay dowlad-goboleed ay colaado iyo kala qeybsanaan badani ka jiraan, oo ay qaabeeyeen colaadihii laga dhaxlay dagaalladii sokeeye ee Soomaaliya. Khilaafyada joogtada ah ee beelaha ku saleysanaa ee u dhexeeyay kooxaha siyaasadeed…
Recent Publications

Contested Urban Spaces in Ethiopia: A synthesis of case studies in Dire Dawa, Hawassa and Hosanna
March 25, 2025
Studying urban contestations in Ethiopia’s secondary cities can help us understand how the urban centres outside of Addis Ababa are evolving during an ongoing period of significant socio-economic and political change. Ethiopia’s urban centres are the location of ongoing political

Ethiopia’s Red Sea Politics: Corridors, ports and security in the Horn of Africa
March 24, 2025
The Horn of Africa is a region marked by complex infrastructural interdependencies, where the decline and emergence of trade corridors continue to reshape the economic and political relations within and between states. This study draws on the Memorandum of Understanding

Civil Society Organizations and Peacebuilding in Ethiopia
March 20, 2025
This paper examines the roles of civil society organizations (CSOs) in Ethiopian peacebuilding, exploring change and continuity within the sector and how past events influence their activities. It discusses CSOs’ involvement in peace initiatives, analysing their successes as well as