Daljir :::

	The Role of Diasporas in Peace, Democracy and Development in the Horn of Africa.
	The Puntland experience: A bottom-up approach to peace and State building.
	Hostages to peace': Threats to human rights and democracy in Somaliland.
	UN Special Envoy, Ahmedou Ould- Abdallah is part of the Somali problem.
	Can the young despots in the Somali regional State reconcile with the Diaspora communities? [read more ...]
	Sheikh Sharief on a rickety perch, By Ismail A. Ismail. [read more ...]
	Shattered Somalia. Mogadishu is ground zero ...
	Why I fear for Somalia, By Nuradin Dirie. [read more ...]
	Somalia: The armed opposition vs. AMISOM [Analysis].
	Waking from its sleep - A special report on the Arab world. [read more ...]
	The status of conflict in the Southern and Central regions of Somalia. [read more ...]
	A diagnosis of Somalia’s failing transitional government.
	Sharif’s ambivalent state of mind: Flee or not to flee is the question? [read more ...]
	Declaration: SSC traditional leaders' council. [read more ...]
	Johann Hari: You are being lied to about pirates. [read more ...]


1.	UN Special Envoy, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, is part of the Somali problem, by Ali A. Jama ... Since Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah came to the Somali scene he was playing heavy-handed politics, aligned himself with some of the stakeholders in the country and alienated others in the process. He involved himself deeply in the country’s intricate local politics. He clashed publicly with the TFG’s first President when the later asked him to stop meddling in the TFG’s internal affairs 3, 4. He lobbied other stakeholders and the international community for support4 and steered the country’s political system to the dangerous situation it is in today. The office of the UN Special Envoy to Somalia has been instrumental in the development of the Djibouti Reconciliation Process that created the existing TFG system, which is holed in the Presidential Villa and protected by AMISOM troops. The 550-member parliament has difficulty getting the quorum or the venue to deliberate. By all counts this was seriously flawed project that produced unsustainable governance structure for the country. He has assumed the demeanor of a Senior Statesman of Somali Nation, directly competing against the Somali administrations. He has been organizing Somali Diaspora meetings 5, 6, 7 around the world, giving lectures and sending messages all in the name of Somali State. A lot of Somalis see his actions as patronizing, provocative and too much of meddling in the internal affairs of the nation. [read more ...]

2.	Somalia’s tragedy: Ahmedou Ould Abdallah’s search for personal fame and grandiose exit, WardherNews Editorial ... Ever since, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah of Mauritania as his Special Representative to Somalia in Sept 2007, Mr. Ould Abdallah dug himself deeply into the messy Somali politics beyond his role as the UN envoy. Mr. Ould Abdallah orchestrated and was the brain power behind the Djibouti agreement that produced the current feeble government headed by Mr. Sharif. This bestowed him leverage and un-wavering access to Mr. Sharif that lent him an extraordinary power that elevated him as the chief executive officer of the current TFG. This of course has been facilitated by the resource provided by his UN office. External forces such as Ould Abdallah are not helping the situation but are rather hindering. His role is confusing at times, as it appears he is the shaker and the mover of the TFG or rather the governor of Somalia. He meddles with local Somali issues sometimes exacerbating the situation. If he has done one thing well ... [read more ...]
3.	Negotiating with killers: Expert insights on resolving deadly conflicts ...