Somalia at 66, building the next chapter

By Sadik Warfa
Thursday August 27, 2026

“There can be no long-term security without development; there can be no long-term development without security.’’, Kofi Annan. These words speak directly to Somalia’s unfinished journey. Every year we celebrate our independence. It is a day of pride, remembrance and patriotism, a day to think about a dream, which was born from the optimism of independence. Anniversaries, however, should not just be a time for celebration but opportunities for honest reflection. At 66 years after Somalia gained its independence, we have every right to celebrate resilience. Few countries have the same fortune; Somalia has endured dictatorship, state collapse, civil war, famine and terrorism along numerous humanitarian crises yet despite it all, it still stands.

The Question now is not if Somali can survive hardship, in the last 35 years, it has responded to that question many times. The real question is whether it can bring about lasting peace, accountable governance and a shared prosperity from its resilience. So far, Somalia has been viewed through the lenses of tragedy. The nation has been the subject of numerous international news headlines, famine, families forced to flee, attack from Al-Shabaab and Piracy. Those pictures, though true, have obscured another story, one that deserves equal attention; the story of ordinary Somalis who refused to surrender to chaos.

Our country has many beautiful resilience tales, the tales of business owners who created successful enterprises without functioning banks. Teachers who continued to educate children in the face of insecurity, Limited resources being used by the doctors’ treating patients, journalists who had to report under constant threat and communities who rebuilt their schools, roads and markets long before the international community thought recovery was possible. Yet resilience, admirable as it is, cannot become a permanent national identity, our nation cannot continue to live in denial, celebrating yesterday’s survival while postponing the promise of tomorrow.

I admit, in the last two decades, Somalia has seen some amazing progress. The return of the recognized Federal government after many years of statelessness, a milestone that many once deemed impossible. National institutions have been gradually recreated, ministries are functioning, Parliament remains in session and the country has regained a respected place within regional and international diplomacy. And that’s not all, opportunities for economic recovery have opened with the debt relief agreements and diplomatic partnerships with countries like Türkiye, Qatar, Kenya, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and the members of the African Union. All this has bolstered Somalia’s capacity to strengthen its institutions and security forces.

Further the private sector has also flourished. The telecommunications sector in Somalia is now one of the most innovative sectors in Africa. Mobile money has revolutionized commerce and enabled millions of users to send money at a single click, even to remote areas. Entrepreneurs in Somalia are still showing great ingenuity despite difficult circumstances. These are not small achievements. They emphasize the spirit of a people who would not let war determine their lives.

However, the claim that progress is the only thing that matters is dishonest. Our elders would often say “Nabad la’aani waa nolol la’aan.”(Without peace, there is no life.) However, peace is not only secured in the battlefield. It is built in classrooms, in workplaces; in communities where, young people can dream of a future worth protecting. Currently, Millions of Somalis continue to live in poverty. Too many young people are talented, ambitious and educated and yet continue to be unemployed. Many communities remain displaced due to drought, floods and conflict; national decision-making processes are repeatedly delayed due to political differences.

Sadly, the Biggest Enemy to our country’s progress is the Al-Shabaab, they continue to demonstrate that military victories alone cannot guarantee lasting peace. These extremist groups understand that despair is fertile ground for recruitment. Where young people encounter unemployment, exclusion and a lack of opportunity, the promise of belonging or purpose can become dangerously attractive. That is why Somalia’s fight against Al-Shabaab cannot be separated from the fight for economic opportunity.

The recent message from Somalia’s regional partners is consistent, military operations alone cannot deliver lasting peace. At the ministerial meeting by the countries contributing troops to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia, held in Kampala on 30 July, regional leaders stressed that military action must be accompanied by political, governance and socio-economic interventions. They pointed to stronger institutions, reconciliation, poverty reduction, employment and addressing the drivers of extremism; all pointing to the empowerment of Youths in Somalia.

Somalia’s greatest opportunity is in its young people. More than half of Somalia’s population is under the age of 30. Young, capable and ambitious, this should be Somalia’s greatest national advantage. Instead, it risks becoming one of its greatest vulnerabilities. We must make young people the center of our major national decisions. That means investing boldly in quality education, vocational training, infrastructure and a private sector capable of creating jobs. A generation that sees no pathway to a decent livelihood is more vulnerable to conflict, exploitation and extremist recruitment. Somalia must urgently move beyond seeing its youth as beneficiaries of aid and recognize them for what they are; the country’s greatest asset and a driving force behind its future development. Moreover, this is not merely a development issue. It is a security strategy.

Somalia is now entering another important phase: taking greater responsibility for its own security. For years, African Union missions have supported Somalia’s security efforts, moving from AMISOM to ATMIS and now to AUSSOM, a transition that represents progress towards greater Somali ownership, but it also carries risks. The ministerial meeting in Kampala also warned that this transfer of security responsibilities must be carefully managed so that there are no gaps to be exploited by terrorist groups. The report also stresses the importance of strengthening Somali security institutions and ensuring that the country has the capacity and resources required to assume greater responsibility. It also stressed on the issue of financing warning about unpredictable and unsustainable financing for African Union peace-support operations while calling for more reliable arrangements to protect the gains already made.

Our delegation told the meeting that Somali security institutions are becoming stronger in capacity and professionalism, with the Somali National Army increasingly assuming responsibility for operations while government authority expands. That progress matters and is commendable but ownership must come with capacity. A security transition that leaves Somali forces with greater responsibilities but inadequate resources could create precisely the vacuum that Al-Shabaab needs.

Security cannot be separated from politics. The Kampala ministerial meeting highlighted inclusive dialogue between Federal Government and Federal Member States as a way forward towards lasting peace and stability in Somalia. Conflict between the political parties is a given in any democracy, but endless disputes, delayed reforms and struggles over political power consume time and energy that should be spent building schools, creating jobs, strengthening hospitals and expanding infrastructure.

Somalia cannot afford a political system where every disagreement becomes a crisis. Reforms to the constitution should be done through dialogue, not confrontation. The nation must have leaders who know that a stable government is not something to be achieved by one group of people against the other. It is the building block for everyone’s future. Political disagreements are natural in any democracy. However, endless disputes, delayed reforms and struggles over political power consume time and energy that should be spent building schools, creating jobs, strengthening hospitals and expanding infrastructure.

Equally important is the role of women. For decades, they have sustained families, communities and local economies through conflict, yet they remain underrepresented in leadership. No nation can reach its full potential while sidelining half its population. Somalia’s future will be stronger when women participate fully in shaping it.

Climate change is another crisis Somalia cannot afford to ignore. Frequent droughts and floods are wreaking havoc on livelihoods, driving family migrations and intensifying rivalries for scarce resources in the country. Climate change is not only an environmental problem; it is also a security and an economic and humanitarian challenge. Yet, in spite of these challenges, Somalia has great promise. It is located strategically, Africa’s longest mainland coastline, has a rich agriculture base, and a globally connected diaspora that provides a strong foundation for growth.

“Awrba awrka ka horreeya ayuu saanqaadkiisa leeyahay” (a camel in a caravan follows the tracks of the one ahead). For Somalia, the lesson is clear: leadership matters. The choices made by those at the front will shape the journey of those who follow. The country now needs leaders willing to look beyond clan and political rivalry and towards a shared national future. Endless political disputes and delayed reforms must give way to practical action. Leadership should be measured not by which clan one belongs, but by the lives, people lead every other day.

The coming decade should be a decade of action in Somalia. Enhance institutions, not individuals. Construct schools before political rhetoric. Create job opportunities before a campaign. Tackle corruption as intensely as you do terrorism. Invest in Agriculture, Fisheries, Renewable Energy and Technology. Implement constitutional changes through discussion not conflict. Increase opportunities for women, young people, enhance local government and maintain nation unity. These goals are ambitious and they are possible!

History demonstrates that countries devastated by war can recover. After the 1994 genocide, Rwanda faced the near-collapse of its state and society. It subsequently rebuilt institutions and pursued national reconciliation and economic development. Liberia emerged from years of civil war with severely damaged institutions and a fractured security sector. After years of Conflict, Sierra Leone’s is rising from its ashes, has disarmed and reintegrated combatants, resettled displaced people and refugees, and has held peaceful elections and rebuilt essential infrastructure and public services. None of these journeys was perfect. Neither will Somalia’s be. These Nations demonstrate that recovery depends less on history but more on leadership, institutions and national determination.

Somalia already has a resilient spirit, it has time after time proven that it cannot be broken, what we now lack is political willpower, Leaders whose focus is no longer on clannism but Nationality. As the Somali proverb says, Nin geed beeray geedkiisa hadhkiisa ma fadhiisto. (The one who plants a tree may never sit in its shade) The leaders of today may not witness the full rewards of their decisions, but history will judge whether they planted the trees, under which our future generations will rest. A nation cannot live forever on the hope of tomorrow. At some point, it must begin delivering today.

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Mr Sadik Warfa, Consultant in international relations, governance and labor, is a Former Minister of Labour and Social Affairs and also served as Member of Federal Parliament for Mudug Constituency, Somalia.