The Somali Conflict: Root Causes, Obstacles and Peace-Building Strategies

The document argues that the Somali conflict is driven by competition for power and resources, state repression under General Mohamed Siad Barre, and the colonial legacy of partitioning. It identifies Ethiopia's hostile policies, the lack of major-power interest, the persistence of warlords, and a lack of resources as primary obstacles to peace. The authors propose a peace-building framework involving clan-based power-sharing, the disarmament of heavy weapons, international financial support, and Islam-informed peace education to foster long-term stability.

• The root causes of the Somali conflict are identified as competition for power and resources, a repressive state, and the colonial legacy. Competition for resources shifted from traditional disputes over water and grazing to control of state institutions, foreign aid, and urban centers like Mogadishu and Kismayo.
• State repression under the military regime of General Mohamed Siad Barre (1969–1991) served as a major catalyst for the civil war, as the government used collective punishment and excessive force against specific clans, such as the Majerteen and Isaaq, driving opposition groups to seek arms and support in Ethiopia.
• The colonial legacy of partitioning 'greater Somalia' among Britain, Italy, and France created lasting instability, specifically through the transfer of the Ogaden region to Ethiopia, which has led to persistent territorial disputes and wars.
• Ethiopia is described as the most significant external obstacle to peace, accused of undermining peace accords like the Cairo Accord (1997) and the Arta Agreement (2000) by arming spoilers and manipulating the peace process to maintain a weak, divided Somalia.
• Internal obstacles to peace include warlords who benefit from the status quo and a critical lack of financial resources to build state institutions, leaving the country dependent on foreign aid and remittances.
• The authors propose a governance model based on clan representation rather than a purely factional or parliamentary system, suggesting a bicameral system including traditional leaders and religious scholars, or a modified consociation model.
• To establish security, the document suggests the disarmament of heavy weapons held by warlords, merchants, and shari’a courts, while noting that collecting all light weapons from the general population is impractical.
• The paper advocates for 'Islam-informed peace education' to rebuild trust and eradicate 'Thulm' (oppression), citing the 'peace caravan' of poet Mohamed I Warsame 'Hadrawi' as a successful model of using homegrown values and literature to promote peace.

APA

Elmi, A. A., & Barise, A. (2006). The Somali Conflict: Root Causes, Obstacles and Peace-Building Strategies. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/topics/conflict-prevention-and-analysis/01-mar-2006-the-somali-conflict-root-causes-obstacles-and-peace-building-strategies-afyare-abdi-elmi-and-abdullahi-barise

Chicago

Elmi, Afyare Abdi, and Abdullahi Barise. The Somali Conflict: Root Causes, Obstacles and Peace-Building Strategies. Institute for Security Studies, 2006. https://issafrica.org/topics/conflict-prevention-and-analysis/01-mar-2006-the-somali-conflict-root-causes-obstacles-and-peace-building-strategies-afyare-abdi-elmi-and-abdullahi-barise.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Elmi |first1=Afyare Abdi |last2=Barise |first2=Abdullahi |title=The Somali Conflict: Root Causes, Obstacles and Peace-Building Strategies |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=1 March 2006 |url=https://issafrica.org/topics/conflict-prevention-and-analysis/01-mar-2006-the-somali-conflict-root-causes-obstacles-and-peace-building-strategies-afyare-abdi-elmi-and-abdullahi-barise |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{elmi2006somali, author = {Elmi, Afyare Abdi and Barise, Abdullahi}, title = {{The Somali Conflict: Root Causes, Obstacles and Peace-Building Strategies}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2006}, month = mar, url = {https://issafrica.org/topics/conflict-prevention-and-analysis/01-mar-2006-the-somali-conflict-root-causes-obstacles-and-peace-building-strategies-afyare-abdi-elmi-and-abdullahi-barise}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }