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

This research paper examines the root causes, obstacles, and potential peace-building strategies for the Somali conflict. The authors argue that the civil war, which began after the ousting of General Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991, is driven by competition for power and resources, state repression, and a colonial legacy, further exacerbated by politicized clan identities and the availability of weapons. The paper identifies Ethiopia's hostile foreign policy and the interests of local warlords as primary obstacles to peace and proposes a comprehensive strategy involving security, clan-based power-sharing, economic redevelopment, and Islam-informed peace education.

• 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 rural assets like water and grazing to state control, foreign aid, and government appointments after independence.
• State repression under the military regime of General Mohamed Siad Barre (1969–1991) served as a major catalyst for the civil war. The regime's use of collective punishment and excessive force against specific clans, such as the Majerteen and Isaaq, drove opposition groups to seek military support from Ethiopia.
• The colonial legacy of partitioning 'greater Somalia' among Britain, Italy, and France created long-term instability. This partition left Somali territories under the control of Ethiopia and Kenya, which the authors argue damaged the socio-economic system and continues to haunt the region.
• Several 'contributing causes' exacerbated the conflict, including the politicization of clan identity as a tool for mobilization, the availability of weapons from the US, Soviet Union, and Ethiopia, and a large population of unemployed youth who were recruited by greed-driven elites.
• Ethiopia is described as the most persistent obstacle to peace, actively undermining peace accords such as the 1997 Cairo Accord and the 2000 Arta Agreement. The authors claim Ethiopia aims to maintain a weak and divided Somalia to protect its own interests in the Ogaden region and gain access to Somali ports.
• Domestic obstacles to peace include 'determined spoilers'—warlords who benefit from the status quo and use violence to undermine transitional governments—and a critical lack of financial resources to build state institutions.
• The authors propose a comprehensive peace-building strategy that includes a clan-based power-sharing formula rather than a purely parliamentary or federal system, the disarmament of heavy weapons, and a balanced approach to justice involving both prosecution and amnesty.
• The paper suggests that Islam-informed peace education and the use of Somali literature and poetry can help rebuild trust and eradicate 'Thulm' (oppression). They cite the 'peace caravan' of poet Mohamed I Warsame 'Hadrawi' as a successful model of homegrown peace pedagogy.

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} }