Transcending instability in Somalia

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies argues that stabilisation in Somalia requires a shift from a predominantly military-led approach to one that integrates non-military strategies. The author identifies five critical factors for sustainable peace: inclusive political reconciliation among clans, context-appropriate policing, basic infrastructural development, investment in women and youth, and the coordination of external partners.

• The reliance on military operations has proven insufficient for achieving long-term peace in Somalia. While the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and national forces recovered over 70% of south-central areas previously held by Al-Shabaab since 2007, security threats persist, indicating the "limits of a predominantly military approach in achieving long-term peace in Somalia."
• Sustainable peace requires inclusive political reconciliation between clans to address collective security concerns. The author notes that the central government has struggled to govern beyond Mogadishu and that a "bottom-up" peace process is needed to avoid the perception that reconciliation is led solely by the Federal Government of Somalia and external stakeholders.
• Somalia's current policing model is criticized for being based on a "neo-liberal understanding of policing" that focuses on institutional frameworks for law and order rather than community empowerment. Currently, less than 30% of the personnel envisioned under the New Policing Model have been generated.
• Immediate, micro-level infrastructural development is recommended to win the "hearts and minds" of local communities. Restoring basic access to markets and agricultural farmlands is seen as a way to boost the legitimacy of governments across federal, state, and local levels.
• There is a critical need to increase the participation of women and youth in governance. While female representation in Parliament was 24.4% in 2018, women's roles in decision-making remain limited in rural areas. Additionally, with an average population age of 18 years, scaling up the role of youth is deemed essential for sustainable peace.
• The lack of coordination among the more than 40 external partners operating in Somalia is described as "doing more harm than good." This fragmented support leads to a lack of government accountability and reinforces governance deficits, contributing to Somalia's perception as the most corrupt country in the world according to Transparency International.

APA

Okeke, J. M. (2020). Transcending instability in Somalia. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/2020-03-01-tfp-policy-brief-1.pdf

Chicago

Okeke, Jide Martyns. Transcending instability in Somalia. Institute for Security Studies, 2020. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/2020-03-01-tfp-policy-brief-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Okeke |first1=Jide Martyns |title=Transcending instability in Somalia |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=March 2020 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/2020-03-01-tfp-policy-brief-1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{okeke2020transcending, author = {Okeke, Jide Martyns}, title = {{Transcending instability in Somalia}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2020}, month = mar, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/2020-03-01-tfp-policy-brief-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }