The Somali diaspora

The report assesses how the Somali diaspora, comprising 14 per cent of the population, can contribute to the reconstruction of Somalia through financial, political, and socio-cultural engagement. It highlights the significant economic impact of remittances and the role of the diaspora in Kenya as a logistical and business hub. However, it also identifies critical challenges, including the persistence of clan-based interests, insecurity, and the involvement of some diaspora elements in supporting al-Shabaab or engaging in people smuggling.

• The Somali diaspora provides critical financial support to the country's economy through remittances, which were estimated at up to US$1 billion in 2004 and could reach US$1.6 billion for Somalia and US$700 million for Somaliland.
• Somalis in Kenya, particularly in the Eastleigh suburb of Nairobi, have created a major business hub with investments exceeding US$1.5 billion in sectors such as real estate, finance, and import-export.
• The diaspora has increasingly influenced Somali politics, with diaspora members holding high-level positions; for example, in January 2008, the Prime Minister and 10 out of 15 Cabinet Ministers were from the diaspora.
• Women and youth in the Kenyan diaspora have actively lobbied for inclusion in Somalia's governance, resulting in a 12 per cent quota for women in the Transitional Federal Parliament and the inclusion of the word youth in the August 2012 provisional constitution.
• Clan-based interests remain a significant barrier to national unity within the diaspora, with some estimates suggesting 90 per cent of Somali youth organisations in Kenya are clan-based despite claiming to be national.
• There is evidence of diaspora elements in Kenya supporting extremist activities; a UN monitoring group report identified the Muslim Youth Centre (now Al Hijra) in Nairobi as al-Shabaabs representative in Kenya, used for sending funds and recruits.
• Refugees in Kenya, particularly in the Dadaab camps, face severe humanitarian conditions and legal restrictions that limit their political participation, although the camps contribute approximately US$14 million annually to the surrounding community.

APA

Lewela, M. (2012). The Somali diaspora. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SitRep2012_5Nov.pdf

Chicago

Lewela, Mashaka. The Somali diaspora. Institute for Security Studies, 2012. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SitRep2012_5Nov.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Lewela |first1=Mashaka |title=The Somali diaspora |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=5 November 2012 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SitRep2012_5Nov.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{lewela2012somali, author = {Lewela, Mashaka}, title = {{The Somali diaspora}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2012}, month = nov, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SitRep2012_5Nov.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }