Welcome to Somalia Review
Somalia Review is an independent platform providing in-depth analysis, research, and commentary on Somalia, the Horn of Africa, and the wider world.
Our Focus
We produce rigorous research and commentary to inform better policy, strengthen institutions and support a prosperous, peaceful Somalia.
Conflict dynamics, security sector reform and the architecture of durable stabilisation.
Learn moreFederalism, public administration, rule of law and the accountability of state institutions.
Learn moreFiscal policy, private sector growth, trade and inclusive development finance.
Learn moreRegional competition, multilateral engagement and Somalia's place in a contested Red Sea.
Learn moreEducation, migration, urbanisation and the social foundations of resilience.
Learn moreFeatured
Governance
Negotiations over revenue sharing, security integration and electoral design will determine whether Somalia's federal model consolidates or fragments over the coming decade.
Ismail D. Osman · August 24, 2026 · 14 min read
Geopolitics
Gulf and Asian powers are reshaping port politics along the Somali coast, with consequences for sovereignty and trade.
Amina Farah · August 21, 2026 · 9 min read
Security
Force generation has improved, but sustainment, command coherence and local legitimacy remain unresolved.
Yusuf A. Warsame · August 18, 2026 · 11 min read
Economy
Completion point unlocked concessional finance. Absorptive capacity, not access, is now the binding constraint.
Hodan Mohamed · August 15, 2026 · 8 min read
Research & Publications
Policy Brief
Revenue Sharing and the Federal Bargain
A framework for negotiating fiscal federalism that balances member-state autonomy with national fiscal integrity.
Ismail D. Osman
Download PDFResearch Paper
Security Sector Sustainment Beyond Transition
Assesses force generation, payroll integrity and command structures across the Somali National Army.
Yusuf A. Warsame
Download PDFSpecial Report
Ports, Corridors and Strategic Access in the Horn
Maps competing port investments and their implications for Somali sovereignty and regional trade.
Amina Farah
Download PDFPolitics
Universal suffrage requires institutions that outlast a single electoral cycle.
Sahra Ali · 7 min read
Security
Illegal fishing and trafficking persist where enforcement capacity is thinnest.
Abdirahman Nur · 6 min read
Economy
De-risking by correspondent banks still shapes household resilience.
Hodan Mohamed · 9 min read
Diplomacy
Regional diplomacy is crowded; strategic patience is scarce.
Amina Farah · 8 min read
Executive Director
Ismail D. Osman leads Somalia Review's research and editorial agenda. His work spans security policy, federal governance and the political economy of state-building in the Horn of Africa.
"Somalia's future will be written by institutions that endure — not by narratives that pass."
Our vision is a publication that meets international standards of rigour while remaining rooted in Somali expertise: evidence over assertion, analysis over commentary, and a long view of a country too often reported in fragments.
Ismail D. Osman
Read the full biographyData & Insights
48
Publications released
3.9%
Average GDP growth, 2023–26
12
Research programmes
60+
Contributing authors
Real GDP growth
Percent, annual
Governance index
Composite score, 0–100
Security incident index
Indexed, lower is better
Multimedia
Documentary · 28 min
Fishing communities, ports and the informal economy of the Somali shore.
Interview · 42 min
A long-form discussion on the design and drift of the federal settlement.
Podcast · 35 min
Weekly analysis of political and security developments in the region.
Photo Essay · 18 frames
A visual record of the capital's daily rhythm.
Newsletter
Receive analysis, research and commentary directly in your inbox.
