For the past 17 years Somalia has been without an effective central government and most of the country has been in turmoil. Several peace conferences have been held and interim governments have been named, but none has gained legitimacy. Widespread violence, hunger and displacement plague the Somali population. Based on an agreement mediated by the UN in 2008 a more inclusive parliament and executive have been selected, but an insurgency persists & the political outlook is far from clear.
For the past 17 years Somalia has been without an effective central government and most of the country has been in turmoil. Several peace conferences have been held and interim governments have been named, but none has gained legitimacy. Widespread violence, hunger and displacement plague the Somali population. Based on an agreement mediated by the UN in 2008 a more inclusive parliament and executive have been selected, but an insurgency persists & the political outlook is far from clear.
Sporadically over the last 15 years USIP has convened a network of Somali intellectuals in the diaspora. In 1991-92 the Institute provided guidance to the U.S. leaders of Operation Restore Hope. We have sponsored fact-finding missions and issued periodic reports. Conditions have been too unsettled and dangerous to permit projects on the ground in Somalia.
Links:
[1] http://www.usip.org/resources/issues-somalia
[2] http://www.usip.org/resources/issues-somalia-0