This Special Report distills the work of Sahnoun, Oakley, and Hirsch into an overview of the lessons of Somalia for the future of humanitarian and political intervention.

It does so in a length that this complicated subject deserves, telling what was actually done in Somalia—and how—and reminding us of the missed opportunities taken and missed, the kind and cruel turns of events and decisions. Moving beyond this narrative, the report offers analysis of the achievements of Somalia—this, in the spirit of “getting it right”—and lessons for meeting similar crisis. Its title ”Restoring Hope” is meant to suggest that the real lessons Somalia create reasonable hope that can be built upon in making humanitarian intervention and assertive peacekeeping wise and steady tools in managing international crises.