Home

Somalia and Somaliland

 Eastern Africa

***Online News (See below)
• Academy for Peace and Development = Akaademiga Nabadda iyo Horumarka (Hargeisa, Somaliland)
  The web site --in English-- features information about programs, press releases, and full-length reports (PDF format) on activities and issues. "Established in 1999 as a research institute in collaboration with the War-torn Societies Project (WSP) International (now Interpeace). Since inception, APD activities have focused on peace building using Participatory Action Research (PAR) methodology."
  
  
• Africa Action: Somalia Background and Document Links (January 2002) (Washington, DC)
  This document includes analytical summaries on Somalia and US policies; plus links to related articles on the Internet, including reviews of the recent commercial film "Black Hawk Down".
  
  
• African Development Bank on Somalia (Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire)
  Basic economic indicators and links to other "country operations" reports.
  
  
• AllSomali -- Somali Links (USA)
  An extensive directory of links to Somali language and other Somali-related web sites. See the AllSomali Home Page for reports in Somali translation from major news agencies.
  
  
• Amnesty International on Somalia, 2007-- (New York and Washington, DC)
  
  
• National Somali Bantu Project (See below)
  
  
• Bibliography on "Humanitarian intervention in Somalia" (1995). Compiled by Walter Sheldon Clarke. (Institute of Public Policy, Program on Peacekeeping Policy, George Mason University, Virginia)
  
  
• "Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War" by Mark Bowden (2000). From the original series in The Philadelphia Inquirer (Online).
  Reporting on October 1993 incident involving US troops in Mogadishu, Somalia, later published as a book.
  
  
• Center for Strategic & International Studies: Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, President of Somalia's Transitional Federal Government, September 30, 2009 (CSIS, Washington, DC)
  --See also: CSIS on Africa (General)
  
  
• Chatham House "Horn of Africa Group" Research Project (London, UK)
  • Piracy in Somalia...(October 2008) By Roger Middleton. Briefing paper. 12 pages in PDF format
  • Lost opportunities in the Horn of Africa: how conflicts connect and peace agreements unravel. (June 2008) By Sally Healy. A Horn of Africa Group report. 50 pages in PDF format
    
  • The rise and fall of Mogadishu's Islamic courts. (April 2007) By Cedric Barnes and Harun Hassan. A Horn of Africa Group briefing paper. 8 pages in PDF format
    
  
  
• Conciliation Resources Occasional Papers on Somalia/Somaliland (London)
  • "The series incorporates staff papers [or briefings] developed as part of programme activity and think pieces written for outside conferences and publications. A linking theme is a focus on community-based responses to conflict."
  • Peace-making initiative in Somaliland, April 1995-January 1997 PDF format
  • Conciliation Resources Home Page
  
  
• Council on Foreign Relations on Somalia and Horn of Africa: Backgrounders, reports, and interviews (1995 to present) (Washington, DC)
  --See also: Somalia's transitional government (May 2008) by Stephanie Hanson & Eben Kaplan. Backgrounder
  
  
• Development Gateway Country Overview on Somalia (Washington, DC)
  A clearinghouse of links to a wide variety of organizational websites with economic data. Originally founded by The World Bank, the DG has been an "independent", donor-funded organization since 2001.
  
  
• Directory of Development Organizations: Somalia (2008) (Bert Wesselink, The Netherlands?) PDF format.
  
  
• Djibnet.Com (France)
  Un portail bilingue (français et anglais) avec beaucoup des informations concernant la Corne de l'Afrique (Djibouti, Somalia/Somaliland, Ethiopia, Eritrea), y compris les actualités brèves, les arts, les économies, et les pages personnelles.
  
  
• Djibouti Agreement, 2008 (via Hiiraan. (Online))
  
  
• FAO Aquastat Programme: Somalia, 2005 (Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome)
  A profile of water resources in Somalia. "The 'thirst' for water data is ever increasing and there is indeed considerable demand for data on rural water use from national governments and development agencies. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations initiated an activity in 1993 to meet this demand with particular focus on irrigation. This resulted in the AQUASTAT Programme, the objective of which is to generate rural water use data at country level in a systematic manner."
  
  
• Food Security Analysis Unit on Somalia (Nairobi, Kenya)
  The site includes recent data on food security, with maps. "FSAU began in 1994 with funding from USAID/OFDA and management by WFP, which was complimented by funding from the EC since 1995. Since 2000, the European Commission has provided core funding for the FSAU, with management by FAO."
  
  
• Forced Migration Online -- Research Guide on Somalia (July 2003) (Oxford, UK)
  
  
• Government of Somaliland (See Republic of Somaliland below)
  
  
• Human Rights Watch on Somalia (New York)
  • HRW on Somalia: press releases, news, reports, etc.
    
    
  • "Hostages to Peace: threats to human rights and democracy in Somaliland" (July 2009) 61 pages in PDF format
  • "From horror to hopelessness: Kenya's forgotten Somali refugee crisis" (March 30, 2009) 60 pages in PDF format
  • "So much to fear: war crimes and the devastation of Somalia" (December 8, 2008) 107 pages in PDF format
  
  
• Institute for Security Studies on Somalia: Research & documentation, news and interviews (Pretoria, South Africa)
  • The Somali Conflict: Implications for Peacemaking and Peacekeeping Efforts (September 2009) By Solomon A. Dersso. ISS paper no. 198. 24 pages in PDF format
  
  
• Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre: Internally displaced persons in Somalia, 1999-- Norwegian Refugee Council (Geneva, Switzerland)
  For each country in the IDP survey, the document collection includes an overall summary, population figures, social indicators, and some analyses.
  
  
• International Crisis Group on Somalia and Somaliland (Crisisweb, ICG, Washington, DC; Brussels, Belgium)
  "The ICG is a private, multinational organisation committed to strengthening the capacity of the international community to understand and respond to impending crises. ICG's approach is grounded in field research ... and advocacy."
  
  
• The International Monetary Fund: "Somalia" Country Info (Washington, DC)
  Summaries, full length reports, and recent news. Note: Some documents are in PDF format, requiring  Adobe Acrobat.
  
  
• National Civic Front (Nairobi, Kenya)
  The site includes information about the organization, news on events, and related organizational links. "...an independent, non-partisan organization founded by a cohort of Somali scholars and professionals who met on September 20–24, 2004 in Nairobi, Kenya. NCF's mission is to generate and disseminate creative ideas that may assist the Somali people in the establishment of a democratic political order, durable peace, justice, rule of law and sustainable development."
  
  
• National Information and Communications Infrastructure for Sustainable Development in Africa:  "Somalia", 1999 (United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)
  General background, Internet connectivity data, and project information.
  
  
• National Somali Bantu Project (via Portland State University, Portland, Oregon)
  The site features information about this US-based organization, the history and culture of the Somali Bantu, and related links on academic publications and recent news.
  --See especially: The Somali Bantu: their history and culture (2003) by Dan Van Lehman and Omar Eno. -- Washington, DC: Center for Applied Linguistics, 2003. 40 pages in PDF format
  
  
• Online News about and from Somalia and Somaliland
  • AllAfrica.Com: Recent News Summaries on Somalia and Somaliland (AllAfrica Global Media, Washington, DC)
    News summaries in English based on reports from the Pan African News Agency (PANA), United Nations's IRIN, and other sources. Warning: free access restricted to the last 30 days; subscription required to view archives.
    
    
  • Awdal News Network, Republic of Somaliland
    
    
  • BBC News on Somalia (British Broadcasting Corporation, London, UK)
    • "Islamists break Somali port truce" (October 21, 2009) and other recent reports
      
      
    • Somalia in crisis, 2006 to early 2009
    • Somalia Country Profile (2009)
    • "Behind Somalia's Islamist rivalry." (October 1, 2009); plus links to other recent reports
    • "Somalia's President Ahmed." (February 3, 2009)
      
      
    • Fleeing Somali refugees stranded, April 3, 2007
    • AU fails to secure Somali force...January 31, 2007
    • US (and Ethiopia) in southern Somalia...January 10, 2007
    • "Somalia: Who Supports Who?"...December 28, 2006
      -- News from Mogadishu...December 29, 2006
    
    
  • Garowe Online (USA)
    A bilingual news portal for a global audience: GaroweOnline.Com is the online sister publication of Radio Garowe, a community radio station based in Garowe, the State capital of Puntland, a self-governing region in northern Somalia.
    
    
  • Hiiraan Online: news and information for Somalia (via USA and UK)
    A news and cultural portal in English and in Somali for the Somali diaspora, with current news dispatches and editorials; plus links to BBC, VOA, and Somali radio, online newspapers, Somali music downloads, and other Somali-related web sites.
    -- "Agreement between the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia and the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia" (Djibouti, June 9, 2008) Unofficial copy.
    
    
  • IRIN--Integrated Regional Information Networks on Somalia (See below, under "UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs")
    
    
  • Jamhuuriya wargeyska. (Online) -- Hargeisa, Somaliland: Jamhuuriya Media Group, 2006-
    The electronic version of the weekly Somali language newspaper from Somaliland ; plus, links to other Somali language and Somaliland news and cultural web sites.
    
    
  • Somaliland.Org
    A news and web links portal for Somaliland...in Somali and English.
    
    
  • Somaliland times. (Online) -- Hargeisa, Somaliland: Haatuf Media Network, 2002-
    The site offers the electronic version of an English language weekly newspaper from Somaliland.
  
  
• Progressio on Somaliland (2007) formerly Catholic Institute for International Relations (London, UK)
  Progressio is "an international development charity working for justice and the eradication of poverty" through community-based organisations, with programmes on: civil society participation, HIV and AIDS, and sustainable environment. The website section on Somaliland includes political background, news, and downloadable documents, including:
  Further steps to democracy: the Somaliland parliamentary elections, September 2005. By Adan Yusuf Abokor et al. -- London: Progressio, 2005. PDF format
  
  
• Refugees International: Somalia: reports and press releases (Washington, DC)
  
  
• Republic of Somaliland Official Website (Hargeisa, Somaliland)
  
  
• Social Science Research Council -- Crisis in the Horn of Africa (SSRC Africa Program, New York)
  SSRC news analysis forum on Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti and Sudan.
  
  
• Somalia Web Page (University of Pennsylvania)
  Very basic information and selected links.
  
  
• Somalia and Somaliland Archive (Michael Maren's NomadNet, USA)
  Current and archive of electronic news clippings, misc. reports, and links on Somalia and Somaliland. See also the rest of the NomadNet web site emphasizing relief and development studies.
  
  
• Somaliland CyberSpace (Mohamed Saleh Bali, USA)
  The web pages are a compilation of news and Somaliland-related information; plus links. "Somaliland CyberSpace was established as a means to promote the understanding of the uncommon political conditions in Somaliland [the former northern part of 'Somalia']."
  
  
• Somaliland Forum (USA?)
  A blog on Somaliland affairs for "Somalilanders" in English, with an archive of old commentaries and other entries since 1997.
  
  
• Somaliland Law (2007-2008) (United Kingdom?)
  An independent web site--frequently updated-- offering information about the Laws of Somaliland, including the Constitution (2005 English translation), and related links.
  
  
• SomaliNet (Kendid Communications, Toronto, Canada)
  An extensive Internet portal site in English and Soomaali on Somalia and the Somali diaspora; includes current news in English from major Western news agencies.
  
  
• SWALIM--Somalia Water and Land Information Management System (Nairobi, Kenya)
  The site provides selected data on rainfall, land use, and water resources. "By producing baseline information, assessing natural resources, searching for existing information sources around the world, SWALIM is recovering as much of lost data as possible."
  
  
• United Nations on Somalia
  • UN Political Office on Somalia (UNPOS): press releases, news, documents, etc.
    
    
  • UN News: "Security Council renews authorization of African Union Mission in Somalia," August 19, 2008. Security Council, SC/9426. (New York)
    
    
  • Somalia Joint Needs Assessment--Documentation and Data Centre (2007) (United Nations and World Bank Coordination Secretariat, Nairobi, Kenya)
    
    
  • United Nations Development Programme on Somalia (New York)
    • UNDP on Somalia
    • UNDP Human Development Index for Somalia (2008): incomplete data from 2005
    • UNDP Human Development Report on Somalia (2001)
    
    
  • UNFPA--United Nations Population Fund: Search for Somalia Country Indicators, Policy Developments, and Overview (New York)
    
    
  • UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA)
    -- Integrated Regional Information Networks on Somalia

    Daily and weekly regional news bulletins. Note: the archive only contains back issues from the past month or less.

    --  ReliefWeb on Somalia

    Links to current or breaking news stories. The reports are compiled and archived by UN agencies, Agence France Presse, and other news services.
  • UN High Commissioner for Refugees on Somalia (Geneva, Switzerland)
    • See Country Search
    • "Somalia: a situation analysis" by Ken Menkhaus (November 2000) WRITENET paper no. 07/2000 (PDF file only)
  • UN Peacekeeping Operations in Somalia, 1993-1995
    -  UNOSOM I: UN Operation in Somali I, April 1992-March 1993
    -  UNOSOM II: UN Operation in Somali II, March 1993-March 1995
  
  
• United States Agencies on Somalia (Washington, DC)
  • Somalia: a country study. (Online) Area handbook. (Washington, DC: Library of Congress; US Department of the Army, 1993)
    The electronic version of the handbook, with chapters on history, geography, economy, government, society & culture, and bibliography.
    
    
  • United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on Somalia
    • USAID on Somalia -- Country Information
      
      
    • USAID Development Experience Clearinghouse (General)
      Search the entire USAID database for downloadable (in PDF) reports on projects and studies on Ethiopia.
    • USAID--Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET) (General)
      Information on the Horn of Africa, Sahel--West Africa, & Southern Africa.
    • FEWS NET Somalia Center
      Current news and analysis of the rainfall and food security situation in Somalia -- read online or download as a PDF files; plus links to other FEWS NET resources.
      -- See also: SWALIM--Somalia Water and Land Information Management above.
    
    
  • United States. Census Bureau. Foreign Trade Statistics:
    --  US-Somalia Trade Balance, 1992--
    -- US International Trade Statistics: "Somalia", 1996-- (Search)
    
    
  • United States. Central Intelligence Agency. World Factbook: Somalia (2009)
    
    
  • United States. Department of State: "Somalia" Country Report on Human Rights Practices:  1997 |  1998 |  1999 |  2000 |  2001 |  2002 |  2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008
    
    
  
  
• United States Institute of Peace on Somalia (Washington, DC)
  • Counting the costs of Somali piracy (June 2009) by Raymond Gilpin. USIP working papers
  • How to Respond to Somalia's Current Crisis (August 2006) by David Smock. USIP Briefings
  • Terrorism in the Horn of Africa. (January 2004) USIP Special Report
  • Somalia: Ten Years Later (March 2004) by Erica Johnston and Michael Southwick. USIP Briefings
  • Removing the barricades in Somalia: options for peace and rehabilitation (October 1998) by Hussein Adam, Richard Ford ...[et al.]
  
  
• Universities in Somalia and Somaliland
  • Amoud University (Borama, Awdal, Somaliland)
  • Burao University (Burao, Somaliland)
  • Mogadishu University (Mogadishu, Somalia)
  • Puntland State University (Garowe, Puntland)
  • University of Hargeisa, Somaliland
  • University of Somalia (Mogadishu)
  
  
• Wilson Center International Center for Scholars: "Somalia: A Country in Peril, A Policy Nightmare." (September 3, 2008) Wilson Center On Demand (Washington, DC)
  A videotaped panel discussion at the Wilson Center, with Ken Menkhaus, Professor of Political Science at Davidson College; Chris Albin-Lackey, Senior Researcher in the Africa Division of Human Rights Watch; and Harun M. Hassan, a Somali journalist and writer based in Washington.
  
  
• The World Bank on Somalia (Washington, DC)
  • The World Bank in Somalia, 1999--
    Country brief, news, and related links.