Author: Abdihakim Siyad

On January 12, 2026, the Federal Government of Somalia made one of the most consequential foreign policy decisions since the adoption of the provisional constitution, the complete annulment of all bilateral agreements with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The decision, approved by the Council of Ministers and chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama, covers security, defense, military, commercial, and port-management agreements, including those involving Berbera, Bosaso, and Kismayo. According to the Somali cabinet, the move followed “strong evidence” that UAE actions were undermining Somalia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, national unity, and political independence. Mogadishu framed the decision not as a…

Mogadishu -Somalia  President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s expected visit to Las Anod on Thursday is more than a routine domestic trip it is a historic, symbolic, and politically charged move that could redefine Somalia’s internal power dynamics and its external diplomatic posture. If confirmed, Hassan Sheikh will become the first sitting Somali president to set foot in Las Anod since 1969, when President Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke was assassinated there during an official visit a moment that altered Somalia’s political trajectory forever. The weight of history alone makes this visit unprecedented. But timing is everything. The visit comes amid heightened regional tensions, renewed…

Kenya is currently engaged in a heated national debate following remarks by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on leadership, accountability, and development in North Eastern Kenya. The reaction has been predictable outrage, ethnic defensiveness, counter-accusations, and political posturing. But strip away the noise, and what remains is an uncomfortable reality that millions of citizens in Wajir, Garissa, and Mandera have endured silently for over a decade. This is not a debate about Rigathi Gachagua. It is not about Kikuyu politics, tribal supremacy, or political scores. It is about money, power, betrayal, and the daily suffering of ordinary citizens whose leaders…

Burkina Faso’s military government says it has thwarted what it calls a major plot to assassinate President Ibrahim Traoré and destabilize the state the latest sign of persistent political tension in the coup-prone West African nation. Security Minister Mahamadou Sana announced that the alleged conspiracy was orchestrated by Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba, the former junta leader who was overthrown by Traoré in September 2022 and now lives in exile in neighboring Ivory Coast. According to the government, the plan involved “targeted assassinations” of senior military and civilian officials, with Traoré identified as the primary target. Authorities allege conspirators intended to kill the…

Kenyan President William Ruto has intensified his administration’s war on drug and alcohol abuse, convening a high-level multi-agency meeting to accelerate a nationwide response just days after declaring the crisis a national development and security emergency. Earlier this month, President Ruto framed drug and alcohol abuse as an existential threat to Kenya’s future, warning that it risks wiping out the country’s “most productive generation.” His remarks were backed by alarming statistics, an estimated five million Kenyans aged between 15 and 65 are currently abusing alcohol or narcotics, meaning one in six citizens in this age bracket is affected. Among young adults…

The commemoration of Raila Odinga’s 81st birthday was more than a memorial it was a national reflection on a man whose life shaped Kenya’s modern political landscape. A Life Defined by Struggle Raila Odinga, economist, detainee, reformist, pan-Africanist spent decades at the center of Kenya’s journey toward democracy. Not only that He;  Built coalitions Forged political reconciliation President William Ruto once his fiercest rival called him: “A political colossus, a patriot whose life was defined by courage and sacrifice.”Few leaders receive such bipartisan recognition. His Final Journey Raila passed away on October 15, 2025, aged 80, while receiving treatment in India. He was laid to…

On January 7th Kenya marked what would have been the 81st birthday of the late former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga the country’s most enduring symbol of democratic struggle with tributes pouring in from across the political divide. It was the first birthday commemorated after his passing on October 15, 2025, following a cardiac arrest while receiving treatment in Kerala, India. As supporters across the country shared memories under the hashtag #Baba80plus1, Raila’s widow Mama Ida Odinga hosted a commemorative event in Nairobi one that was as political as it was emotional. Her core message was simple yet profound: “Sit down and talk.”…

Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar arrived in Hargeisa on Tuesday morning for talks with Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro, where both sides pledged to strengthen ties and finalize multi-sector cooperation agreements. Somaliland also revealed that Israel expressed readiness to support its long-standing bid for international recognition a major symbolic breakthrough for a territory that has sought statehood since 1991 but remains internationally recognized as part of Somalia. Somalia reacted immediately and forcefully. In a strongly worded press statement, the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the visit as an “unauthorized incursion,” describing it as a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity,…

A growing political storm has erupted after former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua appeared to link Somali-owned businesses to alleged financial crimes in the United States,  remarks that North Eastern MPs say risk fueling division, mistrust, and hostility toward an entire community.  Led by Dadaab MP Hon. Farah maalim alongside Hon. Mohamed Abdikeir,  Major Bashir Abdullahi and Hon. Yusuf Hassan, the legislators delivered a strong rebuttal at the Parliament Media Centre, warning that reckless political rhetoric is reopening painful wounds around discrimination and ethnic profiling in Kenya.   The Heart of the Dispute: Security Narrative vs Community Identity  The MPs accused Gachagua of carelessly…

UAE Aligns Publicly With Somalia’s Unity For the first time, the United Arab Emirates has openly opposed Somaliland’s controversial recognition claims, declaring full respect for the sovereignty and territorial unity of the Federal Republic of Somalia. In a rare and carefully worded statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed that Abu Dhabi “respects the independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Somalia.” The announcement came shortly after a joint communiqué released by the African Union and the UAE a move widely interpreted as a turning point of Abu Dhabi’s regional diplomacy. This development marks a significant turn in the Horn of…