Somalia: Current Conditions and Prospects for a Lasting Peace
Abstract
In October 2002, the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development (IGAD) launched a peace process designed to end factional fighting in Somalia, led by the government of Kenya. In September 2003, the parties agreed on a Transitional National Charter (TNC). In August 2004, a 275-member Transitional Parliament was inaugurated in Kenya. In October 2004, parliament elected Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed as the new president of Somalia. In June 2006, the forces of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) took control of the capital, Mogadishu. During the six-month rule by the ICU, Mogadishu became relatively peaceful, but efforts to bring peace did not lead to a major breakthrough. On December 28, 2006 Ethiopian troops captured Mogadishu with little resistance from the ICU. The Ethiopian intervention led to more chaos and instability in Somalia. Humanitarian, political, and security conditions continue to deteriorate across south-central Somalia. In the past two years, more than 15,000 civilians have been killed and an estimated 1.1 million people displaced. In 2008, fighting between insurgent groups and Ethiopian-TFG forces intensified, and by late 2008, the TFG had lost control of most of south-central Somalia to insurgent groups. In November 2008, the Ethiopian government announced that its forces would pull out of Somalia by the end of 2008. In January 2009, Ethiopian forces completed their withdrawal from Somalia. In late December 2008, President Yusuf resigned from office and left for Yemen. In June 2008, the TFG and the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS), a group dominated by members of the ICU, signed an agreement in Djibouti mediated by the United Nations. The parties agreed to a cease-fire, the withdrawal of Ethiopian forces, and the deployment of a UN peacekeeping force. Meanwhile, Somali pirates have intensified their attacks in the Gulf of Aden, carrying out attacks on over 90 commercial ships, and successfully hijacking over 35 ships in 2008.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 21, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA501208
Entities
People
- Ted Dagne
Organizations
- Library of Congress