(18-01-24) (Halqabsi News) — Over the past few decades, Somalia has been on the front pages of local, regional, and international media for a barrage of unending negativity giving the Horn of Africa nation the status of a failed state almost on the edge of extinction.
But for Somalis who seemingly never gave up on state building and reconciliation there has never been a better opportunity than now. It is time to seize a rebirth of Somalia, a country that was the pioneer of African democracy in the 1960s when it was the first in the continent to hold free and fair democratic elections.
Undoubtedly, the role of the international community including the United Nations and African Union in state building gave Somalis a brimming hope and an opportunity for ceaseless support for more than three decades. The true friends of Somalia have been part and parcel of the ongoing efforts to bring back the old status of the Horn of Africa nation that was once a dependable partner in Africa’s struggle for independence.
Mogadishu is back to business with its increasing skyscrapers marking a potent manifestation of a contemporary capital city with a modern ambience offering its dwellers all the glitters and glamour of a 21st-century living. The capital is bursting, its beaches bulging with people while Somalis and other holidaymakers can once again enjoy a quintessential experience that Mogadishu was known for before it collapsed in 1991.
The capital recently celebrated one year of improvement in several sectors with Banadir administration working round the clock to return city services like sanitation into full swing. The prognosis for the city’s future for the next few years looks outstandingly impressive as local authorities work to strengthen the hitherto fledgling municipality.
On the regional front, the toddling Federal Government of Somalia has just joined the East African Community consisting of regional powerhouses like Kenya and Uganda, allowing Somalia to play a significant role in regional geopolitics. Somalia will take advantage of the growing economic bloc with the union’s four pillars of customs union, common market, monetary union, and political federation.
When President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud signed the EAC treaty of accession he said ” Today is a day of immense pride as we celebrate Somalia’s admission to the EAC. This community is where Somalia belongs to. It symbolises the realisation of our collective aspirations and it’s a beacon of hope for a future filled with opportunities,”
Indeed, Somalia’s entry into EAC is a powerful indication of the country’s political maturity even though it still has a host of internal issues that the country must deal with. Slowly but surely, Mogadishu is building its political reputation amassing strategic partners and increasing its diplomatic and international cooperation.
On the economic front, recently, the IMF and World Bank announced US$4.5 billion in debt relief for Somalia. This debt relief will facilitate access to critical additional financial resources that will help Somalia strengthen its economy, reduce poverty, and promote job creation. This gesture from the Bretton Woods Institutions is itself a big and bold step towards Somalia’s economic growth and development.
On security, the recent lifting of the arms embargo enables the country to confront security threats and to bolster the capacity of the Somali security forces by accessing arms and equipment to adequately safeguard citizens. This also allows the Somali National Army to step up the ongoing security operations against Al-Shabaab and rescue the country from the jaws of terrorism menace.
No doubt, Somalia is on the track for a regional and global comeback, if all the prevailing hallmarks of progress are anything to go by. The federal government of Somalia has been putting its best foot forward exciting both Somalis and international partners. Somalia with a voice and power in the region is tantalisingly with the reach. No one should lose hope.
Birik Burale is a resident political commentator for Halqabsi News
