A Note on
Somalia
ECON 3510
June 12, 2014
Some History: A Timeline
9000 BC: earliest recorded habitation (cave
paintings)
3000 BC: domestication of the camel
800 BC- 400 AD: trade role with Phoenicia,
Ancient Egypt, Crete, Greece, Roman Empire
700 AD Muslim conquest of region;
– Mogadishu becomes the major Muslim capital in
the region
– Trade role continued
– Tolerance with Ethiopia maintained
Series of Empires in the region
1885 Berlin Conference:
– Italy awarded the region;
– begin attempts at control and colonization
– Somalis resist fiercely
1925, Italians invade; bitter conflict, 1927 victory
– British take “Somaliland” in north, after conflict;
– French awarded Djibouti
1940: Italians conquer British Somaliland
1941: British defeat Italians
– British “martial law” to 1945;
1949-1959: 10 year Trusteeship to Italy
– Prosperity in the 1950s
1960 Independence
1960 Independence
Problem Issues:
–North-South divide;
–Ogaden issue with Ethiopia
–Somali territory in Kenya
–Language difficulties (English. Italian. Somali
dialects plus numerous scripts for Somali
language)
Cold War Complications:
–Links with Russia and China
1968: Coup d’Etat; Siad Barre takes
presidency
–”Supreme Revolutionary Council”
–“Scientific Socialism” combining Marx
and Islam;
–Personality cult
–Language reform
1977: Ogaden War with Ethiopia
• Somalia over-ran Ogaden desert
• USSR switched sides; Soviet, Cuban & N.
Korean Assistance support Ethiopian recapture of Ogaden;
• USA supported Somalia
1970 to 1990: serious economic problems
• Due to war and policy stupidities
• Barre lost any support;
1980s: civil conflict
1991:Barre overthrown;
Somaliland declared Independence;
1993: UN Peacekeeping force established
To support provision of humanitarian aid
1995“Black Hawk Down”, Battle of
Mogadishu
US and UN leave Somalia
1998: Puntland declared independence
2002: Southwestern Somaliland declared
“autonomy”
1981-2006: Collapse of Centralized
Governmental Authority
2006-2011: “Islamic Courts Union” or ICU takes
control
• “Sharia law”…..
2008-June 2009: “Transitional Federal
Parliament”
• TFP control: limited area shrinking to
Mogadishu by 2009
• 2008-Jan 2009: Ethiopian Army invades to
support TFP
• African Union send peacekeepers (Ghana and
Burundi)
June 2009: TFP appears to be in desperation,
with only weeks left to survive
Shabab poised to take power?
1990-2014: Somalia essentially without a
government
Insurgents Side: Islamic Courts Union
Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia
al-Shabaab (meaning :Youth”)
Ras Kamboni Brigades
Jabhatul Islamiya
Muaskar Anole
Alleged:
Al-Qaeda and other foreign mujahideen
Ogaden National Liberation Front
Eritrea
Transitional Federal Government
Ethiopia
African Union
Puntland
Galmudug
pro-Ethiopian warlords
African Union Mission to Somalia
UN
United States
Uganda
Burundi
Kenya
Basic Information on Somalia
Note: Most information is not available for Somalia.
Here is some of what is available.
Population:
Population Growth Rate:
9.1 million (2012)
2.8 % per annum
(Doubling every 25 years)
Fertility Rate (2007)
Maternal Mortality:
African average:
6.8 children per woman
1,400 per 100,000 live births
900
Life Expectancy:
48 years (2007)
Official Development Assistance (2005): $US 236.4 million
ODA per capita:
$US 28.7
No. 1 on the “Failed States Index” for five years running
Economy during the Civil Chaos
• OK in the north (Somaliland)
• Continuing disruption in the south
• Continues clicking over;
Informal economy completely;
• Current Dependence on Food Aid to prevent
death from famine;
• Major cash infusions from ransoms and
remittances
2011-2012: famine in Somalia plus NE
areas of Kenya and Ogaden region of
Ethiopia
– 3.5 million at risk;
– El Shabab prohibited UN and other and
providers to enter the stricken areas
– Early warning signs for famine again
present
Nutritional Situation
February 2014,