Somalia
Seeking US Recognition
Last December, Israel became the first country to recognize Somaliland, sparking hope that others, especially the U.S., might follow suit. This week, President Abdullahi is going to make his pitch to the Trump administration, but even with support from some powerful Republican lawmakers, he faces an uphill battle.
The Price of Recognition
In December, Israel became the first country to formally recognize Somaliland as a sovereign state. Officials in both countries are presenting this controversial move as an opportunity for development and business cooperation, though most analysts see it as a strategic play on Israel’s part. Will Somaliland benefit?
Understanding Somalia’s Destruction
In the 1960s Somalia was a democratic pacesetter in Africa, and by the 1990s it was a byword for chaos and destruction. Inadequate institutions, territorial disputes, Cold War dynamics and an increasingly authoritarian leader all played their part in the country’s decline.
Bob Dylan Helped Me Survive Pirate Captivity
I was spending hours alone with my thoughts, ever since a gang of pirates kidnapped me from a car outside the dusty crossroads town of Galkacyo, in central Somalia, during a reporting trip in 2012. The mystery of this song became an obsession.
The Peril of War Correspondence
If and when freedom arrives, the moment surprises you, and you find yourself in the world again holding more emotion than you know how to express.