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Somalia: Election Delay - U.S. Imposes Visa Restrictions On Officials, Other Individuals
State Department, 25 February 2022
The delay in the conclusion of Somalia's elections is driving political instability, threatening security gains, and undermining economic development. Read more »
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Somalia: Al-Shabaab Strikes Amid Polls Deadlock
CAJ News, 25 February 2022
The long-delayed electoral process is fuelling attacks by the armed extremist group, Al-Shabaab, in Somalia. Read more »
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Somalia: Elections Are Finally Under Way - Five Things You Should Know
The Conversation Africa, 23 February 2022
Following a series of setbacks going back more than a year, Somalia is nearly wrapping up parliamentary elections (Lower House) leading to presidential elections. The Horn of… Read more »
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Somalia: Somali, U.S. Forces Engage Insurgents in Support of Somalia
Africom, 23 February 2022
In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab terrorists after they attacked partner forces in a remote… Read more »
U.S. Visa Curbs For Those Impeding Somali Democratic Process
The U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has announced a visa restriction policy on the issuing of visas for those believed to be responsible for, or complicit in undermining the democratic process in Somalia.
According to Blinken, the U.S. government will evaluate additional actions under this policy and other tools at it's disposal, to promote accountability and to support Somalia's democratic process.
Following the failure to meet another self-established deadline of February 25, 2022 for completion of parliamentary elections, the National Consultative Council extended the deadline to March 15, 2022. Dozens of parliamentary seats are still unfilled and there is no clear plan to conclude the process.
Procedural irregularities and partisan use of security forces have undermined an electoral process that is more than a year behind schedule. Journalists and opposition party members working to support democratic institutions and transparent processes, have been targeted with harassment, intimidation, arrest, and violence, according to Blinken.
The U.S. government is urging Somalia to rapidly complete its parliamentary and presidential elections in a transparent and credible manner.
InFocus
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Somalia's Al-Shabaab militant group has an annual budget of U.S.$24 million to spend on the purchasing of weapons, according to a new report by a Mogadishu-based research gro Read more »
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The U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) has warned that famine is stalking Somalia, as years of climate-related disasters destroyed crops, dried up water sources and created a Read more »
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Health care workers suffer from high rates of anxiety, depression and stress because of their work with Covid-19 cases, a new study has found. The study was prese Read more »
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Somali leaders have agreed to conclude the long-delayed parliamentary and presidential elections by February 25, 2022. Somalia's international partners welcomed the deal made on ... Read more »
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Somalia's President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed has announced the suspension of Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble, a day after the two men exchanged words over long-delayed ... Read more »
A delegate casts her vote in the electoral process to choose members of parliament into Somalia's House of the People in Mogadishu (file photo).
