Somalia: Shafting Power to Somalis

The Elephant, a Kenyan platform for dialogue, published on 18 July 2019 a commentary titled "Insecurity in Somalia: Is Mogadishu's 'Green Zone' Part of the Problem?" by Abukar Arman, a Somali-American foreign policy analyst.

The author argues that the heavily fortified area at the Mogadishu airport known as the "Green Zone," where much of the country's interaction with the international community takes place is part of Somalia's problem. He says that Somali leaders must radically change their practices and govern in ways that protect Somalia's national interest and resources. He seems to imply that it would be better if the African Union peacekeeping operation, AMISOM, left the country. He does not, however, make a convincing case that Somalia could protect itself from al-Shabaab without AMISOM.