In this episode of the Heritage Podcast, host Hussein Mohamed speaks with Dr. Afyare Elmi, Executive Director of the Heritage Institute and co-author of the study “Security Sector Reform in Somalia: Challenges and Opportunities,” and discusses the key findings and recommendations of the report.

After a protracted, hotly contested and sometimes violent electoral transition process, in mid-May 2022, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud assumed the presidency of the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) for the second time. He arrived at a time when al-Shabaab remained a potent military force across significant parts of Somalia. Between 16 December 2020 and 6 September 2021, for example, al-Shabaab’s fighters conducted 1,047 attacks on Somali and African Union (AU) targets, according to the UN Monitoring Group on Somalia. This represents an average of about 4 attacks every day.

In response to al-Shabaab’s persistent violence, the new administration moved quickly to establish a more united front with leaders of the Federal Member States (FMS) (Jubaland, South West, Hirshabelle, Galmudug, and Puntland). President Mohamud also made the controversial decision to appoint Mukhtar Robow, a former senior figure in al-Shabaab, to a cabinet position as minister of religious affairs.

At the same time, the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) was also undergoing a transition, changing its name to the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) on 1 May 2022. This reflected the AU’s renewed focus on supporting the implementation of the latest Somali Transition Plan and ultimately withdrawing its military operation by the end of 2024.

Host/Producer: Hussein Mohamed