By Abdirahman Al-Adala- The Deputy Minister of Information- Somalia
Change is difficult, intimidating, and fraught with risk, yet it is an unavoidable necessity for anyone seeking to achieve progress.
President Dr. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has decisively chosen to implement changes that will impact the nation’s trajectory, navigating through challenging paths.
Naturally, drawing on the deep expertise and insight gained during his previous term, he quickly identified the most critical areas to tackle in order to achieve tangible results, directing his time and energy precisely where it was needed most.
After years of intense struggle, the time for results has arrived. In this article, I will focus on three key areas, perhaps the largest and most consequential, where the results have now begun to impact people’s lives and transform traditional ways of living.
1. Security.
He identified the restoration of security as the most critical key; without it, no other progress can even be considered.
Following a fierce campaign launched by the government against groups that instigate insecurity primarily the Khwaarij, illegal weapons, and the fortification of security institutions, the Somali people are now experiencing an undeniable transformation. Foremost among them are the residents of the capital, Mogadishu, who are witnessing the most stable security environment in over 40 years.
This security transformation has also extended to the country’s major cities, where security-related issues have significantly decreased. Of course, the factors contributing to this success and the path taken to achieve it will be examined in another article.
2. Political Stabilization.
The second arena President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud prioritized was transforming the country’s political landscape, which had seen no visible progress for a long time. Just as with security, he leveraged his profound understanding of where the core issues lay. He recognized that the nation could not move forward without a political system that aligns with modern statehood—one that empowers citizens, creates a political space that unites the Somali people, dismantling clan-based divisions in favor of a system built on vision rather than tribalism, and provides a legally grounded opportunity for political stakeholders.
The gateway to realizing this vision became the completion of the Constitution to secure the aforementioned high-level objectives, thereby fulfilling the historical mandate of successive governments over the past 26 years. Their foremost obligation was to transition the country toward a democratic, state-led system where power resides with the people, moving away from governance based on ad-hoc arrangements.
Parallel to the security situation, after years of hard work, the country has moved towards an electoral system where the public votes, founded on non-tribal political parties. The first step saw 390 individuals elected to the capital’s local council through this system. Now, ballot boxes are distributed from the southern tip of the country to the northernmost regions, where the public is expected to elect their leaders from the local level up to the President of the Republic.
This represents a genuine political transformation that will guide the country’s political system in the period ahead, Insha’Allah.
3. Economic Transformation.
The President, recognizing that aligning with the desires of the Somali people requires the country to move beyond dependency, understood that it is essential for the nation to secure its own economic resources by capitalizing on its natural wealth.
With bold determination equal to the two points above, the President initiated the utilization of the country’s natural resources, an area previously viewed with great apprehension.
After a tough, multi-front struggle, Somalia is now beginning to extract its first natural resources. This is not merely a projection, but an action currently in the implementation phase.
The three areas touched upon in this article are not the only sectors where change has occurred; however, they are the most significant and have had the most visible, positive impact on our people’s way of life, which is why I selected them.
What Facilitated the Achievement of These Successes?
There are several factors that must be noted, which form the foundation for realizing this difficult transformation in such a short period.
The first factor is that the President assumed office with a clear, strategic vision. This was followed by his selection of a Prime Minister who shares that vision and possesses the capability to execute the President’s agenda. Next is the national leadership’s skill in crisis management and overcoming obstacles. The resilience and unity of the country’s leadership are also highly commendable. Finally, the steadfast support of the Somali people, who have demonstrated immense solidarity.
Conclusion.
These matters are examples that demonstrate genuine change, indicate the direction the country is heading, and define the high ambition and long-term vision of today’s national leadership. The benefits of these outcomes are not exclusive to a specific individual, group, or region; rather, they are fruits that the Somali people will reap equally.
These are paths that the current leadership took great risks to open, but the rewards of this success will be inherited by future leaders—who may well include some of those opposing the changes today, as that is a part of the nature of life.
Message to the Public.
To the Somali people, I say: you are now witnessing the execution of some of the state-building aspirations you have long yearned for. The light you have been anticipating has appeared, the vision has drawn closer, and the clouds of promise are overhead. Therefore, without being distracted by the extensive debates driven by personal ambitions, stand firmly in support of the struggle to achieve and secure the national goals and collective aspirations that are unfolding before you.
