On October 14 Mogadishu was rocked by the deadliest explosion in its history, killing more than 400 people and injuring hundreds of others. Reliable figures are hard to come by, but the blast, which flattened the buildings around the clogged Zoppe Junction in the Hodan district, has caused mayhem and material destruction estimated to be in the millions of dollars.
Somalia is one of the most dangerous environments in the world for aid workers and humanitarian organisations. A formidable obstacle to reaching people in need of humanitarian assistance is the militant group Al-Shabaab. Drawn from over 80 interviews with former Al-Shabaab officials, aid workers and civilians, this research details difficulties faced by aid agencies attempting to operate in Al-Shabaab controlled areas during the 2011 famine.
HIPS Director’s testimony at the US Senate
On 8 October, HIPS Director Abdi Aynte testified before the U.S. Senate Africa Subcommittee of the Foreign Relations Committee. The title of the hearing was “Security and Governance in Somalia: Consolidating Gains, Confronting Challenges and Charting the Path Forward”.