Down but not out: Somalia's major achievements in 2022

FILE: Farmajo [L] and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud [R] hold hands up after the the May 15 election result was announced.

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Whenever the name Somalia pops up in a conversation, folks always associate the country with abject poverty, violent extremism, endless political wrangles, and in most cases, drought, which has bitten hard in the last three years and could worsen into famine.

The country is no stranger to the aforementioned challenges but resilience and hope have notably revised the history of the country, especially on matters of conflicts and the Al-Shabaab menace, which has claimed thousands of innocent civilians.

Last year [2022] Somalia showed political maturity after several months of turmoil marred with claims and counterclaims of a possible plan to rig elections, forcing opponents to put the administration of former President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo on their toes for over 12 months.

Tasked to deliver a popular election, the National Independence Electoral Commission [NIEC] failed spectacularly, forcing the country to revert to the indigenous system of picking leaders through clan formula. With the timeline almost elapsing, political heavyweights could not agree due to suspicions among each other.

At some point, a frail Farmajo used parliament to extend his term by two years but the efforts hit a dead wall, with the section of the military taking parts of Mogadishu and demanding the immediate exit of the president. At this juncture, everyone thought Farmajo's actions would plunge the country into another civil war.

But thanks to quick intervention from a number of stakeholders, the leaders left for barracks as normalcy was restored in the country. Consequently, a proper formula was hatched and elections were held in 2022, leading to the smooth transition of power.

The victory of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was lauded as one of the most significant gains in the history of the country whose electoral management is marred with serious setbacks. In fact, though fragility in democracy has defined Somalia, the smooth handing over lifted the spirits of thousands of people.

On the security front, the country has made landmark gains, with government soldiers flushing the Al-Shabaab militants out of strategic towns in the country. The recent takeover of Adan Yabal was hailed as the hallmark of liberating the country from the militants.

Psyched with the contributions of a resilient military, the cooperation by the US Africa Command, and the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS] many locals took over to the streets and joined the war, helping the military to topple the militants from all strategic villages.

In his own words, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said that he was very optimistic that "by the end of January, we shall be in full control of HirShabelle and Galmadug". Similar remarks have been made by various stakeholders including visiting Minnesota 5th District representative Ilhan Omar, who noted the gains against Al-Shabaab.

"I am extremely pleased with the collaboration by security forces in this war," said Ms. Omar while meeting top brass politicians in Somalia, both those in government and opposition. "Somalia is going to overcome the Al-Shabaab monster and will be an epitome of stability and development."

The successes would likely multiply following the inclusion of Eritrean-trained Somali soldiers who have joined the foray. General Mohamed Tahalil, the commander of the Land Forces, noted that almost all soldiers trained in Eritrea have returned home and some have joined the battlefield.

Over 5,000 soldiers were clandestinely trained in Eritrea leading to political squabbles, but the new dawn has vindicated the process given their expertise in the Navy and Air Force. The new entrants are expected to pump fresh ideas in completely defeating Al-Shabaab and liberating the country.

Although most challenges have been tamed, the international community has played an integral role in curbing possible famine in the country following long spells of drought. President Hassan Sheikh said: "There is no famine. The international community acted in time to feed our people and we thank them for that. "

Now, the country is only racing to increase sources of revenue to finance the $967 million budget, with Treasury aiming to collect at least $230 million in domestic revenue. This could be possible if loopholes of corruption are sealed and the country maximizes on the areas where Al-Shabaab has been defeated.

The grand corruption has been the undoing of the country and even the president admitted the existence of ghost workers on the payroll. If the gaps are closed and fiscal discipline embraces, perhaps the year 2023 will be even better for the country which has struggled for stability for three decades.

GAROWE ONLINE