Uncertain times ahead for #Somalia
As promised by president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud when he was elected 4 years ago, Somalia’s constitution has been finalized — nearly 14 years after a provisory text came into force.
To get there, he has had to prioritize state-building and this end goal over fighting the Shabaab and over a precarious status quo in relations between the federal level and Somali states.
Besides the ever growing Shabaab threat, conflicts have erupted with #Jubaland and #Puntland. They are far from resolved.
Concerns touch the centralization and presidentialization of power, in a country scarred by the Barre dictatorship, and the extension of MP and presidential terms, pushing back #elections by a full year.
The latter concern may be slightly hypocritical, given manoeuvers by the regional presidents/leaders to remain in power and extend their own terms, but the opposition is not laying down arms — which is not only a figure of speech.
This major step in building a functioning, modern state bears many promises for #Somalia s stability and viability — in the medium to long term. Meanwhile, the next 15 months will be rocky on all fronts, amid a volatile security situation.
Mathieu Gotteland