Research and consulting in Somalia
Country Overview:
As Somalia makes strides to recover from decades of “failed state” status, IOA’s research and consulting into the country have documented the re-establishment of governing institutions. IOA analysts have noted a national passion to overcome impediments to national stability like warlords and terrorists. The task is made difficult by the al-Shabaab terror group, but international goodwill and aid provide valuable help. An international flotilla of warships has subdued piracy off the coast.
As the possessor of Africa’s longest coastline, Somalia enjoys the natural resources of fisheries, which if regulated properly can provide sustainable livelihoods for traditional fishing as well as industry, and beaches, which can be the foundation for a revived tourism sector.
Key opportunities in Somalia:
- Livestock and skins are leading export products, and these traditional products can be utilised in local value-added industry
- IOA analysts foresee Somalia’s long coastline inviting investment in tourist resorts and other tourism sector attractions
- Fishing can be developed if the coast is secured against illegal foreign fishing fleets and sustainable fishing is practiced
Key concerns/risks in Somalia:
- Classified as a Least Developed Country, years of post-war infrastructure reconstruction and rehabilitation of educational, industrial and governance systems is still required
- Al-Shabaab terrorists are a persistent and dangerous security threat
- Like the rest of the Horn of Africa, Somalia is extremely vulnerable to drought and other effects of global warming
