SomaliaECON 3510

A Brief NoteMay 18, 2010

Somali Nomad Girls

Some History: A Timeline

9000 BC: earliest recorded habitation (cave paintings)3000BC: domestication of the camel800 BC- 400 AD: trade role with Phoenicia, Ancient Egypt,

Crete, Greece, Roman Empire

700 AD Muslim conquest of region; – Mogadishu becomes the major Muslim capital in the region– Trade role continued– Tolerance with Ethiopia maintained

Series of Empires in the region

1885 Berlin Conference: – Italy awarded the region; – begin attempts at control and colonization– Somalis resist fiercely

1925, Italians invade; bitter conflict, 1927 victory– British take “Somaliland” in north, after conflict;– French awarded Djibouti

1940: Italians conquer British Somaliland1941: British defeat Italians– British “martial law” to 1945;

1949-1959: 10 year Trusteeship to Italy – Prosperity in the 1950s

1960 Independence

Italian Empire, 1936-1940 !

1960 IndependenceProblem Issues:

–North-South divide;–Ogaden issue with Ethiopia– Somali territory in Kenya– Language difficulties (English. Italian. Somali dialects,

numerous scripts for Somali language)

Cold War Complications:– Links with Russia and China

1968: Coup d’Etat; Siad Barre takes presidency– ”Supreme Revolutionary Council”– Scientific Socialism” synthesizing Marx and Islam;– Personality cult– Language reform

1977: Ogaden War with Ethiopia• Somalia over-ran Ogaden desert • USSR switches sides; Soviet, Cuban & N. Korean

Assistance support Ethiopian re-capture of Ogaden

1970 to 1990: serious economic problems• Due to war and policy stupidities• Barre lost any support;

1980s: civil conflict

1991:Barre overthrown;Somaliland declared Independence;

1993: UN Peacekeeping force established • To support provision of humanitarian aid

1995“Black hawk Down”, Battle of Mogadishu US and UN leave Somalia

1998: Puntland declared independence

2002: Southwestern Somaliland declared “autonomy”

1981-2006: Collapse of Centralized Governmental Authority

2006-2008: “Islamic Courts Union” or ICU takes control• “Sharia law”…..

2008-June 2009: “Transitional Federal Parliament”• TFP control: limited area shrinking to Mogadishu by 2009• 2008-Jan 2009: Ethiopian Army invades to support TFP• African Union send peacekeepers (Ghana and Burundi)

June 2009: TFP appears to be in desperation, with only weeks left to survive

Shabab poised to take power?

1990-2009: Somalia essentially without a government

Insurgents Side: Islamic Courts Union

Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somaliaal-Shabaab (meaning :Youth”)Ras Kamboni BrigadesJabhatul IslamiyaMuaskar Anole

Alleged:Al-Qaeda and other foreign mujahideenOgaden National Liberation Front Egypt Libya Eritrea

Transitional Federal Government

EthiopiaAfrican UnionPuntlandGalmudugpro-Ethiopian warlordsAfrican Union Mission to SomaliaUN

United StatesUgandaBurundiKenya

:

Basic Information on SomaliaNote: Most information is not available for Somalia. Here is some of what is available.

Population: 8.7 million (2007)Population Growth Rate: 2.8 % per annum

(Doubling every 25 years)

Fertility Rate: 6.8 children per woman (2007)Maternal Mortality: 1,400 per 100,000 live births

African average: 900

Life Expectancy: 48 years (2007)Official Development Assistance (2005): $US 236.4 million

ODA per capita: $US 28.7

Economy during the Civil Chaos

• OK in the north (Somaliland)• Continuing disruption in the south• Continues clicking over; informal economy

completely;• Current Dependence on Food Aid to prevent

death from famine;• Major cash infusions from ransoms and

remittances

Nutritional SituationMay 6, 2010,