Missing the Mark: The Misalignment between Policy Responses and the Drivers of Conflict in Somalia
30 Pages Posted: 5 Feb 2020
Date Written: December 9, 2019
Abstract
Somalia is a country locked in a complex conflict which has dragged on for almost three decades, displacing millions and leaving hundreds of thousands dead. The causes of the conflict are numerous and interrelated. This makes resolving the conflict that much more complicated. The situation is made worse by policies aimed at addressing the conflict which are often unclear, uncoordinated, or contradictory. This misalignment between drivers and approaches has left the country trapped in a state of perpetual chaos. What follows is an examination of some of the major historical events that led to the modern day conflict in Somalia, analysis of the major policy responses, identification of where these responses have missed the mark, and a series of lessons that should be learned going forward. This case study aims to examine Somalia’s seemingly perpetual conflict with a focus toward both informing policymakers and highlighting a need to more critically evaluate policy goals and objectives in Somalia to ensure policies are actually addressing the problems they are intended to address.
Keywords: Somalia, East Africa, al-Shabaab, terrorism, civil war, communal violence
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