SPA Research

Set a reminder for SPA & @SomaliaPdrc upcoming Space! twitter.com/i/spaces/1YGNr…

Pleased to share that our @SPAPolicyLab Director @aweis_ahmedsom joins @ChathamHouse’s Africa Programme (@AfricaProg) as an @SNForg Visiting Fellow and will be based in London for one year. While at Chatham House, Aweis will conduct policy-relevant research on Somalia’s international and regional relations in a shifting global order, with the aim of supporting Somalia’s contributions to global governance. The research outputs will be jointly published by Chatham House and Somali Public Agenda. The fellowship builds on the Chatham House Africa Programme’s success in hosting visiting fellows from Mozambique and Sierra Leone between 2023 and 2025, whose work focused on supporting their countries as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Aragtida Dowladnimada | Maamul Wanaag Podcast Horraantii sanadkan ayaa la soo bandhigay buug cusub oo ciwaankiisu yahay “Aragtida Dowladnimada”(The Idea of a State). Buuggan waxaa qoray @XuseenMacallin oo labo jeer soo noqday Lataliyaha Amniga Qaranka ee Madaxweynaha Soomaaliya, sidoo kalena ah guddoomiyaha Machadka Saldhig. Qeybtan 70-aad ee Maamul Wanaag Podcast, @MahadWasuge iyo Xuseen Sheekh Cali, waxa ay ku falanqeynayaan nuxurka buugga iyo farriimaha ku jira. youtu.be/XUp-ZBc_OSo?si…

On 25 March 2026, our Deputy Executive Director, @FarhanShabel, attended the first day of a two-day dialogue held in Mogadishu. The event was organized by the Benadir Regional Administration (BRA) and aimed at enhancing transparency, accountability, and responsive local governance within BRA. The dialogue brought together a diverse group of participants, including representatives from women’s groups, youth, elders, persons with disabilities, and officials from BRA. Farhan delivered a brief presentation on the role of civil society organizations in promoting transparency and social accountability. He also participated in a panel discussion focused on the theme of the dialogue, where he addressed participants’ questions on improving transparency and accountability within BRA. #SomaliPublicAgenda

𝗦𝗮𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘆𝗻𝘁𝗮 𝗗𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗮 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗮 𝗗𝗵𝗲𝘅𝗲 𝗲𝗲 𝗗𝗵𝗮𝗾𝗮𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗵𝗮, 𝗔𝗺𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗮 𝗶𝘆𝗼 𝗦𝗶𝘆𝗮𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗮 𝗦𝗼𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘆𝗮 February 28, 2026, Israa’iil iyo Mareykanka oo is kaashanaya ayaa weerar cirka ah ku qaaday magaalada Tehraan ee ah caasimadda Iiraan, halkaas oo ay ku beegsadeen hoggaamiyihii sare ee Jamhuuriyadda Islaamiga ah ee Iran iyo saraakiil sarsare. Weerarkaas ka dib waxaa billowday weerarro is dabajoog ah oo aargoosi ah kuwaas oo ay Iiraan ku qaadday Israa’iil, dalalka khaliijka iyo qaar ka mid ah saldhigyada Mareykanku ku leeyahay Bariga Dhexe. Dagaalkan ayaa abuuray cabsi laga qabo in uu ku fidi karo dalal hor leh oo ay ka mid yihiin dalalka Geeska Afrika sida Soomaaliya. Agaasimaha SPA Policy Lab, Dr. Aweis Ahmed, ayaa faalladan ku gorfeynaya saameynta dagaalka Bariga Dhexe uu ku yeelan karo Soomaaliya gaar ahaan dhinacyada dhaqaalaha, amniga iyo siyaasadda. youtu.be/fqCJiXwmsiI?si…

Muuqaalkan kooban ee @somalipubagenda waxa aan ku gorfeynaya ansixinta dhawaan lagu sameeyay dastuurka cusub, hannaanka loo maray, caqabadaha ku hor gudban iyo talooyin. youtu.be/7yuKTs4AnCM?si…

Dhowr iyo toban sano ayaan si dhaw ula socday doodaha, gorfeynta iyo mowqifyada siyaasadeed ee @AAbdishakur. Waxa aan fursad u helay in aan arrimaha dastuurka & doorashooyinka ka wareyso isaga oo marti noogu ahaa xalqada 69-aad ee Maamul Wanaag Podcast ee @SPAPodcasts_ @somalipubagenda. youtu.be/cgMzMFA8dc4?si…

NEW COMMENTARY I Contested Rules, Contested Legitimacy: Somalia’s Constitutional and Electoral Conundrum In this commentary, our Executive Director, @MahadWasuge, examines a critical question: Which constitution is legitimate—the Provisional Federal Constitution or the recently amended version? He also explores how this dispute could shape Somalia’s upcoming electoral process. Read the full commentary: somalipublicagenda.org/contested-rule…

My Latest Commentary: Contested Rules, Contested Legitimacy: Somalia’s Constitutional and Electoral Conundrum Now that the FGS has concluded the constitutional review process, the key question is which constitution is legitimate—the Provisional Federal Constitution or the recently amended version—and how this development will affect the upcoming electoral process. I answer this question in this @somalipubagenda commentary: somalipublicagenda.org/contested-rule…

🎙️ 𝗘.𝟲𝟴 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮: 𝗘𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗜 𝗠𝗮𝗮𝗺𝘂𝗹 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗮𝗴 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 In this 68th episode of the Maamul Wanaag Podcast, @MahadWasuge speaks with Dr. Nisar Majid, Research Director at The London School of Economics and Political Science - LSE PeaceRep programme. They discuss conflict and governance dynamics in Somalia, as well as insights from the Conflict Research Programme and the PeaceRep (Peace and Conflict Resolution Evidence Platform) programme, both of which Dr. Nisar Majid has led. 🎧You can listen to this episode here: somalipublicagenda.org/e68-rethinking…

Read the first of our @SPAPolicyLab Occasional Paper Series! This Occasional Paper so-authored by @FarhiaMohamuud, @Aweisade & @derekbmiller distills and adapts key findings from a longer Policy Design Solution Paper on Public Financial Management (PFM) in Adado District. While the original design paper offers a detailed account of research findings, design propositions, and implementation blueprints, this version extracts the core analytical and practical insights and presents them in a concise, decision-oriented format for policymakers and practitioners. 🔗 Read it here: somalipublicagenda.org/rebuilding-the…

Our Researcher, @IbraJibril_, and Executive Director, @MahadWasuge, participated in a three-day Somali Digital Harms Initiative inception workshop organized by @howtobuildpeace in Nairobi, Kenya, from 14–17 February 2026. The workshop brought together researchers and practitioners to frame and understand Somalia’s information ecosystem, digital context, and priority digital harms across social media platforms. Discussions examined misinformation and disinformation, hate speech, polarizing and manipulative narratives, and the political and social dynamics that enable these harms. Participants also mapped key state, civil society, private sector, and individual actors relevant to prevention and response, with a focus on strengthening digital regulation and policy implementation. The program included hands-on training using the Phoenix social media analysis tool to capture and analyze dominant online discourses, narratives, and topics shaping public debate. Upon conclusion, a working group was formed, including Somali Public Agenda (SPA) and @SomaliaPdrc, to support the next phase of social media analysis and coordinated engagement on digital harms in Somalia.

After a productive 4 years & 7 months, @Qamarosman8 is leaving SPA. Thank you Qamar for your service at SPA & your immense contributions to SPA. We wish you all the very best in your future endeavour. Read Qamar’s reflection on her time with us here: somalipublicagenda.org/a-journey-of-g…

Our Executive Director, @MahadWasuge, attended the @SomaliREN Annual Council Meeting and Annual Leaders’ Retreat, held in Nairobi on February 14–15, 2026. The conference brought together 31 member institutions—29 universities and two research institutions—to review SomaliREN’s 2025 performance and plans for 2026. Findings from the SomaliREN Higher Education e-Readiness Assessment Report were also presented and discussed. In addition to member institutions, representatives from other research and education networks from Kenya (Kenya Education Network), Uganda (Research and Education Network for Uganda), and Tanzania (Tanzania Education and Research Network) presented their structures and shared their work with SomaliREN member institutions. Collaboration in research among universities and research institutions was also discussed during the meeting. SPA officially joined the network in May 2024 and actively contributed to the two-day deliberations.

Casharrada Laga Baran Karo Doorashooyinkii Dhacay 1954 ilaa 1969 Qeybtan 66-aad ee Maamul Wanaag Podcast, @MahadWasuge & Avv. Maxamed Ciise Turunji ayaa isla gorfeynaya casharrada laga baran karo doorashooyinkii dhacay muddadii u dhaxaysay 1954 & 1969. youtu.be/5vIJdpYSjGc?si…

Our Executive Director, @MahadWasuge, received the new Somali Dialogue Platform (SDP) Team Leader, Ali Raza, and SDP advisors, Burhan and Abdisatar, at our office.

2025 was a record-breaking year across our programmes! 📄 We published 23 research and analytical papers — our highest ever. 🤝 We convened 31 forums, both in person (Nairobi, Mogadishu, Kismayo, Garowe, Bosaso, Qardho, Dhusamareb, and Adado) and online, engaging 1,300+ participants. 🎓 We trained 73 trainees, primarily youth, in research and writing. 🎙️ We released 36 podcast episodes, reaching hundreds of thousands of listeners. 📘 Read our 2025 Annual Report here: 🔗 somalipublicagenda.org/annual-report-…

Read @somalipubagenda’s latest paper, which examines the reasons and motivations behind Israel’s decision to offer formal recognition to Somaliland, as well as the implications of this recognition for Somaliland, Somalia, and the wider region.

Read our latest publication on Israel’s recognition of Somaliland and its implications.

On December 31, 2025, our Executive Director @MahadWasuge participated as a panelist in a discussion on lessons learned from the Somaliland–Ethiopia MoU at the @HIPSINSTITUTE’s #AFI2025, held in Dhusamareb. He underscored the importance of unity and inclusive political settlement in addressing external challenges. Other panelists included @Aynte; Abdiwahid Goonjeex, former Deputy Prime Minister; Prof. Hussein Iman; and Aden Omar Abdillahi, director of CERD, Djibouti. The session was moderated by @FadumoSomali.