SIDRA Institute

To find out more about @SIDRAInstitute and its activities and services, watch this introduction clip📺.👇.

Due to the weak institutional capacity of #Somali health authorities, the regulatory and enforcement framework for healthcare in both the public and private sectors is limited. This includes laws and regulations that provide the basis for licensing and accrediting health service providers and facilities; the import, export, and quality control of medicinal products and medical equipment; the registration and regulation of healthcare professionals; and mandatory health data reporting. Our study found that, although existing health strategic policies and frameworks are limited, there are ongoing policy developments and reforms at both the Federal and State levels aimed at improving and strengthening health regulations in Somalia. The table below lists some of the key existing and missing health laws and regulations in Puntland State, Somalia. #SIDRAPublication #SomaliaHealth #HealthPolicy #HealthSystems #HealthRegulation #StrengtheningHealthSystems Read more👉bit.ly/4tqscgy

The growing number of #Puntland people seeking medical care abroad is largely driven by deep structural weaknesses in the local health system. A significant proportion, about 40%, leave due to dissatisfaction with the quality of care, particularly citing limited trust in laboratory diagnostics and the standards of available medications. Meanwhile, 31% travel because the specialized services they need are simply not available within the region. As a result, many patients are compelled to seek essential tertiary care in countries such as India, Ethiopia, and Kenya, often at an average cost exceeding $8,500 per patient, @SIDRAInstitute report reveals. Read more➡️bit.ly/4tqscgy

This is not confined to Puntland alone but affects Somalia as a whole, largely due to poor governance and weak leadership. Without intervention—whether from grassroots movements or a wake-up call among political elites—Somalia’s near future looks uncertain.

The growing number of #Puntland people seeking medical care abroad is largely driven by deep structural weaknesses in the local health system. A significant proportion, about 40%, leave due to dissatisfaction with the quality of care, particularly citing limited trust in laboratory diagnostics and the standards of available medications. Meanwhile, 31% travel because the specialized services they need are simply not available within the region. As a result, many patients are compelled to seek essential tertiary care in countries such as India, Ethiopia, and Kenya, often at an average cost exceeding $8,500 per patient. #WorldHealthDay #SIDRAPublication #Somalia Read more➡️bit.ly/4tqscgy

Children in #Somalia remain unvaccinated or "zero-dose" primarily due to a combination of systemic, sociocultural, geographic, and security-related factors. These include: ▶️Insecurity and Conflict: Ongoing violence and instability restrict access to certain areas, such as conflict zones controlled by groups like Al-Shabaab, making it difficult for health services to reach children. ▶️Limited and Fragmented Service Delivery: Health infrastructure is weak, with poor health infrastructure, shortages of health workers, and insufficient logistics and cold chain systems, leading to missed opportunities for vaccination. ▶️Poor Data and Monitoring: Limited reliability and quality of immunization coverage data hinder targeted interventions. Without accurate data on who is unvaccinated, efforts remain unfocused. ▶️Sociocultural Factors: Misinformation about vaccines, low parental education, and cultural beliefs lead to vaccine hesitancy and refusal. ▶️Geographic Barriers: Nomadic populations, remote rural areas, and populations living in hard-to-reach zones pose logistical challenges for vaccine delivery. ▶️Displacement and Mobility: Internally displaced persons and nomadic groups frequently move, complicating tracking and consistent vaccination efforts. ▶️Inadequate Policy Focus: Current policies do not sufficiently recognize or tailor interventions for zero-dose and missed populations, leading to gaps in reaching the most vulnerable. #SIDRAPublication #ChildVaccination #Somalia #ChildHealth #Immunization #VaccinesSaveLives #SomaliChildren Read more➡️bit.ly/4csr1HG

#EidAlFitr🌙 Mubarak. We wish you and your families peace, prosperity, and well-being on this blessed occasion. May this Eid bring renewed hope, stability, and continued progress for all.

Amid cuts to foreign aid programmes by donor countries, #Somalia’s government and stakeholders need to collaborate on implementing fiscal reforms, improving financial management, and mobilizing domestic revenue. Specifically, they need to strengthen revenue collection, promote public-private partnerships, and invest in key sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, and livestock. These efforts aim to reduce reliance on foreign aid, enhance economic resilience, and support sustainable development in Somalia. #SIDRAPublication #FiscalReforms #EconomicResilience #DomesticRevenue #PublicPrivatePartnerships #Agriculture #Fisheries #Livestock Read more➡️bit.ly/3NWxBwF

The strategic risk assessment presented in our recent policy brief identified several potential risks associated with Israel's recognition of Somaliland. These risks pertain to issues of sovereignty, security, geopolitics, the economy, and diplomacy, and they may have significant implications for the stability of #Somalia and the broader region. ▶️Sovereignty: Internal divisions within Somalia, particularly between the Federal Government and Federal Member States such as Puntland and Jubaland, could be exploited by external actors, leading to weakened national unity. ▶️Security: The potential establishment of an Israeli military presence or new alliances may escalate extremist threats, particularly from Al-Shabaab and ISIS, potentially bringing conflict to previously stable regions. ▶️Geopolitical: The recognition could turn the Somali coast into a battleground for Middle Eastern proxy conflicts, especially involving Iran and Yemen’s Houthi movement, with the risk of missile attacks and maritime disruptions. ▶️Economic: Instability could disrupt vital maritime trade routes through the Red Sea, leading to higher insurance costs, rerouted shipping, and economic losses in global energy and container traffic. ▶️Diplomacy: The erosion of norms around recognition and territorial integrity, especially as no other country has followed Israel’s lead, might encourage further fragmentation, but remains unlikely in the current context. #SIDRAPublication #Somalia #HornOfAfrica #Geopolitics #RegionalSecurity Read more➡️bit.ly/46Q5E04

The possibility that #Israel could establish a military base in #Somaliland, particularly near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, may provide Israel with a strategic advantage in monitoring and influencing one of the world’s most important maritime routes. However, such a development could also increase the risk of retaliatory attacks by opposing groups, including the use of missiles or unmanned aerial vehicles (drones). A policy brief we recently published warns that this development could contribute to the expansion of regional conflicts, potentially undermining regional stability and disrupting the strategic importance and security of the Bab el-Mandeb maritime corridor. #SIDRAPublication #Somalia #HornOfAfrica #Geopolitics #RegionalSecurity Read more👉bit.ly/46Q5E04

My colleague @Abdiomarbile has authored a compelling policy brief highlighting the regional security and legal implications of the #Somaliland–#Israel agreement. This is a must read for anyone following developments in the region.

My brief looks at how Israel’s recognition of Somaliland could reshape Horn of Africa politics, touching on legal and security concerns, Red Sea economic interests, and how the region might respond. It also stresses the need for Somali unity and open dialogue at this moment.

Read our latest policy brief that analyses the political, legal, security, and diplomatic implications of #Israel’s recognition of #Somaliland for #Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa.

📢New Policy Brief: The Israel–Somaliland Agreement: Implications for Somalia’s Sovereignty, Regional Security, and International Politics The collapse of the military government led by Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991 triggered state breakdown and civil war across Somalia. In the north, the Somali National Movement (SNM) took control of most of the former British Somaliland Protectorate and declared the restoration of the Republic of Somaliland on 18 May 1991. Over the following decades Somaliland reduced inter-clan conflict, established hybrid governance combining traditional elders with modern institutions, and held several elections. Despite maintaining relative stability and holding a 2001 referendum supporting independence, Somaliland has not received international recognition and is still regarded under international law as part of the Federal Republic of Somalia. Territorial disputes and geopolitical developments have complicated Somaliland’s claim. SSC-Khatumo forces took control of Las Anod in August 2023 and were later recognised by the Federal Government as an interim administration, while a Grand Constitutional Conference in July 2025 declared the formation of Northeastern State as Somalia’s sixth Federal Member State. At the same time Somaliland intensified diplomatic efforts for recognition due to its strategic location near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Regional tensions increased after Ethiopia and Somaliland signed a memorandum on Red Sea access in January 2024, and the situation escalated further when Israel formally recognised Somaliland on 26 December 2025, prompting strong condemnation from Somalia and raising major political and security concerns in the Horn of Africa. #SIDRAPublication #Somalia #Somaliland #HornOfAfrica #Geopolitics #RegionalSecurity Read the full policy brief here👉 bit.ly/46Q5E04

Violent extremism in #Somalia is driven by interconnected political, social, and economic challenges, including prolonged conflict, weak state institutions, and widespread insecurity. High youth unemployment, poverty, marginalization, clan conflicts, corruption, and lack of justice create grievances that extremist groups exploit. Displacement, social exclusion, low education, and limited economic opportunities further increase the vulnerability of young people to radicalization and recruitment. #SIDRAPublication #PCVE Read more in our study👉bit.ly/3P2wADs

Ramadan Mubarak 🌙 We extend our warm congratulations to all Muslims on the commencement of the blessed month of Ramadan. May Allah accept our fasting, prayers, and righteous deeds, and may this month bring goodness, peace, and blessings to us all.

Our recent study on the impact of the USAID funding freeze in #Somalia highlights the urgent need to strengthen economic resilience and reduce dependence on external aid. To achieve sustainable development, Somalia’s Federal Government and Federal Member States must work together to reform financial management and taxation systems, strengthen domestic revenue collection, and promote public–private partnerships. Investing in key sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, and livestock can boost local production, reduce reliance on food aid, create jobs, and generate sustainable income. Our study also emphasizes the importance of improving financial accountability and transparency to combat corruption and ensure public funds are used effectively. Somalia’s long-term progress depends on good governance, accountability, and strong local institutions. #SIDRAPublication #Somalia #HumanitarianAid Read more 👉bit.ly/3NWxBwF

The study found that: 🔹Many cancers remain undiagnosed 🔹Puntland lacks modern screening and testing equipment 🔹Facilities such as CT scans, PET scans, MRI, and pathology labs are very limited 👉Because of this, many patients only discover cancer when it is already advanced.

As today is #WorldCancerDay, this study found that cancer is an increasing health problem in #Puntland and across #Somalia, and is now among the leading causes of serious illness and death. Around 8% of surveyed patients travelled abroad from Puntland mainly for cancer treatment, showing that local services are inadequate. Doctors reported that cancer cases are rising, but many patients are not diagnosed early because Puntland lacks modern screening and diagnostic equipment. The study also found that oncology services are very limited, with almost no access to chemotherapy or radiotherapy. As a result, most cancer patients are forced to seek treatment abroad at very high cost, placing heavy financial pressure on families. These findings highlight the urgent need for a well-equipped tertiary hospital with cancer diagnosis and treatment services in Puntland. #SIDRAPublication #CancerAwareness #CancerCare #PublicHealth #HealthcareAccess #HealthResearch #CancerPrevention #HealthForAll Read more👉bit.ly/3LTBi5A

In recent years, #Somalia has experienced multiple cyberattack incidents, most notably the attack on the national e-visa system in November 2025. These incidents underscore the country’s escalating cybersecurity threats and persistent structural vulnerabilities across both public and private sectors. Against this backdrop, our latest policy brief presents the following recommendations aimed at strengthening resilient cybersecurity frameworks capable of operating effectively. #SIDRAPublication #SomaliaDigital #SomaliaCybersecurity #SomaliaTech #DigitalSomalia Read more👉bit.ly/3ZvTuVT