Somalia
Area1
Total 637,657 sq km
Population2
10,085,638 (July 2012 estimate)
Economy3
GDP (purchasing power parity): US $5.896 billion
(2010 estimate)
Politics
Somalia refers to the territory (see map)413 formed after the unification and independence of the British Somaliland in the north and the Italian Somaliland in the south in 1960. It has been without an effective central government since President Siad Barre was overthrown by opposing clans in 1991. But, the opposition, embroiled in clan wars, could not bring stability to the country, resulting in anarchy. The UN intervention in the country from 1992-1995 either through United Nations Operations in Somalia (UNOSOM) I and II or through the US led UN sanctioned Unified Task Force (UNITAF) was not successful. Years of clan fighting and an inability to deal with famine and disease have led to up to one million deaths. A transitional government was set up following a conference in Djibouti in 2000 but it could do little for reconciliation. Later, a federal parliament was established in 2004 with a transitional government.5
After the collapse of the Siad Barre regime, the northwest part of Somalia unilaterally declared itself as the independent Republic of Somaliland. It is still not recognised by international bodies but has enjoyed relative stability. Later, Puntland also declared itself as an autonomous region of Somalia with a separate government. Some of the central part of Somalia is controlled by a wellorganised Sufi militia called Ahlu-Sunna-Wal-Jamaa (ASWJ), which is fighting against the alShabab. Galmudug in central Somalia and Jubaland in the southern Azania region are the other autonomous or pseudo-states. The old administrative boundaries of the Somali Democratic Republic have no meaning in the current context. The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) with the help of the UN, the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU), and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) are trying to reinstate a legitimate and regular state of Somalia. The current mandate of the TFG ends on August 20, 2012 and the external powers involved in the peace mission are unwilling to extend it further.
In 2006, fundamentalist Islamist groups, Islamic Courts Union (ICU) gained control of much of the south, including the capital. But Ethiopian forces along with forces loyal to the interim government pushed them back by the end of the year. After the defeat ICU splintered into various factions. In 2007, the UNSC authorised AU peacekeeping mission, African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) was deployed in Mogadishu. However, one of the breakaway group, the alShabab, which has links with al-Qaeda, fought back, regaining control of most of southern Somalia by late 2008. Ethiopia pulled its troops out in January 2009. Soon, al-Shabab fighters took control of Baidoa, formerly a key stronghold of the transitional government. Somalia’s parliament met in neighbouring Djibouti in late January 2009 and swore in 149 new members from the main opposition movement, the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia. The mandate of the TFG was extended. Al-Shabab consolidated its position as the most powerful insurgent group by driving out its main rival, Hizbul Islam, in October 2009. The government’s military position weakened and in May 2009, the insurgents launched an attack on Mogadishu, prompting President Ahmad to appeal for help from abroad. After a series of offensives by government forces and African Union peacekeepers, and a Kenyan army incursion, the al-Shabaab withdrew from Mogadishu in August 2011, the port of Baidoa in February 2012, and the key town of Afgoye in May 2012. Government forces are currently pushing southwards.6
Economic Overview
Despite a state of anarchy in the government, Somalia has miraculously maintained an informal economy based on livestock, remittance/money transfer companies, and telecommunications Agriculture is the most important sector with livestock normally accounting for about 40 per cent of GDP and more than 50 percent of export earnings. Somalia’s small industrial sector has largely been looted. However, Somalia’s service sector has grown. A formal banking sector is absent and money transfer services have emerged throughout the country. Hotels continue to operate and are supported with private security militias. Somalia’s arrears to the IMF have continued to grow.7 In 2011, the Somali conditions were worsened by the deadliest drought in six decades, which left millions of people on the verge of starvation and caused tens of thousands to flee to Kenya and Ethiopia. Now, the UN says the famine is over but the humanitarian conditions are still poor and fragile.
India and Somalia
Somalia is important as the maritime neighbour of India, separated by the waters of the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. The major portion of India’s maritime trade passes through the Gulf of Aden along the coast of Somalia.
Political Relations
India established diplomatic relations with Somalia in 1961. Abdirashid Ali Shermarke visited India as the Prime Minister and President in 1963 and 1968 respectively. There were several high level visits from Somalia in 1979, 1986 and 1989. But, the Indian Embassy in Mogadishu was closed after the outbreak of the civil war. India’s Minister of State for External Affairs Eduardo Faleiro visited Somalia in 1992 and provided relief supplies worth Rs. 20 lakh. Somalia maintains an embassy in India and the Indian mission remains in touch with the senior leadership of Somalia. Somalian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Planning and International Cooperation Dr. Abdiweli Mohamed Ali visited India in March 2011 to attend the 7th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave on India Africa Project Partnership. During his visit to India in April 2011, he pledged full support of Somalia and the TFG in extending assistance to India to fight the menace of piracy. Though a diplomatic mission within Somalia is not there due to the prevailing adverse conditions, Sibabrata Tripathi, presently High Commissioner of India to Kenya, has been concurrently accredited as the Ambassador of India to the Republic of Somalia with residence in Nairobi.8
Trade and Development Cooperation
During 2011-12 India-Somalia trade showed substantial increase reaching a figure of more than US$ 181 million after a sharp decline in figures from US$129.1 million in 2007-08 to US$21.5 million in 2009-10.9 India is one of the important trade partners of Somalia with 13.7 percent share in its imports next only to Djibouti.10 India mainly exports sugar to Somalia and imports oil seeds and fruits from it. In 1985, Somalia was among the recipient countries of 100,000 tonnes of wheat offered by the Indian government to countries in the Horn of Africa. India also offers Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) training scholarships to Somalia. During 2011-12, all the three ICCR scholarship programmes offered to Somalia were utilised. Somalia is among the partner countries of the Pan African e-Network project initiated by India. In September 2011, India announced a contribution of US$ 8 million towards humanitarian assistance for countries in the Horn of Africa region (Somalia, Kenya and Djibouti) to be distributed through the World Food Programme. Somalis also travel to India for studies and medical attention.
Peacekeeping and Maritime Security
India has given support to the peacekeeping efforts in Somalia. UNOSOM II (1993-94) had a participation of 4,600 Indian peacekeepers. It included armour and helicopters. The Indian troops also engaged in reconstruction and humanitarian work. The Indian Navy played a major part in the Indian contribution to the UN task force in Somalia. India has also been the Chair of the United Nations Security Council Eritrea-Somalia Sanctions Committee. At the Second Africa India Forum Summit held in Addis Ababa in May 2011, India provided US$ 2 million to the African Union Mission for Somalia (AMISOM).11
Somalian pirates have been reported very close to India’s coasts and have held many Indian sailors for ransom. Being a major stakeholder in the security of the region, India has deployed its navy against the pirates and is a part of the International Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia. The Indian Navy has been involved in anti-piracy patrolling in the Gulf of Aden since 2008.
- 1. Somalia, The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, at https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/theworld-factbook/geos/so.html
- 2. Ibid
- 3. Ibid
- 4. This map is a rough sketch of Somalia and not to scale. The old political and administrative boundaries of the
erstwhile Somali Democratic Republic have lost their relevance as the result of the prevailing anarchy. Somaliland,
Puntland, Galmudug, areas ruled by the ASWJ in Central Somalia, areas under Harkatul Mujahidin al-Shabab,
Ximan and Xeeb and the Jubaland in the Southern Azania region are the autonomous political units in current
Somalia. Somaliland and Puntland are the most stable political units with properly functioning governments. They
have varying claims over some of the area between them. The political boundaries in southern Somalia keep changing
due to the ongoing civil war and the fight between the AMISOM forces and the al-Shabab. - 5. “Somalia Profile”, BBC News Africa, May 29, 2012, at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14094503
- 6. Ibid.
- 7. Ibid.
- 8. “Shri Sibabrata Tripathi concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Somalia”,
Ministry of External Affairs, India, January 5, 2011, at http://meaindia.nic.in/mystart.php?id=100516985 - 9. “India-Somalia Relations”, Ministry of External Affairs, India, January 2012, at http://meaindia.nic.in/meaxpsite/
foreignrelation/03fr02.pdf - 10. “Somalia”, CIA World Factbook as on July 24, 2012, at https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-worldfactbook/geos/so.html
- 11. “India-Somalia Relations”, January 2012
