Author: abdaz mohaz

After almost two years of horrendous atrocities in Gaza, Senator Bernie Sanders finally recognised the genocide as a genocide. In an op-ed posted on his United States Senate website, he wrote: “The intent is clear. The conclusion is inescapable: Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.” Like with other recent declarations – from the United Nations and the International Association of Genocide Scholars – this one came too late. But worse than that, it came in a highly problematic framework. Sanders chose to start his op-ed by essentially suggesting that “Hamas started it”. This not only amounts to victim-blaming but also…

Israel’s relentless bombardment of Gaza City has obliterated families, flattened homes, and stretched hospitals to breaking point. As Palestinians flee with nowhere safe to go, children are collapsing from exhaustion and rescue workers are still trying to save people from the rubble.

Canada and Australia have joined the United Kingdom in formally recognising Palestinian statehood as Israel plans to expand settlements in the occupied West Bank and intensifies its war on Gaza. In a statement on Sunday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the recognition of a Palestinian state and offered “our partnership in building the promise of a peaceful future for both the State of Palestine and the State of Israel”. Carney added that the Israeli government was working “methodically to prevent the prospect of a Palestinian state from ever being established”. “Recognising the State of Palestine, led by the Palestinian Authority, empowers…

At least 17 people have been rescued in the aftermath of the strike, and rescue work was ongoing as people and emergency responders dug with their hands and family members at the scene said they feared as many as 50 people were trapped under the rubble. The Palestinian family made an urgent appeal for help to try to free others still trapped. Family members at the scene said they could still hear voices from the rubble. “I appeal to the whole world: Please lend us a helping hand,” one family member said. “Our relatives are buried alive. We keep hearing…

Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia have recognised Palestinian statehood, a symbolic response to Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza and territorial expansion in the occupied West Bank. More states, including France and Portugal, are expected to recognise Palestine in the coming days after the announcements on Sunday. Israel has responded in recent days by doubling down. Shortly before the announcement, Shosh Bedrosian, a spokesperson for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said the PM had called the act “absurd and simply a reward for terrorism”.

Market size & demand signals What could scale (next 12–18 months) Core camp-side services with low capex and fast payback: With cash-assistance seeding capital and mobile money easing payments, the immediate bottleneck is electricity cost and reliability; interventions that de-risk power unlock more enterprises. (For context on cash programming efficacy in Somalia, see recent Somali Cash Consortium assessments.) Bottom-up scale scenarios (Mogadishu IDP sites) Assumptions (transparent, conservative): ventures include kiosk + freezer or shared cold box; minimal staff (owner-operator); capex US$200–600 (used fridge + working capital); electricity is the dominant opex. These shares are in line with observed micro-enterprise densities…

Somalia is moving to deepen commercial ties with South Africa, with policymakers and private-sector leaders exploring ways to integrate markets and reduce barriers to trade. Officials say enhanced connectivity could allow Somali exporters greater access to southern Africa’s consumer base while South African firms eye opportunities in logistics, construction and consumer goods. The initiative reflects Mogadishu’s broader effort to embed itself in African trade networks as it seeks to diversify its economy beyond remittances and agriculture.

International aid reductions are beginning to shutter clinics across Somalia, just as climate-driven floods and droughts fuel outbreaks of measles, cholera, and other preventable diseases. Health officials warn that a fragile system is reaching breaking point. Somalia’s health sector relies overwhelmingly on external funding. With U.S. assistance reduced and other donors retrenching, programmes that provide vaccinations and nutrition support are faltering. Climate change magnifies the stress by driving displacement, worsening sanitation, and spreading waterborne disease. The key actors include international NGOs, UN agencies, and the Ministry of Health. The stakes are stark: 1.8 million Somali children are estimated to be…

A regional seasonal forecast released by the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) warns that Somalia’s October–December “Deyr” rains are likely to underperform, raising the risk of renewed drought stress and food insecurity. Somalia’s climate vulnerability is shaped by erratic rainfall cycles. The 2020–2023 drought displaced hundreds of thousands, while more recent flash floods have devastated urban areas. This year, the outlook points to suppressed rainfall across southern and central states including Jubaland, Southwest State, Hirshabelle, and Galmudug. The main actors are ICPAC meteorologists, Somali disaster management agencies, and humanitarian organisations. The stakes are acute: crop yields, livestock pastures,…

Somalia’s environment ministry launched an updated national climate plan—branded “NDC 3.0”—on the sidelines of the Africa Climate Summit. The roadmap seeks to attract scaled-up adaptation finance and integrate climate priorities into the government’s broader National Transformation Plan for 2025–2029. The country’s previous climate pledges were hampered by weak institutional capacity and fragmented donor engagement. By articulating clearer targets and project pipelines, Mogadishu aims to position itself as a credible partner for investors and multilateral funds. Key players include the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the NDC Partnership, and international lenders. For Somalia, the stakes go beyond policy coherence: predictable…