Sector 1 Profile

Mogadishu

Overview

Mogadishu is the largest city in , the capital city of Somalia and an administrative region in south-eastern Somalia. Located in the coastal region of Banadir, Mogadishu is the commerce harbour of Somalia. Known for its beautiful white sandy beaches, the city is linked by road with and Ethiopia and is home to Somalia’s international airport. The city is divided into 16 administrative districts. After the ousting former president Siad Barre regime and the ensuing civil war various militias fought for control of the city, later to be replaced by the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) in 2006. The ICU thereafter splintered into more radical groups like Al Shabaab which fought the Transitional Federal Government and AU Peacekeepers. With a change in administration in late 2010, federal control of Mogadishu steadily expanded. The pace of territorial gains also greatly accelerated, as more trained government and AMISOM troops entered the city.

Mogadishu Fact Box . Capital City: Mogadishu . Population: above 2.5million . Districts: 17 . Major Religion: Islam . Monetary Unit: Somali Shilling . Key Industries: Processing industries: matress, soft drinks,fish, pasta,fruits, bakery. . Internet Domain: .so . International Dialing Code: +252 Fact- Political Actors . Mayor: Mohamed Nur ‘Tarzan’ (Governor of Banadir Region) . Deputy Mayors:  Iman Nur Ikar  Ali Gure

Security

In Somalia's two decades of war, Mogadishu has been the main theatre of action in a spiral of contests between clan- based warlords, terror groups, government and peacekeeping forces supporting the weak transitional governments.

The most infamous incident was the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993 in what came to be known as the 'Black Hawk Down' incident. A failed operation to capture lieutenants of warlord Mohamed Farah Aideed ended in the death of 19 American forces and more than one thousand civilian deaths.

In 2006, the city came under the control of the Islamic Courts Union and for 6 months relative calm ensued. The situation erupted with the advance of Somali security forces backed by Ethiopian forces intent on wrestling control of the city from the Islamic Courts Union.

In 2007, the Ethiopians withdrew and majority of the city came under the control of the military wing of the Islamic Courts Union, the terror group Al Shabaab. The Al Shabaab control of the city was marked by public floggings, executions and the administration of strict interpretation of the Sharia. A lot of the city's elites moved from the city while steep taxes were imposed on businesses.

Mandated by the African Union Peace and Security Council and the United Nations Security Council, African Union forces deployed to Mogadishu in March 2007. Part of the mission's mandate entailed bringing back the city under government control.

Around the same time, the first batch of the African Union peacekeepers deployed in Mogadishu. For the next three years, control of the city was fought for between the Al Shabaab and the African Union Forces.

In early August 2011, government troops and their AMISOM partners succeeded in forcing out Al-Shabaab from the parts of the city that the group had previously controlled.

While there are still threats of suicide bombings and other terror attacks, Mogadishu is relatively stable and calm as exemplified by the bustling commerce, the return of from the diaspora and the presence of international actors such as the UN, long absent from the city.

Politics

The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) was the internationally recognized central government of Somalia between 2004 and 2012. Based in Mogadishu, it constituted the executive branch of the government. On August 2012 President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud was elected after the Transitional government came to an end and the formation of an elected government has revived the country’s ability from fragility towards sustainable stability and improved rule of law as well as governance.

The Federal Government of Somalia has its headquarters in Mogadishu. The national parliament that consists of the House of the People of the Federal parliament is also located in Mogadishu so is the Transitional supreme court. Mogadishu is divided into 16 districts each governed by a district commissioner. All formal government civil servants are appointed by the Mayor. In a few districts appointment has been in consultations with local elders and citizens. Established in August 20, 2012, concurrent with the end of the TFG's interim mandate, the Somali Government represented the first permanent central government in the country since the start of the civil war until it came to an end.

Economy

Mogadishu serves as a commercial and financial centre for Somalia. Mogadishu’s market offers a variety of goods from food to the newest electronic gadgets. The hotel industry continues to boom. The economy has recovered somewhat from the civil unrest, faring relatively better than other Somali cities. Principal industries include food and beverage processing and textiles, especially cotton ginning. Besides the real estate market/ hotel industry, the telecommunications industry has also flourished. Somalia’s telecommunication service Hormuud Telecom is the largest telecommunications company in southern and central Somalia and has its headquarters in Mogadishu. Telcom is another telecommunication service provider.

Airport- With the outbreak of the civil war in the early 1990s, Mogadishu International Airport's flight services experienced routine disruptions and its grounds and equipment were largely destroyed. In the late 2000s, the K50 airport situated 50 kilometres south of the capital, served as the capital's main airport while Mogadishu International Airport, now renamed Aden Ade International Airport after Somalia’s first president.

However, in late 2010, the security situation in Mogadishu had significantly improved, As of 2012, the largest services using Aden Adde International Airport include Turkish airlines, Air Other airlines flying to and from Mogadihu include African Express, Jubba Airways, East African and Daalllo Airways.

Roads - Roads leading out of Mogadishu connect the city to other localities out of Somalia such as Ethiopia and Kenya. The city itself is cut into a several grid layouts by an extensive road network. However due to neglect brought on by the protracted civil war, there are few paved roads making hindering transportation hence the people of Somalia depending on air transport to travel from one region to another.

Seaport - Mogadishu leads Somalia in port traffic and still serves as a major seaport. While daily shipments bring in vehicles, foodstuffs and electronic goods, among other items.

Media

Mogadishu has long been a centre of media. After independence in 1960, a growing number of privately owned production and distribution companies as well as actual projection theatres sprang up. In addition to the various local media companies, there are a number of radio foreign news agencies based in Mogadishu. Many of the headquarters for the media organisations have base in Mogadishu and have expanded to other regions.

Main Radio Stations

 Radio Mogadishu 90.0FM  Radio Mustaqbal 97.9FM  Radio Bar-Kulan 92.0FM  Radio Shabelle 101.5FM  Radio Goobjoog 88.5FM  Radio Kulmiye 88.0FM  Gool FM 99.0FM

Main TV Stations

 Shabelle TV  Somali National TV  Somali National TV SNTV  Star TV  Universal TV  TV Royal 24

Main Websites

 www.raxanreeb.com  www.kulmiyenews.com  www.shabelle.net  www.dalsanradio.com  www.radiomuqdisho.net