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Somali politics and society
30 September 2021
Photo credit: Kate Stanworth
Research projects
Spatial Inequality in Times of Urban Transition: Complex Land Markets
The main aim of this research is to understand how complex land markets influence spatial justice within the current urban transition in East Africa.
View the full research page for further information.
- Overview
The main aim of this research project is to understand how complex land markets influence spatial justice within the current urban transition in East Africa, and the project objectives include:
To understand and explain the complex land markets in each of the selected cities and how these relate to contextual factors, including an analysis of the stakeholders involved and the mechanisms of the institutionalisations of CLM (Arua and Kampala in Uganda, and Hargeisa and Berbera in Somaliland);听To provide evidence of the risks and costs of urbanisation if trends in inequalities and spatial development remain the same;听To develop policy-relevant recommendations related to land governance and equitable and sustainable urban development.View the full research page for further information.
Somali Political Development: women鈥檚 leadership and participation
Recent research recognises the importance of political settlements -on-going, adaptable political processes- in determining the equitability of development and the level of stability in societies.
View the full research page for further information.
- Overview
This project focuses on Somaliland as an excellent case for analysis of power relationships between formal and informal actors in a relatively stable environment, but with strong applicability across a wider area: the Somali Horn of Africa, and with insights that are also useful elsewhere.
View the full research page for further information.
Outputs
- Blogs
By Jama Musse Jama
By Jama Musse Jama
By Conrad Heine with Michael Walls
By Lilian Schofield
By Lilian Schofield
By Michael Walls
By Michael Walls
By Michael Walls
Election Observation Missions
About the election observation missions
- Somaliland Parliamentary and Local Council Election Observation Mission 2021
Ahead of Somaliland鈥檚 long-delayed second parliamentary election and third local council elections on 31 May 2021, a DPU-led team of 12 international observers is arriving in Hargeysa.
Read more about the听Parliamentary and Local Council Election Observation Mission 2021
View the report here
Overview
The limited international election observation mission (LIEOM) has been invited by Somaliland鈥檚 National Electoral Commission (NEC) and is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the United Kingdom. The LIEOM is organised by the Development Planning Unit (DPU) at University College London. The LIEOM听will conduct its observation activities in accordance with the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, emphasising the impartiality of its observation.
This is the fifth election in Somaliland observed by DPU since 2005. Part of the LIEOM鈥檚 mandate will be to assess Somaliland鈥檚 new听General Law for National Elections and Voters鈥� Registration and its implementation. The elections mark an important moment for democracy in Somaliland: after significant delays to both polls, this is the first time that national and local elections have been combined.Read more about the听Parliamentary and Local Council Election Observation Mission 2021
View the report here
- Somaliland Presidential Election Observation Mission 2017
International observers of Somaliland鈥檚 presidential election on 13 November 2017 arrive in Somaliland, hoping for a successful and peaceful poll.
View the full webpage more information on the 2017听Presidential Election Observation Mission
Overview
The international election observation mission (EOM) was been invited by Somaliland鈥檚 National Electoral Commission (NEC) and was funded by the British government. The EOM conducted its observation activities in accordance with the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, emphasising the impartiality of that observation.
The EOM was led by the DPU, and coordinated by听Michael Walls.
This EOM marks the fourth election in Somaliland observed and reported on by DPU and Somaliland Focus since 2005.
View the full webpage more information on the 2017听Presidential Election Observation Mission
- Voter Registration 2016
The Somaliland voter registration process began on 16 January 2016, concluding on 26 September 2016, and was conducted by the Somaliland National Electoral Commission (NEC) in all six regions of the country. International development agency Progressio, the Development Planning Unit (DPU) at University College London (UCL), and members of Somaliland Focus (UK), observed the process at different points during this period. The international election observer (IEO) mission followed previous observations by these three organisations of Somaliland鈥檚 House of Representatives election in 2005, presidential election in 2010, and local council elections in 2012.
Output
Report by International Observers on the 2016 Voter Registration Process in Somaliland
- Election Observation Mission 2012
On November 28th, 2012, Somaliland, the region that unilaterally declared independence from Somalia in 1991, held local council elections. The campaign and election was witnessed by听Dr. Michael Walls听and听Stephanie Butcher听of the DPU, who were a part of a 51-member team of international election observers, coordinated by Michael in collaboration with Dr. Steve Kibble of the international NGO,听.
Read more about the听Election Observation Mission 2012
Overview
This election marked an important moment for Somaliland because, as well as electing individual councillors, the vote was designed to select the top three political parties who would then be eligible to contest all other elections for the next decade. Of further regional significance was the presence for the first time of civil society representatives from South-Central Somalia and Puntland, acting as a team of 鈥榯echnical observers鈥� looking to learn from Somaliland elections, with a view to building a collective institutional understanding on election management amongst different Somali actors.
DPU鈥檚 involvement in Somaliland builds on Michael鈥檚 longstanding academic engagement in the region, and marks the second election observation mission that he has coordinated. DPU鈥檚 links with Somali academic interests are also reflected in a proposed research project currently being developed by a number of DPU staff members, including Michael and Stephanie, and focused on exploring the 鈥榚conomic knowledge鈥� of informal traders within Somaliland鈥檚 capital city of Hargeisa.
Read more about the听Election Observation Mission 2012
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