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Sunday 9 February 2025

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Politics

Politics
South Sudan: resuming oil exports, resuming hope?

For over a year, South Sudan’s economy has stalled due to the halt in oil exports, the main source of government revenue. With oil exports now resuming, does this signal a return to normality?

Politics
Elon Musk and the hypocrisy of the West

Musk’s embrace of far-right politics and Zionism reveals the fractures in Western liberal democracy, where whiteness trumps equality and justice.

Politics
The inheritance of hope

Through political turmoil and broken promises, Kenyans hold fast to hope—an enduring force that fuels resilience and dreams of a brighter future.

Politics
Archives: Somalia Trys to Live by Both the Koran and ‘Das Kapital’ (1977)

In 1977, the award-winning New York Times journalist, John Darnton, wrote an article about the battle for ideological supremacy in Somalia, between nationalism, Islam and socialism.

Politics
The al-Shabaab reaction to the rise of HTS in Syria

How did al-Shabaab respond to the overthrow of Assad’s regime? Stig Jarle Hansen, a leading expert on the group, examines their media coverage of the HTS offensive and its potential implications.

Opinion

Hargeisa’s urban dilemma

Hargeisa’s gated communities and bustling markets showcase the dynamism of Somaliland’s private sector, while nearby, crumbling infrastructure highlights urban growth outpacing local government capacity.

Asmara: an African modernist city frozen in time

Asmara, a city sculpted by Italian colonialism, stands as a paradox—both a relic of its oppressive past and a modernist marvel frozen in time.

Mogadishu is losing its aesthetic identity

Mogadishu has long drawn on the architectural styles of the age, from Swahili influences to Italian and later tropical modernism. But poor urban planning and climbing high-rises now threaten its aesthetic identity & coastal character.

A look back at Burundi’s role in the Somali peacekeeping mission

Burundian soldiers made a vital yet underappreciated contribution to the peacekeeping missions in Somalia. As they withdraw and prepare to return home, they can look back with pride on a job well done.

Somaliland elections postmortem: did you say change?

The smooth conclusion of Somaliland’s election and Irro’s promises of change have raised public expectations for what the incoming administration will bring. However, Somaliland requires deep, not superficial, reform.

Culture

Books
Salutation Road by Salma Ibrahim review – a diaspora coming-of-age

Salutation Road, Salma Ibrahim’s literary debut, tells the coming-of-age story of a young Somali woman navigating the tensions of displacement and culture in post-Brexit London.

Thoughts
When Brazil’s African Muslims scared the world

Taking place 190 years ago, the Malê Revolt in Bahia, led by African Muslim slaves, shook Brazil's foundations and echoed global fears of a new Haiti.

Books
Translation; Jawar Mohamed recalls Hachallu's impact on him

Jawar Mohamed is one of Ethiopia’s most prominent political figures. Last year, he released his memoir, tracing both his political and personal journey. Geeska has translated a passage into English.

Thoughts
Ethiopia’s Najashi Mosque in the shadow of the Tigray war

Ethiopia’s Najashi Mosque is one of Africa’s oldest, containing the tomb of the famous Ethiopian king and the Prophet’s companions. However, the mosque and the community that maintains it are suffering from neglect in the shadow of the Tigray war.

Thoughts
A requiem to Boroma, a Somali education hub

Borama is a city renowned for its outsized role in Somali education and for the brilliant minds that have passed through its institutes. But distant clan conflicts have led some in the city to leave, fearing for their safety.

Thoughts
Why some Somalis don’t like Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter is widely regarded as one of the greatest US presidents for his commitment to equality and justice. However, a fateful decision during the cold war has left him a more complex legacy in Somalia, where he is blamed for not supporting the country during its war with Ethiopia.

Thoughts
Life among the Damascene Somalis

Zeinab Ahmed, who moved to Damascus in the late 1990s, reflects on being raised in the city prior to the uprising and the repressive atmosphere that eventually fueled the revolt.

Thoughts
How the SYL leveraged the UN to advance their anti-colonial agenda

Yusra Abdullahi, a historian of African activism at the UN, explores how the SYL leveraged the organisation to challenge colonial domination and advocate for Somali self-determination.

Multimedia

History as a tool for change; an interview with Hakim Adi

Professor Hakim Adi, the first professor of the history of African heritage in the UK, speaks to Geeska about Pan-Africanism, Africa’s relationship with China, and his belief in history as a tool for change.Professor Hakim Adi is a prominent British-Nigerian pan-African.

Fanon in Somali

Why have I dedicated myself to this arduous task, you may wonder? Well, as Fanon himself eloquently stated in his treatise, “Each generation must discover its mission, fulfill it or betray it, in relative opacity.”

🎬 How did the West get away with Lumumba’s assassination?

Stuart Reid’s new book, The Lumumba Plot, revisits Patrice Lumumba’s assassination, with strong insight into the role of the US in assassinating Lumumba and bringing down the government of one of Africa’s most iconic leaders. 

🎬 Who can live without a port?

Leaders across the Horn of Africa have touted the innumerable benefits of building ports for their people, putting them at the heart of their projects to develop their regions. 

🎬 What Palestine means for South Africa

South Africa’s decision to take Israel to the ICJ on charges of genocide could cost his country, says former South African ambassador and anti-apartheid activist Ebrahim Rasool, but is an act of “enormous integrity” 

Interviews

Interviews
Mustafa Saeed on pop art and Somali culture

Somali artist Mustafa Saeed speaks to Geeska about how his work reclaims Somali identity, blending traditional cultural elements with global pop culture to spark a broader conversation on heritage and modernity.

Interviews
Afyare Elmi: “the continuation of Somali conflicts seems inevitable”

Why has Somalia’s civil war lasted so long? Afyare Abdi Elmi, a leading Somali scholar and author, spoke with Geeska about its history, what he believes caused the conflict, and what continues to drive it.

Interviews
Translating Somali history into Turkish

Ebuzer Demirci, a Turkish researcher and translator, specialising in the Horn of Africa, speaks to Geeska about his decision to translate Abdurahman Abdullahi Baadiyow’s history of Somalia into Turkish.

Interviews
Samar al-Bulushi on Kenya and the War on Terror

Samar al-Bulushi, a professor of anthropology at University of California, Irvine, speaks to Geeska about her new book on Kenya and the so-called War on Terror.

Interviews
“Reclaiming a space”: IBrahim CM on Somali National Theatre premiere

Somali filmmaker and director IBrahim CM reflects on what it felt like for his films to premiere at the opening of the Somali National Theatre and his goal of making “meaningful” content for Somali audiences.