Engineering Peace in Somalia: A Call for a Re-examination of the Somali Peace Processes

Abstract

Somalia has been grappling with a three-decade-long peace-building and state-building process. During this period, there have been several attempts to restore peace and political stability in this Horn of Africa nation. The peace processes have, however, been based more on the perspective of external actors, with little participation by Somali political elites and warlords, if any, leaving the ordinary populace. The effect has been an elusive peace process. The notion of Western-style democracy has made the federalization process—also itself a foreign concept—further fragment the country. Since the early 2017 indirect ‘elections’, however, there seems to be a glimmer of hope, despite the shortcomings in the process. It is on the basis of this conflicting glimmer of hope and despair in search for peace, state reconstruction, and political stability that this paper aims to provide an overview of the Somali conflict and peace process, conceptualize the Somali peace process, examine Western democracy within the context of Somalia democratization process, as well as try to re-examine and reignite the Somali peace processes.