Political history of Somalia

The Political history of Somalia covers the development of the Somali government and institutional systems following the collapse of the Siad Barre regime in 1991.

[2] In an interview featured in the BBC Online Somali section in June 2006, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said: "the Union of Islamic Courts was established to ensure that Somali people suffering for 15 years would gain peace and full justice and freedom from the anarchic rule of warlords who refuted their people to no direction."

The conference ended with a signed agreement calling for the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops in exchange for the cessation of armed confrontation.

As part of the official "Roadmap for the End of Transition", a political process which provided clear benchmarks leading toward the establishment of permanent democratic institutions in Somalia by late August 2012,[10] Somali government officials met in the northeastern town of Garowe in February 2012 to discuss post-transition arrangements.

[18] The endorsement officially lifts the purchase ban on light weapons for a one-year period, but retains certain restrictions on the procurement of heavy arms.

[21] This took place after months of preparation whereby 14,000 clan elders and regional figures across Somalia selected 275 members of parliament and 54 senators.

[22] A joint statement by the international community including the UN and European Union warned of "egregious cases of abuse of the electoral process" in light of reports of votes being sold for up to $30,000 apiece.