(MintPress) – Hope sparkles in the eyes of Somali men and women when discussing the future of their country. After more than two decades of fighting and civil war, many are optimistic that their homeland has an opportunity for peace and economic prosperity.
Their hope is found in their new president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the first head of state to be recognized by the U.S. government since 1991.
In January, Mohamud was recognized by former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the White House, ushering in a new era of partnership between the two nations — one that opens the doors for greater cooperation among the Somali government, World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Details regarding increased funding through the IMF, World Bank and USAID programs have not been announced, but Clinton confirmed at her meeting with Mohamud that U.S. recognition would “allow the World Bank and the IMF to do things that they would not have been able to do before.”
Former Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, who helped draft the nation’s new constitution, visited Minneapolis, Minn., home to the largest population of Somalis in the U.S. During an address to leaders in Minnesota’s cultural community, he spoke of the devastation endured over the last two decades and the work that has been done recently to build up the government now currently recognized.
“It was a paradise lost, and we’re trying to get that paradise back,” Ali told the crowd.
With the approval of the U.S., Somali in a sense declared to foreign companies that it was open for business. Considering the civil war that has engulfed the region for decades, this was seen as the only hope for success — creating an economy built on multinational corporations profiting off Somalia’s minerals, which include oil.
But the true test of that hope will be measured in the time it takes for Somalia to rebuild and what life will be like for Somalis once that rebuilding process takes place. Engulfed in violence against extremist organizations, mainly al-Shabab, infrastructure has been destroyed and safety compromised. Thousands of Somalis emigrated to safety, taking refuge in the U.S. and Nordic countries.
Now, Somalis are beginning to see the seeds of change. They come in the form of decreased violence and confidence among those who were once afraid to leave their homes.
Safety has begun to improve in Mogadishu, the country’s capital, but the question now is how long it will take for the economy to take off, for people to go back to work. Until the people of Somalia see the doors of opportunity open, there’s room for skepticism and dampened spirits.
Ali told Mint Press News during his recent visit to the U.S. that economic prosperity will come to Somalia, through cooperation with multinational corporations interested in investing in the nation rich in resources.
But it will take time.
How long, then, will Somalis have to wait to see this change, then? That’s a question even those directing the government have a hard time answering.
“We do not even have roads. This is a country that has been destroyed by civil war,” Ali told Mint Press News, adding that funding from the World Bank will be key in creating the infrastructure the nation needs to attract business.
Connecting hope to change
In January, the country’s new president, Hassan Sheikh Muhammad visited Minneapolis, Minn, home to the largest U.S. population of Somali immigrants, where he shared his hopes and dreams to a crowd of roughly 3,000. Just a few weeks later, Somalia’s former prime minister, Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, traveled to the state, where he met with Somalis living in the United States.
During a small gathering at the Minneapolis Club, Muhammad addressed a crowd regarding that very hope they hold for the future. With optimism, he spoke of the resource-rich region of Somalia, saying now is the time to open up avenues for Western cooperation to build the economy.
But there’s a question for how long it will take to do so — and whether Somalis living in their native state are prepared to endure the time it will take to see the real change they aspire to be a part of.
Seeing is believing
At the Minneapolis gathering for the former prime minister, a group of Somali women living in the capital city of Mogadishu waited for the presentation to start. Casually, they told Mint Press News what life is like following the election Mohamud.
“Safety for women — and everyone — is improving.” Yet the country isn’t quite where it strives to be. Regardless, this is the first hopeful sign for Somalis as they embark on this “new era,” and it’s enough to keep the optimism alive for the younger generation.
“I think there have been some improvements already,” Uba, a Somali woman in her 20s told Mint Press. “Where I live (Mogadishu) the streets are a bit more safe. For me safety is important. I need to feel that I can go out without male family protection. So far the streets have more security. I feel more safe, but I would like to have more security so that I can do things for myself.”
Before the new government took over, violence in the streets was rampant, Uba said. She didn’t leave her home, fearing the worst. When asked what exactly she feared, she said she’d rather not say.
Now, she admits violence in the streets continues, but more people are gaining the courage to venture out. The markets are now growing in vibrancy — and the violence is dissipating.
That may be, but elders in the Somali community carry a different perspective. They welcome the trend toward safety, but remain cautiously optimistic. They’ve heard promises made before — and have watched them be broken.
Asu, a Somali woman in her 40s told Mint Press News she’s optimistic about the future, but, like so many, she needs to see change before believing it.
“For me I’m happy that there is less fighting and new hope for new prosperity to happen to my country,” she told Mint Press News. “I don’t want to see people younger than me go through the fighting and the killing, so I’m thankful that this has stopped. But I hope things will be done. We have had people in the past who would talk and say things to us and then we had nothing but fighting and war. I think we need things to happen now, no more talk, but things to happen now. We need to see something (evidence) of where we are heading.”
Asu’s take highlights the new obstacle for Somalia. The celebration of a new government and president among those living in Mogadishu cannot live on hope alone — people are eager to go to work and see their city resemble more of a society than a warzone.
In the meantime, the communication between those at the highest level of government and those living in Somalia will be tested, establishing whether trust will hold the country together as it seeks to rebuild — and ensuring that trust remains in an era of a multinational corporate economy.