Heritage Institute

The Heritage Institute for Policy Studies (HIPS) is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank aimed at informing public policy and practice in #Somalia

[Heritage Institute @HIPSINSTITUTE]

🎙️ Dowlad-dhis Podcast – Episode 4

This fourth episode of Dowlad-dhis Podcast focuses on one of the most pressing challenges of our time: climate change and its impact on Somalia.

🎙️ Guest: Dr. Abdullahi Khalif, Somalia In-Country Facilitator, NDC Partnership
🎙️ Guest: Mr. Liban Obsiye, Executive Director of the National Climate Fund, Ministry of Finance, Federal Republic of Somalia

The discussion highlights the scientific understanding of climate change, Somali society’s awareness of its impacts, and the socio-economic realities of pastoral communities in adapting to changing environmental conditions. It also explores global climate agreements and how the world is responding to mitigation and adaptation efforts.

🎙️ Host: Dr. Abdirashid Ismail, Deputy Director, Heritage Institute for Policy Studies (HIPS)

📺 Watch on YouTube:
https://t.co/TH35GPeZYS

🎧 Listen on:
Spotify: https://t.co/FSfQ4iv25E

[Heritage Institute @HIPSINSTITUTE]

For more photos, visit: https://t.co/xh8llHxb7C

#HeritageLectures #Citizenship #Somalia #MogadishuUniversity

[Heritage Institute @HIPSINSTITUTE]

Today, 11 June 2026, the Heritage Institute for Policy Studies (HIPS), in collaboration with Mogadishu University, concluded its first public lecture of the year titled “Citizenship in Somalia: Rights, Duties, and the Social Contract,” delivered by Deputy Director Dr. Abdirashid Ismail.

The lecture explored the meaning of citizenship, constitutional rights and duties, and the importance of responsible citizenship for accountable governance and nation-building.

University students from Mogadishu University and other universities in Mogadishu attended the lecture and actively engaged in the discussion.

For more photos, visit: https://t.co/4AqPJ2leqC

#HeritageLectures #Citizenship #Somalia #MogadishuUniversity

[Heritage Institute @HIPSINSTITUTE]

The Heritage Institute for Policy Studies (HIPS) and Somali National University (SNU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 3 June 2026 to strengthen collaboration in research, education, and youth development. The agreement was signed by Dr. Abdirashid Ismail, Deputy Director for Research, Development and Innovation at HIPS, and Dr. Fuad Mire Hassan, Deputy Rector for Planning and Development at SNU. The partnership aims to promote joint research initiatives, academic workshops, public forums, and knowledge exchange, while expanding opportunities for civic engagement among Somali youth through public lectures, internships, and work-placement programs.

[Arlaadi Media @ArlaadiMnetwork]

⚡️UPDATE: The Heritage Institute for Policy Studies (@HIPSINSTITUTE) says #Somalia’s long-worsening political crisis has reached a dangerous turning point, warning that unresolved constitutional disputes, unilateral political actions and deepening mistrust culminated in armed clashes in Mogadishu on 3 June, exposing the fragility of the country’s institutions and state-building project.

In a newly released commentary, the #Mogadishu-based think tank calls for an urgent, inclusive political settlement involving government, opposition, federal states and civic leaders, backed by international partners, arguing that dialogue, accountability and consensus are essential to prevent further instability, violence and political fragmentation.

Read the full commentary 👉 https://t.co/UyB85lcEaK

[Heritage Institute @HIPSINSTITUTE]

The tragic violence in Mogadishu on 3 June shattered any illusion that the current crisis is merely a political disagreement among elites. It is a stark reminder that unresolved constitutional disputes, electoral tensions, political polarization, and institutional fragility pose a direct threat to Somalia’s stability and state-building efforts.

The deteriorating political climate was further highlighted on 5 June by the treatment of former President and opposition leader Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed. Despite vacating his stronghold in good faith following extensive negotiations, his movement was obstructed while en route to his residence.

When political disputes take on a security dimension, they risk accelerating the erosion of trust and contributing to a broader unraveling of Somalia’s political settlement.

In our latest commentary, "The Cost of Political Brinkmanship: Somalia’s Need for Dialogue, Accountability and Stabilization", we argue that Somalia must move beyond winner-takes-all politics and return to a path grounded in dialogue, compromise, and national consensus.

Somalia cannot indefinitely absorb the combined pressures of institutional paralysis, political brinkmanship, insecurity, and polarization without jeopardizing the gains made through decades of state-building efforts.

Read the full commentary here: https://t.co/nofEJlAQMf

#Somalia #Governance #Peacebuilding #StateBuilding #PoliticalStability #Elections

[Heritage Institute @HIPSINSTITUTE]

What happens to a fragile state when the international order that once protected its sovereignty begins to weaken?

Thirty-five years after the collapse of the Somali state in 1991, Somalia has now remained divided longer than it was ever governed under a unified national authority. This reality carries profound implications for state legitimacy, national identity, and the country's future as a cohesive political community.

In this new blog, HIPS Senior Researcher and Program Coordinator Ibrahim Mukhtar examines Somalia’s juridical sovereignty, legitimacy deficit, and the challenges posed by an evolving post–rules-based international order. He argues that international recognition alone is no longer sufficient; the long-term survival of the Somali state depends on rebuilding internal legitimacy, strengthening institutions, and consolidating empirical sovereignty.

Read the full blog here:
https://t.co/OxEj3oVBpE

[Heritage Institute @HIPSINSTITUTE]

🎙️ Soo Koob Podcast – Episode 5

As we reach the halfway point of the final year of Somalia’s term on the UN Security Council 2025–2026, what progress has been made, and what challenges lie ahead?

In this episode, we discuss a new HIPS policy report examining Somalia’s role on the Council, highlighting the achievements of its diplomatic mission in New York, the institutional constraints shaping its engagement, and the key recommendations for strengthening Somalia’s strategic influence on the global stage.

▶️ Watch on YouTube:
https://t.co/6ICdJMEUTV

🎧 Listen now:
Spotify: https://t.co/vTIp9gLCKk
Apple Podcasts: https://t.co/KzQTRRoGWg

[Heritage Institute @HIPSINSTITUTE]

The Heritage Institute for Policy Studies successfully concluded its 2026 Arafa Iftar gathering.

We extend our sincere thanks to all distinguished guests who joined us for the iftar and prayers on this blessed Day of Arafa.

The Heritage Institute extends its warmest Eid al-Adha greetings to all Somali people and Muslims around the world. May Allah accept our good deeds and grant our country and people peace, prosperity, and goodness.

Eid Mubarak.

[Heritage Institute @HIPSINSTITUTE]

As we mark this blessed occasion of Eid al-Adha, we extend our heartfelt wishes to all Muslims, especially the Somali people wherever they may be. May this Eid bring peace, unity, prosperity, and blessings to every family and community.

Eid Mubarak.

[Heritage Institute @HIPSINSTITUTE]

The Heritage Institute for Policy Studies and Mogadishu University signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 24 May 2026.

The MoU was signed by Dr. Abdirashid Ismail, Deputy Director for Research, Development and Innovation at HIPS, and Mr. Mohamed Ali Omar, Vice President for Relations and Development at Mogadishu University.

The MoU focuses on civic engagement, capacity building, and enhancing the skills and experiences of Somali citizens, particularly youth, as well as academic collaboration in support of strengthening governance in Somalia.

[Heritage Institute @HIPSINSTITUTE]

Somalia’s Mandate in the UN Security Council 2025–2026 🇺🇳

While a significant milestone, Somalia’s return to the UN Security Council is not, on its own, a measure of influence.

Our latest report explores the “sovereign paradox” at the heart of Somalia’s engagement: the challenge of projecting authority on the global stage while the state’s core governing institutions remain an unfinished project. This is, at its core, a test of building while performing.

Somalia has regained visibility on the world stage 🌍, but translating that presence into consistent strategic agency remains uneven. Institutional constraints, including leadership churn, politicized appointments, and limited technical depth, have often left its diplomacy reactive rather than shaping the agenda.

The report sets out practical priorities for the final year, including the creation of an Independent Expert Task Force, merit-based appointments, and a more disciplined use of UN processes as a “Shield of Process” to defend sovereignty under growing regional pressures.

📄 Read the full report
https://t.co/vaXNn7HwDg

🌐 Somali and Arabic versions of the report will be available soon

#Somalia #UNSC #Diplomacy #Statebuilding #ForeignPolicy #InternationalRelations

[Heritage Institute @HIPSINSTITUTE]

The Deputy Director of Research, Development and Innovation at the Heritage Institute, Dr. Abdirashid Ismail, officially closed the forum on “Social Media Risks, Governance, and Digital Safety in Somalia.”

#DigitalPolicy #Somalia #CyberSecurity #DigitalGovernance #PublicPolicy #SocialMedia #DigitalSafety #HeritageForum

[Heritage Institute @HIPSINSTITUTE]

Our MC for this evening’s forum, Aisha Ahmed, Product Manager at Infinity Media, brought great energy, confidence, and flow to the room. She kept the conversation moving, engaged the audience, and added her own professional experience to make the discussions on social media risks, governance, and digital safety more relatable and impactful.

#YouthVoice #DigitalPolicy #Somalia #CyberSecurity #DigitalGovernance #SocialMedia #DigitalSafety #HeritageForum