Publication

With the Somali government troops backed by African Union troops making progress in fighting the Al-Shabab militia, there is a good opportunity to pursue the United Nations ‘Roadmap’ to end the transitional Federal Government of Somalia and to adopt a new constitution in 2012. This brief discusses the role of tribal elders in this process. Tribal elders have an important role in managing disputes and restore law in parts of the country. The author argues that foreign laws that do not coincide with the distinctive Somali culture that experienced two decades of power vacuum cannot contribute to long-term peace in the region.