Mashallah we need more Abdu-salams and less of the fellas that go stabbing and killing people.

The problem researchers and economist face when researching Somalia is the lack of sound statistics, we know with the fall of government and central bank all data halted. Maybe it is time that Somali economist or those who have studied social sciences create a online statistical database. This way research can be carried out. Watcha say peeps sacrifice a couple of hours a week to research data and compile the information. It would make it easier for any future administration. Ps Norf your inbox is full bro

Saxiib thanks a lot, you have to give us reviews of the place you are residing I am applying for jobs in the Gulf. I am sick and tired of paying so much tax and seeing no improvement in public services

There are two books in the SOAS collection that discuss Somalia Economic condition. If this is a research thesis you are doing especially a quantitative one I would avoid Somalia. Simply because there is not enough information out there to write about. However if you are adamant that your research should be based on Somalia, you can get some data from the world development indicators at UNCTAD. If you want some more advice just pm me I just recently completed my thesis on Africa and economic development and have a lot of information on Sub-Saharan Africa. Other sources: - World investment review - African Governance Indicators

Sxb When people talk about the US haste war into Iraq the words, second resulotion will echo in history. There is strong reason to suggest that any possible election will be rigged to put it mildly. But why rush into a resistance without trying the other solution first. Secondly there are many steps that they can take, let other international bodies monitor or hold it. There is no optimism about mate they have some very intelligent men at their disposal that can come up with sound solutions. Heck I can come up with a viable economic solution from my laptop that gives the TFG a run for its money.

They say fool me ones and shame on you fool me twice and shame on me. Now we can blame the other party as much as we want, “the TFG did not want to come to the Khartoum meeting” but only the wise can identify the mistakes within their own group. Certainly Indho Cade was the man who launched the attack which demised the ICU in the first round without the consent of the leadership. In fact if I remember correctly they were out of the country at the time. Paragon I am surprised you accept this appointment, if the devil offers you an army at your disposal to defeat your enemy would you take it? Now I am not saying ina Cade is evil but we know his track record, on thing is forgive another thing to forget and make the same mistake again. We can beat the drums of war all we want, but realistically the resistant movement do not pose a threat to the TFG. I am being honest it has the support of the west and east. It is only 18 months left to this corrupt government, it has lost the confidence of the people, the international community do not want to support them and to make it worse there is internal conflicts emerging. Why not form a political party that is universally inclusive with sound policies. Of how to get rid of the Ethiopian forces, how to build the economy, how to build our own military etc. Come to the election and beat them on the ballot When taking a path you have the option of taking the easy one and there is the option of tacking the hard one. Let’s hope they take the easy one.

How Superman Should Have Ended http://youtube.com/watch?v=TW8UR81Us54 How The Lord Of The Rings should have ended http://youtube.com/watch?v=JnUvw1rzziE&mode=related&search= How Star Wars Episode IV Should Have Ended Animation Parody http://youtube.com/watch?v=ffgCUwIxtP4&mode=related&search= How The Matrix Should Have Ended http://youtube.com/watch?v=_XEa-3eeedI&mode=related&search= How Braveheart Should Have Ended http://youtube.com/watch?v=EdQzQutzK4E&mode=related&search= How Borat Should Have Ended

I haven’t seen that guy before, but there was a Indian guy who used to advocate for Palestine, a couple of summers ago he used to make my Sundays that little better. You might hate Bill O’Reilly but he sure makes good TV This is a argument with a fellow fox anchor. http://youtube.com/watch?v=tLPuGuaZTx8

Lets hope they form a strong opposition party who have sound policies. I hate to see Ethiopia running our country behind the curtains but lets attempt to change through the ballot, Inshallah I am sure if they organise themselves for the up and coming election the people would vote for them that is all else equal. However the question is will they be allowed to form an opposition party and of course the old African dogma of Fradulant voting.

Ramadan Kariim SOL may it be fruitfull one Inshallah this year

Wallahi I hate to be one to stereotype and generalise and in fact hard to prevent brandishing people with the same brush, but some of the news coming out from the middle east is way to disturbing. Even here in London when you go to Green park or edware road and you look at the maids that work for these wealthy arabs you cant but help to be disgusted. how can one treat a fellow human being like this. Looks like their pagan ways are slowly creaping back into their society

Somalia oil deal for China By Barney Jopson in Nairobi Published: July 13 2007 22:02 | Last updated: July 13 2007 22:02 The Chinese state oil giant, CNOOC, has won permission to search for oil in part of Somalia, underlining China’s willingness to brave Africa’s most volatile regions in its hunt for natural resources. Somalia has been a no-go area for US oil companies since it descended into anarchy in the early 1990s. This year the capital, Mogadishu, has seen its worst violence in 16 years as insurgents seek to topple a fragile interim government. ADVERTISEMENT But CNOOC has not been deterred and last month met Somali government officials in a Nairobi hotel to hammer out the details of its planned survey work, which is due to begin in September. Chinese state-owned companies have become a heavyweight presence in Africa as the country seeks to secure resources for its booming economy as well as market access for its own goods and services. CNOOC, China’s largest offshore oil and gas producer, has been at the vanguard of the drive: it constructed oil pipelines in southern Sudan in the late 1990s even as a civil war raged between separatist rebels and the Islamist regime in Khartoum. The Chinese company’s deal with Somalia’s transitional federal government gives it exploration rights in the north Mudug region, some 500km north-east of the capital. CNOOC and a smaller group, China International Oil and Gas (CIOG), signed a production-sharing contract with the interim government in May 2006. The contract, which gives the government 51 per cent of oil revenues, was endorsed at last November’s China-Africa summit in Beijing. At a meeting in Nairobi on June 24 – a record of which has been seen by the Financial Times – parts of the agreement were clarified by Abdullahi Yusuf Mohamad, the Somali energy minister, Chen Zhuobiao, managing director of CNOOC Africa, and Judah Jay, managing director of CIOG. According to the US Energy Information Administration, Somalia has no proved oil reserves and only 200bn cubic feet of proved natural gas reserves, which have not been tapped. In the late 1980s exploration concessions were held by companies including Conoco and Phillips, which have since merged; Amoco, now part of BP; and Chevron. They fled the country after dictator Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown during civil war in 1991. The data collected by oil companies has formed the basis of interest in Somalia today. Range Resources, an oil group listed in Sydney, estimates that the Puntland province – which includes the Mudug region – has the potential to yield 5bn-10bn barrels of oil. Puntland is semi-autonomous and relatively stable compared with Mogadishu, where insurgents are launching near-daily assaults on the government and its Ethiopian military backers. A reconciliation conference due to open on Sunday is expected to attract still more attacks. The government is preparing a new national oil law even though its authority across the country is limited. Its decision to grant CNOOC exploration rights in Puntland could spark a dispute with the local authorities, which have given Range Resources exploration rights elsewhere in the province. A western diplomat who follows Somalia from Nairobi cautioned that he had seen copies of three similar deals signed by the interim government in the past two years. “If there is ever enough peace and stability to allow oil to be extracted, there’ll be a huge [argument over the agreements] down the line,” he said.

I have to admit the guy looks dodgy and like CG said the guy cant even read a news cast let alone give us investment advise. but several other sources have agreed with the natural resources issue I think we have to be honest with our selves if there is abundance of natural resources there, then no way is the US going to leave SOmalia alone unless it gets its lions share. So we have to accomodate the "superpowers" Notherner I did not know about Somalia getting oil for free, but it does make sense. Sue thanks for the article and welcome back where have you been all these years

I was looking for some info on Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Africa for my Postgrad Thesis, when I typed FDI in youtube. I have heard that Africa is becoming a booming oil business and that is one of the reasons for the new Africom base. But according to this guy Somalia has one of the highest untouched reserves in Africa. watch it and then we can discuss the potential economic gains and development.

It is a sad story may Allah make it easy for them. Recapper after years of absence you have finally come back home. so you managed to find your password. lool

nice one mate N/AA let me contribute to the topic, I introduce Empire of Faith an excellent documentary on Islamis History http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_32xOgenek (part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKbp_9KEjps&mode=related&search= (part 2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQWRSO-Gtl8&mode=related&search= (part 3)

Ina ilahi wa ina il rajicon amiin

A wise move Horn, I have avoided the politics section for the last 6 months and replaced with the islamic section, trust me man it is relief and you wont want to go back the tit for tat. we are deeply divided and need to go back to that which unites us. and Islam is the least common denominator

I hate to say this but, i see dark days in the horizon for the worlds best team. vava voom has left, Fabregas has sworn his allegiance to the manager and not club, and worst of all it seems unlikely that the gaffe is going to stay on ones his contract expires

congratulation sister, alhamdulilah may Allah exalted is he make him a pious healthy son who is duty full to his parents

JZK brother Northerner some heart felt reminders especially the biography of brother al-Hajj, Malik al-Shabazz (ra)

Wallahi this is shocking, and almost had me in tears, and what angers me is that the caretaker was selling their food in the local market, how unjust and rotten can you be when you sell the lively hood of innocent young orphans, just goes to show you how corrupt and unjust this world has become. Northerner leave this guy, he has some inferiority issue as soon as he hears the arab

Barakullah fiq Umu Zakaria a beautiful hadeeth indeed

The guy asked you a simple question since the governing law in a Muslim country is Islam should the masses be governed by it. What is this nonsense about justice or no justice? I live in Britain and I frankly think most of their legal rulings are absurd and unjust; (detaining people for 28 without any charge) does that give me a reason to oppose the law. Similar in nations governed by Shariah law since they have their rulings and Jurisprudence which I personally think if adhered to properly is the most just rule of law in the world even for non Muslim. If it is crime for a Muslim to apostate publicly in Malaysia then the women knew of the law before she decided to go public. The funny thing is as soon people see something they personally don’t like in Islam the finger pointing starts mainly to the “fat rich Arabs”. Apparently these people are the root of all evil ignoring the basic fundamentals of Islam as a faith for all and not for a selected few. Ps: The Arab leadership of Islam ended with the fall of the Abbasid dynasty almost a thousand year ago

Dear Khalaf right in front of your eyes lies the solution to the current problem it only a sane man to see. The TFG has failed miserably even myself who wanted to se amendments to it not its destruction see that it has reached a point of no return. Like many intellectuals and even US advocates just the other day called it part of the problem and not the solution. The people that are most capable of taking us out of this mess are the intellectuals both in the Diaspora and in the country, Xiin has provided us the link to the strategic plan that such professors like Sammater has laid out. The points he has put forward in my view are the best solution to this current problem. Nobody wants to go back to anarchy, not Somaliland, not Puntland and least of all the people of Mogadishu who have suffered the most under the brutal warlords and now the Ethiopians. Read the link