We must re-invent ourselves as a people!

[walaalkis]

interesting read indeed!!!

[Chimera]

Chimera's Somalia: (videos I made ages ago)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DoctorKenney]

What an interesting thread.

 

I'm gonna have to show this to some of my friends in the near future.

 

Somalia has a bright future. As long as our people have the right mindset, we can achieve anything.

 

Adam, do you feel more optimistic about Somalia's future since you originally wrote this post 2 years ago? A lot has changed in the last 2 years.

[Tallaabo]

Brother Chimera I love your ideals but to be honest with you I along with Xaaji Xunjuf and about 4 million other folks don't want to go back to the past (the former Somali republic). We believe that entity should be left alone to rest in peace:)

[Chimera]

DoctorKenney;944042 wrote:

What an interesting thread.

 

I'm gonna have to show this to some of my friends in the near future.

 

Somalia has a bright future. As long as our people have the right mindset, we can achieve anything.

 

Adam, do you feel more optimistic about Somalia's future since you originally wrote this post 2 years ago?

A lot has changed in the last 2 years.

Things are much better today than when I wrote those red-bull induced posts. In-fact that was a horrible period, when I banished myself from Somali politics because it was affecting me in negative way. Now I enjoy reading headlines on Somalia because majority of them seem to be positive, or the kind that are productive, including the Federalism debates. The future now is literally up for the taking, its the make or break era.

 

Tallaabo, gartey sxb, but unity can come in many forms, including economically.

[Wadani]

Tallaabo;944043 wrote:

Brother Chimera I love your ideals but to be honest with you I along with Xaaji Xunjuf and about 4 million other folks don't want to go back to the past (the former Somali republic). We believe that entity should be left alone to rest in peace:)

Don't speak for all of us bro. I believe most Somalilanders, including myself, would love the be a part of the Somalia Chimera envisions, but are only hardcore about their belief in seccession because to them a 'Chimerian' Somalia seems currently unacheivable.

[Tallaabo]

Brother Chimera A European Union style open borders with full economic, political, judicial, and security collaboration among three independent democratic Somali nation states namely Djibouti, Somaliland, and Somalia is and has been what the people and the successive Somaliland governemnts were calling for all these 22 years.

 

Wadani Whether you like it or not borderline unionists like you have no say in Somaliland:p It is the Tallaabos, Xaaji Xunjufs, and their like who call the shots. Stand in line waaryaa:cool:

[QansaxMeygaag]

You can't reinvent yourself until you KNOW yourself...thanks for all the history threads, amazing stuff!

[Haatu]

Exactly. When you have folks believing their Bani Hashim, what can you expect Ilaahay baan kugu dhaarshee?

[brainblaster456]

Such a beautiful vision for Somalias future, more Somalis should see this.

[Anisa]

What a nice thread!

Hearing about Somalis building million $ businesses in other African countries (and parts of Asia too), it's time we all went back to Somalia and rebuild it to its former glory. We're capable of doing all these things and have the resources/expertise/motivation. I guess now it's just a question of when and how - Somalia is still seen as a dangerous country from what I know. If we know about our history, we will go forward.

 

Insha'Allah we will forget our differences and progress.

[OG Moti]

Bajuni Island? why not Horumar Iand.. Bajuni ma garan anigu koleyba

[OdaySomali]

BUMP!

 

The Gift of the Southern Port Cities:Their Economically Enabling Location

 

The economics of location & a model for realising economic growth in the southern port cities of Somalia.

 

Mogadishu has been inhabited for a time longer than can be remembered. Since about the 7-10th centuries or so it became a magnet for the then booming cross-Indian Ocean trade. Prior to that it had been a watering-hole, come market, come port village. In the Somali trading network - of coastal port-towns, market towns in the hinterland and villages and settlements in the interior - it became the major port for central and the northern portions of the southern Somali peninsula. The town attracted traders and merchants from the Arabian peninsula, Persia, India and the Southern East African port cities and quickly became a melting pot of peoples and trades. Not long passed before it became the most eminent of Somali port cities, outshining Zeila, Berbera, Bandar Qasim, Hobyo, Merca, Barawe and Kismaayo in the process. Mogadishu became the wealthiest city on the Eastern African coast and among the most wealthy of the cities facing the Indian Ocean. The multi story houses, palaces, forts, castles and mosques dating from that era are still there today and a testament to its former glory. Mogadishu has a history of having a diversified economy, primarily because it was such a trading hub. There was a booming economy involving among other the following industries:

 

- Textile industry and Somali textiles were of excellent quality and in high demand to be exported abroad

- Precious metals (gold), ivory, incense. Because of the Somali mines in southern East Africa Mogadishu was able to produce gold and also issue its own currency and coinage.

- Livestock (the somali peninsule was and still is rich in livestock).

- Agricultural produce of vegetables, fruit and various grains. An explorer noted how the city had an abundance of fresh produce, grown in the fertile agricultural lands of Southern Somalia.

- Manufactured consumer goods such as shoes, vases and pottery.

 

The historic quarters, old multistorey houses, mosques are testament to Mogadishu's glorious past. Not only are they now a reminder of the wealth that is essential to the origins of Mogadishu, but those historic assets are potential tourist sites and can be used when re-branding Mogadishu.

 

 

All the above would not have been possible without the fortunate and enabling location of Mogadishu. And perhaps only Kismaayo can match Mogadishu in terms of how economically enabling the city's location is.

 

The first enabling thing abou the location of Mogadishu is in a central location with a good portion of the Somali population to its emmediate south, north and west. Benaadir itself also has a large and dense population in a very smal geographic area - and of course a large population has economic implications (ask China).

 

Geographically Mogadishi is blessed. There are no mountainous regions or terrain stopping the populace from accessing it. It has very fetile land surrounding it, nourished by the perennial Shabeelle river (and its wetlands) which runs just north of the city. This land is able to support commercerial-scale agriculture surrounding it and thus the city is able to produce tonnes upon tonnes of good quality agricultural produce and sustain a vibrant agricultural economy.

 

The lush green areas of Benaadir & Afgooye.

 

 

 

 

The coastal location means that the city has miles of brilliant white sandy beaches with bright turquoise coloured sea. It also means that sea food is readily available and that marine resources in general and luring of hordes of tourists can be exploited. Because of its trading history the very people of mogadishu have retained a lot of the skills and knowledge they have gained from their exchanges with the various peoples they came in contact with. Mogadishans have and retain a rich culture in terms of style and knowledge of [home] construction, food, music, textile manufacturing, articrafts.

 

 

In the past the city received a lot of investment and these are further assets working in its favour:

 

- Seat of government

- A large population

- The city is well planned

- Has spacious roads

- Has lot of the basic infrastructure such as a port, airport, paved roads, power generaiton (need maintenance)

- All the above combination of things that few other Somali cities had.

- As the Somali economy has grown, Mogadishu has grown with it. The headquarters of many major companies especially telcomms and finance are now located in Mogadishu.

 

Well Planned & Grid Layout

 

 

Airport

 

Bakaara Market

 

 

 

Port

 

Even today the combination of the above factors, and primarily Mogadishu's location leave a legacy. That legacy is that Mogadishu certainly has economic potential and that it this economic potential should be exploited. I assert that Mogadishu is, in theory, easier to 'develop' than the other Somali cities.

 

I genuinly believe that enough financial capital can be generated within Mogadishu (Benaadir) itself to fund short-term reconstruction and regeneration of public works such as roads, pavements and public places (markets). Mogadishu is a large city, has a large population, is the centre for trade and commerce in southern Somalia and is situated in a fertile agricultural region. To be frank, the city's economy is (and has always been, since time immemorial) larger and a lot more diversified and extensive than other Somali cities. The city has a good base of a multitude of revenue and job creating small to medium sized industries to build upon and to, most importantly, tax. These industries include commercial farming (massive potential), the renowned livestock trade, headquarters of many major companies especially telcomms and finance, fishing, light manufacturing, construction, wholesalers and retailers, the port etc. Due to sheer economies of scale alone, if the Mogadishu local authority can get its act right it should be able to collect enough resources to fund some of the basic public works. If the Mogadishu local authority prioritises potential projects, areas within the city or highlights specific urgent needs, it can work on that basis and gradually complete projects to in turn improve the economy of the city.

[Tallaabo]

Mogadishu looked decent even when it was completely ruined. Had the Somali civil war not happened, today it would have looked a lot better than any African city except perhaps Cape Town.