Key actors mapping: Somalia (GSDRC Rapid Literature Review)

Abstract

This report reviews some of the current main actors in the region and provides descriptions of their activities and power bases. There is considerable overlap between many groups in Somali society (and thus between sections of this report) as, for example, individuals switch allegiance. The report tries to focus on actors powerful in 2013 and so does not include some of the previously powerful figures from the last decade. The report starts with a brief overview of the clans and ethnic groups in Somalia to provide some context. It then covers the main internal actors in Somalia, including the various political figures and parties, militias, and civil society actors. The next section looks at piracy in some depth, examining its dynamics and effects on Somalia. Next, a brief review of diaspora contributions is presented, and the final section reviews the international actors involved in Somalia