Sector 1 Profile
Mogadishu
Overview
Mogadishu is the largest city in Somalia, the capital city of Somalia and an administrative
region in south-eastern Somalia. Located in the coastal region of Banadir, Mogadishu is the
commerce harbour of Somalia. Known for its beautiful white sandy beaches, the city is
linked by road with Kenya and Ethiopia and is home to Somalia’s international airport.
The city is divided into 16 administrative districts. After the ousting former president Siad
Barre regime and the ensuing civil war various militias fought for control of the city, later to
be replaced by the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) in 2006.
The ICU thereafter splintered into more radical groups like Al Shabaab which fought the
Transitional Federal Government and AU Peacekeepers. With a change in administration in
late 2010, federal control of Mogadishu steadily expanded.
The pace of territorial gains also greatly accelerated, as more trained government and
AMISOM troops entered the city.
Mogadishu Fact Box
 Capital City: Mogadishu
 Population: above 2.5million
 Districts: 17
 Major Religion: Islam
 Monetary Unit: Somali Shilling
 Key Industries: Processing industries: matress, soft drinks,fish,
pasta,fruits, bakery.
 Internet Domain: .so
 International Dialing Code: +252
Fact- Political Actors
 Mayor: Mohamed Nur ‘Tarzan’ (Governor of Banadir Region)
 Deputy Mayors:
 Iman Nur Ikar
 Ali Gure
Security
In Somalia's two decades of war, Mogadishu has been the
main theatre of action in a spiral of contests between clanbased warlords, terror groups, government and
peacekeeping forces supporting the weak transitional
governments.
The most infamous incident was the Battle of Mogadishu in
1993 in what came to be known as the 'Black Hawk Down' incident. A failed operation to
capture lieutenants of warlord Mohamed Farah Aideed ended in the death of 19 American
forces and more than one thousand civilian deaths.
In 2006, the city came under the control of the Islamic Courts Union and for 6 months
relative calm ensued. The situation erupted with the advance of Somali security forces
backed by Ethiopian forces intent on wrestling control of the city from the Islamic Courts
Union.
In 2007, the Ethiopians withdrew and majority of the city came under the control of the
military wing of the Islamic Courts Union, the terror group Al Shabaab. The Al Shabaab
control of the city was marked by public floggings, executions and the administration of
strict interpretation of the Sharia. A lot of the city's elites moved from the city while steep
taxes were imposed on businesses.
Mandated by the African Union Peace and Security Council and the United Nations Security
Council, African Union forces deployed to Mogadishu in March 2007. Part of the mission's
mandate entailed bringing back the city under government control.
Around the same time, the first batch of the African Union peacekeepers deployed in
Mogadishu. For the next three years, control of the city was fought for between the Al
Shabaab and the African Union Forces.
In early August 2011, government troops and their AMISOM partners succeeded in forcing
out Al-Shabaab from the parts of the city that the group had previously controlled.
While there are still threats of suicide bombings and other terror attacks, Mogadishu is
relatively stable and calm as exemplified by the bustling commerce, the return of Somalis
from the diaspora and the presence of international actors such as the UN, long absent from
the city.
Politics
The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) was the
internationally recognized central government of
Somalia between 2004 and 2012. Based in
Mogadishu, it constituted the executive branch of the
government.
On August 2012 President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud
was elected after the Transitional government came
to an end and the formation of an elected
government has revived the country’s ability from fragility towards sustainable stability and
improved rule of law as well as governance.
The Federal Government of Somalia has its headquarters in Mogadishu. The national
parliament that consists of the House of the People of the Federal parliament is also located
in Mogadishu so is the Transitional supreme court. Mogadishu is divided into 16 districts
each governed by a district commissioner. All formal government civil servants are
appointed by the Mayor. In a few districts appointment has been in consultations with local
elders and citizens.
Established in August 20, 2012, concurrent with the end of the TFG's interim mandate, the
Somali Government represented the first permanent central government in the country
since the start of the civil war until it came to an end.
Economy
Mogadishu serves as a commercial and financial
centre for Somalia. Mogadishu’s market offers a
variety of goods from food to the newest
electronic gadgets. The hotel industry continues
to boom. The economy has recovered somewhat
from the civil unrest, faring relatively better than
other Somali cities. Principal industries include
food and beverage processing and textiles,
especially cotton ginning. Besides the real estate
market/ hotel industry, the telecommunications
industry has also flourished. Somalia’s telecommunication service Hormuud Telecom is the
largest telecommunications company in southern and central Somalia and has its
headquarters in Mogadishu. Telcom is another telecommunication service provider.
Airport- With the outbreak of the civil war in the early 1990s, Mogadishu International
Airport's flight services experienced routine disruptions and its grounds and equipment
were largely destroyed. In the late 2000s, the K50 airport situated 50 kilometres south of
the capital, served as the capital's main airport while Mogadishu International Airport, now
renamed Aden Ade International Airport after Somalia’s first president.
However, in late 2010, the security situation in Mogadishu had significantly improved, As of
2012, the largest services using Aden Adde International Airport include Turkish airlines, Air
Uganda Other airlines flying to and from Mogadihu include African Express, Jubba Airways,
East African and Daalllo Airways.
Roads - Roads leading out of Mogadishu connect the city to other localities out of Somalia
such as Ethiopia and Kenya. The city itself is cut into a several grid layouts by an extensive
road network. However due to neglect brought on by the protracted civil war, there are few
paved roads making hindering transportation hence the people of Somalia depending on air
transport to travel from one region to another.
Seaport - Mogadishu leads Somalia in port traffic and still serves as a major seaport. While
daily shipments bring in vehicles, foodstuffs and electronic goods, among other items.
Media
Mogadishu has long been a centre of media. After independence in 1960, a growing number
of privately owned production and distribution companies as well as actual projection
theatres sprang up. In addition to the various local media companies, there are a number of
radio foreign news agencies based in Mogadishu. Many of the headquarters for the media
organisations have base in Mogadishu and have expanded to other regions.
Main Radio Stations
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Radio Mogadishu 90.0FM
Radio Bar-Kulan 92.0FM
Radio Goobjoog 88.5FM
 Gool FM 99.0FM
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Radio Mustaqbal 97.9FM
Radio Shabelle 101.5FM
Radio Kulmiye 88.0FM
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Somali National TV
Star TV
TV Royal 24
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www.kulmiyenews.com
www.dalsanradio.com
Main TV Stations
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Shabelle TV
Somali National TV SNTV
Universal TV
Main Websites
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www.raxanreeb.com
www.shabelle.net
www.radiomuqdisho.net