Does Somali diaspora play a role in conflict and poverty in the country?

[moosaid]

I thought of this after a story that happened in an area where my uncle lives.
It is a desert area where there are none of the basic necessities of life
But the place was in peace
For no reason, a conflict started.
But then it ended But it took some lives.
and then we found out why the conflict happened.
Some diaspora sent money to men to cause conflict.
Imagine sending money to ignite a conflict in an area where there are no schools, hospitals

Then I thought, maybe this happens in every Somali conflict. and this is true
Also, people's dependence on the money sent to them made them not work and just wait for the money. This made people very lazy or think about tahriibi only.

 

[Jaffar]

Yes of course they play the biggest role
For example the war in laaacanood was done by qurbjoog

 

[SomaliSON1977]

Every year, the Somali diaspora sends home approximately $1.3bn. Remittances account for 25-45 percent of Somalia’s economy and exceed the amount it receives in humanitarian aid, development aid and foreign direct investment combined.

Anyone familiar with Somalia understands how important the network of diaspora is to fellow citizens in the country.

For the many families back home, the money shared by their relatives abroad provides them with a critical lifeline.

“Without it we wouldn’t be able to cover our most basic needs,” says Abdullahi Yusuf, a retired man from Mogadishu that depends on the 500 USD sent by his children abroad every month.

The financial support provided by Somali migrants is astonishing, with an estimated 1.4 billion USD remitted in 2018. This is equivalent to 25 percent of Somalia’s GDP, and outpaces international aid and foreign direct investment



To answer your Question

Does Somali diaspora play a role in conflict and poverty in the country?​

Yes Somali Diaspora play a role without them the situation would be much worse,

Yes to certain Degree the Somali Diaspoa Also play a role in conflict, some are sending Money to Alshabaab, ISIS, Clan Militias ect

But the Pros out weight the cons, Majority of Somalis abroad send money home to their familys.

 

[Keep it a boqol]

Tiktok FKD is a big one

 

[_Yusuf_]

Yes of course they play the biggest role
For example the war in laaacanood was done by qurbjoog

Partly financed but the conflict it’s self was very much a grassroots issue. Saying otherwise is simply ignorant.

 

[Riftvalley]

Partly financed but the conflict it’s self was very much a grassroots issue. Saying otherwise is simply ignorant.

You are correct the diaspora reacted to a movement by school children and women. It was a grass roots movement which turned violent when SL militias used live bullets and shut down internet. The main armed fighting started when SL militia killed one of Jabutawis men and refused to give back the body.

In any case, such a conflict was going to happen because the general masses ( not politicians, elders or warlords) don’t agree with separating from Somalia.

 

[Zak12]

Every year, the Somali diaspora sends home approximately $1.3bn. Remittances account for 25-45 percent of Somalia’s economy and exceed the amount it receives in humanitarian aid, development aid and foreign direct investment combined.

Anyone familiar with Somalia understands how important the network of diaspora is to fellow citizens in the country.

For the many families back home, the money shared by their relatives abroad provides them with a critical lifeline.

“Without it we wouldn’t be able to cover our most basic needs,” says Abdullahi Yusuf, a retired man from Mogadishu that depends on the 500 USD sent by his children abroad every month.

The financial support provided by Somali migrants is astonishing, with an estimated 1.4 billion USD remitted in 2018. This is equivalent to 25 percent of Somalia’s GDP, and outpaces international aid and foreign direct investment



To answer your Question

Does Somali diaspora play a role in conflict and poverty in the country?​

Yes Somali Diaspora play a role without them the situation would be much worse,

Yes to certain Degree the Somali Diaspoa Also play a role in conflict, some are sending Money to Alshabaab, ISIS, Clan Militias ect

But the Pros out weight the cons, Majority of Somalis abroad send money home to their familys.

Remittances while important don't really represent 25 percent of Somalia's GDP at all. Most Somalis are self sufficient.

The idea that Somalia is massively supported by handouts from its diaspora is outdated. People keep repeating figures from 2012 or earlier numbers tied to the aftermath of the 2007–2009 invasion and occupation. That period saw the economy collapse, sanctions imposed, bank freezes, and fund seizures.

During those years, many Somalis were forced to rely on the diaspora more than they normally would. This changed after the return of the diaspora, foreign direct investment (FDI), and the resumption of domestic production following the establishment of a new transitional federal government in 2012.


According to a UN/World Bank study, in 2017/18 remittances accounted for only 6% of mobile money transaction value.

Mobile money represents over 90% of all transfers in Somalia, valued at about $2.7 billion per month , roughly 36% of GDP. That means remittances are around 2% of the economy

That's because from 2012 their importance fell dramatically:

''However experts acknowledged that the role of MTO in the economy has been declining since 2012 due to the return of many Somali Diasporas , and increase in the production of the domestic economy as result of new investments from both foreign investors and Somalis.''

You can see this in another 2020 survey . Remittances played a very small role for most peoples incomes. It's only like a small portion like 3-14% of their income in most places so by and large when its received its treated as a supplemental income.

Households mostly relied on wage labor or small businesses.

Overall only 8% of rural and urban population counted on remittances as their main source of income.

26% of rural households rely on agriculture and fishing and 16% rely on small businesses.

Most diaspora money coming in isn't remittances at all. It Is direct investments into various sectors as this survey from a few years ago managed to find and distinguish.

The diaspora for years now have functioned more like FDI(investors) in actuality and not a lifeline keeping people afloat.

Thanks to their return and investments, about 92% of Somalis support themselves through wage labor, business, agriculture, or fishing. The majority of the population is economically active and self-sustaining.


If Somalia’s real GDP is closer to $90 billion , as mobile money estimates from 2018 suggest that captured the informal activity, then the 1.4 billion remittances are only a small fraction of the economy.

 

[Jaffar]

Partly financed but the conflict it’s self was very much a grassroots issue. Saying otherwise is simply ignorant.

They funded it they put the people against each other this is what cause d the war

 

[Idilinaa]

Remittances while important don't really represent 25 percent of Somalia's GDP at all. Most Somalis are self sufficient.

Diaspora investments are actually much higher than the outdated $1.3–2 billion figure that’s been recycled for over a decade. Most of the capital coming from the diaspora is direct investment, not just remittances. In that 2019 survey, they made the distinction but the actual investor numbers (people contributing $5,000–50,000 each, and some putting in $100,000 or more) never really get properly added up.

Most money diaspora send go to finance economic development and is distributed to various sectors schools, business, hospitals, factories, services and humanitarian activities

The diaspora has lifted millions of Somalis out of poverty, providing jobs, housing, electricity, water, sanitation, and access to finance. Their impact can’t be overstated.

If I tried to map out all their contributions, it would take pages. They often return to Somalia with skills, knowledge, and capital setting up institutions, training locals, launching projects..

For example, the advanced dam system in Borama by Shaba Water Company is designed and carried out by diaspora engineers

Across the country, diaspora groups are applying creative hydraulic engineering solutions while also repairing damaged ecosystems.

I also want to clarify on politics, The conflict in Las Anod (SSC vs. Somaliland) was rooted in political inclusion and equitable economic development. Communities felt sidelined in Hargeisa’s political process, so they sought autonomy in a more inclusive federal system.

Since the conflict ended, diaspora-driven investments have transformed the region: Factories, businesses, supermarkets, housing developments, and water supply systems in Las Anod & Buhoodle.

Public Confidence Boosts Post-Conflict Recovery in Laascaanood – Puntland Post

Laascaanood (PP News Desk) —Laascaanood, the administrative capital of Sool and the seat of the Sool, Sanaag, Cayn and Khatumo… Sii akhri

puntlandpost.net

Several factories have been set up in Buhoodle and Lascanood which i shared in another thread

In Las Anod:

https://twitter.com/SSCscope/status/1888588593289130078#m

https://twitter.com/ProfDhiraawi/status/1875557538403700792#m

Even agricultural developments:

Sanaag and Sool are also seeing an agricultural resurgence. Farmers there are growing more local produce

Now there is new infrastructure projects being launched

Laascaanood on the Rise: New Airport and Power Projects Launched by PM Hamza

LAASCAANOOD, (SONNA) — The Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia, H.E. Hamza Abdi Barre, alongside SSC-Khaatumo Administration Leader, H.E. Abdulqadir Aw-Ali (Firdiye), today laid the…

sonna.so

And beyond development, the diaspora consistently steps up in times of humanitarian crisis raising funds, preventing conflict, and helping solve crises on the ground.

They’re not a “money scheme” , they’re a platform coordinating diaspora efforts globally, including resource mobilization, investment matchmaking..

and even emergency response campaigns (like their El Niño fundraiser for 2022–2023 which mobilized millions). This is all covered in their project pages.

The diaspora is not a fueling povery or conflict. They are the backbone of Somalia’s recovery and growth, directly investing in every sector of life.

 

[_Yusuf_]

They funded it they put the people against each other this is what cause d the war

I’m not gonna even dignify that with a response.

 

[Idilinaa]

Leader here also explain in this video that the damage from the conflict was minimal and they restored everything quickly:

''We sent an assesment team to the city in October, there was no destroyed house in the city. The areas most affected by the conflict were fully restored within two months even better than before"