Somalia: From the night of hardship to the dawn of hope

A reflection on Somalia’s hardships, resilience, political progress, unity, and renewed hope under steadfast leadership.

Despite the suffering during the long, dark night, in which our people tasted the bitterness of calamities in many forms—sometimes in the guise of tribal civil wars that ravaged everything, sometimes under false religious slogans that have no connection to Islam, and other times in the form of natural disasters such as droughts, famines, devastating floods, and epidemics—and although all of this occurs by the will and decree of God Almighty, the root cause of most of these calamities is, in essence, man-made.

Amidst these successive tragedies and calamities, our people acquired positive qualities honed by years of hardship and adversity, foremost among them patience, steadfastness, and the ability to manage life amidst formidable challenges; qualities that distinguish true men from their equals. Our nation did not surrender despite the onslaught of enemies, but rather continued to resist these challenges with unwavering will and resolute determination.

Divine laws dictate that conditions and creatures change: from stillness to movement and vice versa, from weakness to strength and vice versa, from life to death, from sickness to health and vice versa, from a worse state to a better state, and the opposite may also occur.

Therefore, Somalia's current situation differs from its past; over the past two decades, it has achieved remarkable political maturity, characterized by a democratic process and the peaceful transfer of power through elections held every four years, despite the existing political and security challenges. This is an opportunity that many nations around the world, who have never experienced democracy, lack.

Despite the enemies lying in wait for us, seeking to divide our beloved country into weak, sovereign, paralyzed, and subjugated states, what truly infuriates them is the unique characteristics of this great people, with their unity of race, language, religion, and even sect, in a different environment and in a location of great importance and strategic importance.

However, the enemies' ambitions will not be realized, and will vanish into thin air thanks to the unwavering resolve of our wise leadership, embodied in His Excellency the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Dr. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and His Excellency the Prime Minister, Mr. Hamza Abdi Barre, may God protect them. They are truly two steadfast mountains, unshaken by fierce winds, let alone the ambitions of those who lie in wait.

The tragedies our country has endured have forged heroic men, capable of overcoming geopolitical challenges and skillfully managing available opportunities, thanks to years of practical experience. Somalia has risen through the efforts of its patriotic and dedicated sons, the painful past has passed, the dark night has lifted, and the sun of hope is rising on the horizon; for nothing lasts forever.