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This book examines Indigenous alternative solutions to the conflict in Somalia that were available prior to the African Union’s (AU) peacekeeping operation – AMISOM. Bearing the long-standing stalemate with Al-Shabaab, this book contends that the AU should retrace its steps and utilise these Indigenous approaches else it would lose out in a protracted war. AMISOM was a product of the extremely biased mainstream/Western narrative that has done great harm on the continent. So it is high time Africans tell their story of what the issues really are and encourage its IGOs to do the same in addressing issues on the continent, Somalia inclusive. The Single Story Thesis was the method of analysis adopted for this book.
“Drawing from the extant literature and media reporting on the persisting crises in Somalia, the author provides us with a nuanced and compelling argument about the limitations and perils of military intervention in the resolution of African conflicts. Using the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) as a case study, Dr Cocodia effectively unpacks the ‘dangers of a single story’ in which dominant Western narratives present Somalia as an irredeemable African tragedy; despite the fact that the northern provinces of Puntland and Somaliland have established stable indigenous social and political orders. Resolving African conflicts, the author persuasively contends, requires serious engagement with traditional conflict resolution mechanisms; as demonstrated by the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) in central Somalia. This is a valuable scholarly contribution that adds to our understanding of the intractable Somali crises and the path to the restoration of peace.” —Dauda Abubakar, PhD, Professor, Political Science & African Studies, University of Michigan-Flint, USA.
Preface; Acknowledgements; List of Abbreviations; 1. Introduction; 2. The International Media and Security in Africa: Doctored Reportage and Dire Outcomes; 3. The Miscalculation of the AU, the Radicalisation of Al-Shabaab; 4. What Should Have Been; 5. Charting Its Course; Post Script. Reflections on Peace in Somaliland 2022–2023; References; Index