The Justice of Improving Security and Confronting Poverty: The Role of Transnational NGOs and Communities in Somalia

Following decades of postcolonial dictatorships and authoritarianism, many African countries have experienced expanded efforts by transnational organizations—from both top down and bottom up—aimed at alleviating poverty and improving security. This article provides a partial inventory of such efforts in Somalia following the collapse of the state in 1991, and suggests the need for better coordination between state and non-state transnational initiatives. Methodologically, the article combines discussion of the underlying causes of poverty and insecurity in Somalia with the presentation of empirical cases based on data collected among the Somali diaspora and in Somalia (Mogadishu, Hargeisa, and Borama) in 2010–15.