Publication

This paper examines the underlying roots of conflict and state failure in Somalia. It argues that in the fertile riverine areas of southern Somalia, natural resources and especially land have become key drivers of armed conflict. It suggests that by looking at the current conflict from a historical perspective and by considering core issues such as access to land more closely, bottom-up approaches in conflict resolution might be developed on a broader basis and in the end be more effective in a country that is still best described as a pastoral society.