United Nations Security Council Resolution 1816, regarding acts of piracy and armed robbery against vessels in territorial waters and the high seas off the coast of Somalia, was adopted on June 2, 2008.

Though international observers had hoped Somalia's transitional federal government would bring stability to the war-torn nation after sixteen years of “failed state” status, by mid-2008 experts said it was fraught by internal divisions.

As the humanitarian crisis in Somalia deepens, experts see bleak prospects for reconciliation talks between the transitional government and the Islamist opposition.

In an interview with Newsweek's Jason McLure, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi discusses Ethiopia's exit plan, its archenemy Eritrea, and its alliance with the United States.

Ethiopia’s U.S. ambassador says his government needs more international help in securing Somalia and is wrongly blamed by Congress for rights abuses.

Ambassador John M. Yates, U.S. special envoy to Somalia, says the security situation remains dismal in Mogadishu and the Somali people lack confidence in the Transitional Federal Government.

Ever since Ethiopian armed forces removed the Islamic Courts movement from control of south-central Somalia in December 2006, Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, has been the scene of growing urban warfare. In March-April 2007 Ethiopian and Somali government forces joined battle with a coalition of insurgent groups composed of Islamic Courts supporters, clan militia, and others opposed to the Ethiopian presence in Somalia. Residents of Mogadishu were trapped by a terrifying escalation of violence that killed hundreds of civilians, provoked almost 400,000 people to flee the city, and shattered the lives, homes, and livelihoods of thousands of families. Shell-Shocked: Civilians Under Siege in Mogadishu, based upon on-the-ground research soon after the fighting, presents the first detailed account of civilian suffering during the conflict and violations of the laws of war.

Terrence Lyons, an expert on the Horn of Africa, says despite U.S. concerns about al-Qaeda, it is local rivalries driving conflicts in Somalia and elsewhere in the region.

Ethiopia is a staunch U.S. ally in the Horn of Africa. But its domestic policies raise questions about the wisdom of the partnership.

After numerous failed peace attempts, Cote d’Ivoire forged a “homegrown” peace agreement this spring, raising questions about the role of international mediators in Africa peace processes.  

A profile of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), a separatist group operating in eastern Ethiopia.

Despite international intervention to protect Somalia’s fledgling government, fighting persists while the humanitarian situation deteriorates. Regional stability is at risk once again.

A pair of Somalia experts, Terrence Lyons and Sadia Ali Aden, discuss U.S. policy options for the war-torn nation on Africa's Horn.

Africa’s most volatile region appears to be coming apart at the seams. New outbreaks of violence in Somalia and Ethiopia raise fears of a wider war and create a perfect haven for terrorist groups.  

Idd Beddel Mohammed, Somalia's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations and Abdi Samatar, a Somali scholar at the University of Minnesota, discuss recent violence in Somalia and options for reconciliation.

U.S. efforts to staunch the spread of terrorism across northern Africa have increased. But some experts warn excessive focus on counterterrorism there could be counterproductive.

This report is a collaborative effort drawn up in a response to a request from Congress to examine the situation in Somalia, namely options for diplomacy.

A Congressional Research Service (CRS) Report for Congress (PDF)entitled "Somalia: Current Conditions and Prospects for a Lasting Peace."

Listen to Vicki Huddleston, former charge d'affaires at the U.S. embassy in Ethiopia, and Terrence Lyons, associate professor of conflict resolution at George Mason University, discuss the potential for Somalia to successfully establish a viable government.