Hiiraan Online

At a conference in London on Feb. 23, Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali made a pitch for stepped-up airstrikes against rebels who threaten his UN-supported transitional government.

Thanks to an African Union military force that will soon number 18,000 troops, the Shabab and allied Al Qaeda insurgents have been pushed out of the capital, Mogadishu, and are under pressure in the countryside. While they still control swathes of territory, African commanders say they no longer have the initiative.

As British Prime Minister David Cameron forcefully reminded leaders and diplomats from 55 countries, setting up an inclusive government in Mogadishu is now as important as effective military action. “Those young people who take up guns for the Shabab need to be able to see that there is a future in a prosperous, stable Somalia that offers them what everyone wants, which is a job and a voice,” he said. While Somalia gets $430 million in aid, people complain they see few benefits from it. That has got to change.

The coming year will be critical. As the Star’s Michelle Shephard reported from London, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon sees the moment as “an opportunity we cannot afford to miss.” The Ali government’s mandate runs out in August. It needs to convene a constituent assembly of Somalia’s key actors to set the table for new presidential and parliamentary elections. Only a permanent, stable government can hope to rescue the country of 9 million from its “failed state” status and obtain the development aid it needs.

While Canada is a minor player in the region, Ottawa can help by offering to underwrite Somalia’s future with development aid, once a new, inclusive government is formed.