Mogadishu

No two trips to Somalia are the same. There are certainly routines as well as meetings and activity visits that are somewhat similar over time. But there always seems to be some sort of twist that sets each visit apart.

This trip began as usual with the 4am taxi to the airport. That is one of the least favorite aspects of my job. The flight ended up being delayed, so I sat at the airport an extra two hours before catching the hour and a half flight to Mogadishu.

I was to begin by attending a two-day forum designed to support US-Somalia trade. Governments from both sides participated, but it seemed to be primarily driven by the private sector. I knew that the Somali president was expected to attend which always raises the profile of an event. It was invitation only and I'm not sure why I was invited but I'm glad I was given that I made a lot of good connections.

The venue was in a hotel a very short walk from the airport arrivals door. Its location in the secure sector makes it a go-to venue for high-security events. The convenience of the proximity to the airport was dashed by the fact that my delayed flight made me late for the first session presided over by the president. The exterior of the compound was lined with armored vehicles and there were dozens of armed guys with sunglasses walking around feeling important.

I worked my way to the door of the compound only to be stopped by one of these guys telling me I wasn’t allowed to enter. After some back and forth, I found out (was reminded) that for any event where the president is in attendance, no one can get in after his arrival for security reasons. Even though he was late, because of my delayed flight, I was later.

I wasn’t super keen on standing in the hot sun wearing a suit until the president departed. I was sorting out my options given that I couldn't convince the guy to let me in. Finally, a Somali guy who was standing next to me, also in a suit and prevented from entering, said he knew someone within the president’s security detail that could get us in. He made a couple calls and within a few minutes, we were allowed to enter.  

* * *

There is no question that we have been looking at ways to partner more effectively with the private sector. Networking would be the most obvious motivation to participate in this event. But there were sessions that ended up being directly relevant to my work.

* * *

At the end of day one, my driver picked me up and I made my way to the office. It was Saturday so the building was empty. I settled into the guesthouse and poured myself a tea. Shortly after 4pm I heard a blast off in the distance. I wasn’t sure if it was an attack of some kind or something else. The farther away it is, the more difficult it is to tell. Intel soon came in that there was an attack on a well-fortified prison. I could see the smoke rising off in the distance.

It was what is referred to as a complex attack - usually a suicide attack explosion that breaches an external perimeter, followed by a second attack that allows militants to penetrate the breach. This sort of thing was much more common when I first began working in Somalia, but they have been rarer of late.

The attack was largely successful as a large number of prisoners were able to escape (though some were recaptured). As is often the case, the attackers didn’t seem to have any plans to flee. Most are conditioned to embrace martyrdom and go down fighting. The firefight apparently lasted well into the night (about eight hours altogether) before the attackers were all killed. I do find it crazy that after all these years of government forces fending off militants, that they can pull of something like this, particularly at what would have been considered a high-level target.  

Dirt streets near the office

* * *

One connection I made at the weekend event was with this Canadian guy who was attending and in Somalia for the first time. In fact, I don’t think he had been to Africa much. After talking for a while, he seemed very curious and rather fascinated by the place, having not really left his hotel. When he offered to get together on Monday, I thought I would raise the stakes a bit and invite him to lunch at Lido Beach.

There ended up being five of us. In addition to me, we had my security guy, the Canadian, an Aussie working for a company that we would like to partner with, and an American filmmaker from Hollywood. 

Bullet-riddled buildings still a feature of the old city.

The drive to Lido Beach is an adventure in and of itself. It takes you across the Mogadishu and through the old city. It’s something I’ve done several times with visitors, and it never ceases to make an impression. It’s pretty crazy if you’re not used to this sort of thing. 

Lido Beach

After an hour of dozens of checkpoints/security checks, traffic jams, U-turns, etc., we arrived at the gate of the restaurant, I was puzzled that it was not the gate of the restaurant that we normally go to. We entered and were escorted inside the building. This was clearly not the dusty, rather basic restaurant I'm accustomed to. We took an elevator up to the third floor. We could immediately feel the breeze and see the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean in front of us. After the chaos and tension of driving across the city, this was a welcome site. I was happy to see their reaction. They'd been more or less sequestered in a hotel and hadn't really seen anything of Mogadishu until today. This provided them with a healthy amount of both the bad and the good. 

Lobster with a view. I feel like we earned it.

Given the time that it took for us to cross the city, our lunch would be a bit rushed. I normally is for security reasons, but this would be quicker that usual. We were served some delicious soup, salad, lobster and fresh juice. When we have more time we add on some fruit for dessert and an espresso, but that would not be the case this time.

Restored arch in the old city constructed by the Italians during colonial days

On the way back.

The return to the "green zone" would be faster and less stressful. I guess it's easier to get back through checkpoints after they have already screened you once. We bid our farewells and I returned to the office. 

* * *  

Full moon view from our terrace.

The rest of the week would be less eventful. I had a mix of internal and external meetings up until my return flight to Nairobi on Thursday. Friday would be a holiday in Kenya and, of course, the weekend in Somalia, so it would allow me a bit of a breather. Moreover, I will not be able to travel until my new passport arrives. My current passport is completely full, as the immigration lady politely reminded me as I arrived in Nairobi. I have been waiting for over a month, far longer than it normally takes. Federal funding cuts and government shutdown have created an embarrassing mess. I just hope that it arrives soon. 

Pretty cool what you can do with a phone these days.