Federalism and Decentralization Options for Somalia

This is a report from a 2008 conference in Kenya which was a first dialogue on federal/decentralized options of government for Somalia. This document provides a glimpse of the concern, challenges and hopes of Somali citizens, including the diaspora.  The content of this report aims at answering questions such as: What type of government (federal, decentralized or unitary) is suitable for Somalia? How can Somalis from all walks of life, including diaspora participate in national dialogue and debate on the best options available for Somalia? In this report, UNDP Somalia, synthesized discussions and debates that took place at the conference, with a representation of approximately 100 Somalis drawn from the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the Alliance for Reliberation of Somalia (ARS) respectively, constitutional, legal and sharia law experts, academics, community leaders and consortium partners of the SCMSP.