Omar Mahmood Senior Analyst, Somalia Please submit all media inquiries to media@crisisgroup.org or call +32 (0) 2 536 00 71 Crisis Group Role As the Senior Analyst for Somalia, Omar conducts field research, provides written analysis, proposes policy recommendations and engages in advocacy efforts. Professional background Omar has previously worked as a senior researcher focusing on the Horn of Africa for the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in Addis Ababa, and as an international consultant covering Boko Haram and the Lake Chad Basin. Prior to that, he obtained his Master's degree from the Fletcher School at Tufts University and served as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Burkina Faso. Languages English (native) French (conversant) Urdu (conversant) Select Publications Overlapping claims by Somaliland and Puntland: the case of Sool and Sanaag, ISS Africa, December 2019 Competition, cooperation and security in the Red Sea, ISS Africa, September 2019 In The News 16 Jun 2020 Northern Kenya is increasingly looking like an area that al-Shabab seeks to incorporate under its rule rather than just using it as a rear base. The New Humanitarian Omar Mahmood Senior Analyst, Somalia Latest Updates Commentary / Africa 6 August 2020 Somalia-Somaliland: A Halting Embrace of Dialogue Ethiopia, the U.S. and the EU have brokered surprise talks between the Somalia and Somaliland administrations, which are historically opposed, though progress has stalled while both sides prepare for elections. The parties should cooperate on technical issues, pending a shot at deeper dialogue. Op-Ed / Africa 28 July 2020 Defuse tensions in key Somali region Originally published in Daily Nation