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 27 May 2021 Through these specific talks [in Somalia], Farmajo really didn’t play much of a role, but that doesn’t mean that he permanently is sitting out the campaign period. The Washington Post Omar Mahmood Senior Analyst, Somalia 20 May 2021 Any intervention [by ANISOM] during renewed fighting [in Somalia] will be seen as partial to one or the other, while the cost of doing nothing can see the reversal of security gains. The New Humanitarian Omar Mahmood Senior Analyst, Somalia 27 Apr 2021 Any sort of miscalculation could happen [in Somalia]. It just takes one trigger-happy soldier to fire on the other side, and that's going to erupt those dynamics. AFP Omar Mahmood Senior Analyst, Somalia 8 Apr 2021 [Somalia’s election impasse] comes down to unresolved internal political tensions, but also a lack of preparation and political will. The Guardian Omar Mahmood Senior Analyst, Somalia 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 Q&A / Africa 27 April 2021 Why Somalia’s Electoral Crisis Has Tipped into Violence After months of deadlocked talks over elections, the streets of Mogadishu on 25 April witnessed heavy fighting between rival army units. In this Q&A, Crisis Group expert Omar Mahmood examines the factors that triggered the latest violence – and explores ways to calm the waters. Podcast / Africa 26 January 2021 Somalia's Election Crisis This week on The Horn, Crisis Group’s Somalia expert Omar Mahmood joins Alan Boswell to assess the likelihood of disorder once President Farmajo’s mandate ends on February 8 and the urgency of renewed consensus on an extended process for new elections. 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 Podcast / Africa 15 April 2020 The Political Fallout of the Pandemic The Horn of Africa faces myriad crises. Beyond the potentially devastating impact of COVID-19 on politics and the economy, the region is grappling with deeply troubled transitions, cross-border jihadism and remains a playground for great power competition. This week on The Horn, Host Alan Boswell joins five Crisis Group analysts to analyse the pandemic's political and economic implications.