Somalia facts of the day
The fruits of better security are plain to see. “Business is booming,” says Gamal Hassan, the commerce minister. New buildings are going up at a frenetic pace. The district around the airport, in particular, has grown much denser (see satellite images). Dahab Tower, a 26-floor confection of luxury flats, a mall, a gym and a […] The post Somalia facts of the day appeared first on Marginal…
The economic landscape in Somalia is thriving, according to the commerce minister, Gamal Hassan. New constructions are rapidly sprouting, particularly around the airport district, where a high-density area has emerged. A notable development is the upcoming Dahab Tower, a 26-story residential, commercial, and religious complex that is set to open this year.
This location is significant as it was once the site of a 1993 tragedy, where two American soldiers lost their lives after a Black Hawk helicopter was shot down by militiamen. In the vicinity, Beydan Coffee, a widely popular pan-African coffee chain, has established a strong presence, established by a Somali national who immigrated to Sweden in the 2010s.
The decrease in violent attacks is attributed to the government's assertion that it has "completely closed the doors" on the militant group, al-Shabab, according to a former intelligence officer. The ICG's Mahmood attributes this to more tangible measures, such as the widespread installation of CCTV cameras and an electronic database, operated by police equipped with iPads, used to identify civilian vehicles at checkpoints.
Additionally, a significant deployment of plainclothes intelligence officers has been observed in various areas.
Written by urgent.news from Marginal Revolution's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
