The Japanese idealist behind the last deradicalisation NGO in Somalia

Nairobi, September 3 - Yosuke Nagai, a Japanese idealist, has established the last foreign-funded reintegration program for Islamist fighters operating in Somalia. At 19 years old, Nagai established two programs in 2011: one for Somali students to address the root causes of the Al-Shabaab insurgency, and another to rehabilitate gang members.

In 2016, he collaborated with Somalia's government on reintegrating former Al-Shabaab members. Nagai's NGO, Accept International, has since worked with 1,700 imprisoned Al-Shabaab fighters and 250 defectors, expanding to Yemen, the Palestinian territories, Indonesia, and elsewhere. Despite reduced aid to Somalia, Accept International remains the only foreign agency dedicated to deradicalization.

Funded by Japanese donations, Nagai oversees 17 staff in Somali prisons, a defector center in the capital, Mogadishu, and another rehabilitation center in Dhusamareb, Galmudug state. The work is demanding, with prisoners often expressing their hostility. However, success stories motivate Nagai, highlighting individuals who have become tailors, traffic police, or soldiers in the national army.

Nagai favors the term "empowerment" over "deradicalization." The program spans about a year, focusing on vocational skills like carpentry and basic education, with around a third of participants being illiterate, making them vulnerable to brainwashing.

One success story is Nur Ali, a former insurgent who now manages the prison program. At 17, Ali joined Al-Shabaab after his brother was killed by government forces. Captured at 19, he met Nagai who guided him towards forgiveness. However, Ali later re-joined Al-Shabaab due to pressure from his father, a supporter. Nagai emphasizes the challenges ex-combatants face, such as a 21-year-old who left the group just before becoming a suicide bomber but returned under his father's influence.