Somali Hajj pilgrims pay over double regional rates as government faces growing pressure for reform. 

As 431 Somali pilgrims leave for Hajj 2025, public outrage grows over high costs — with Somalia charging over $4,600 per pilgrim, more than double the price in neighboring countries.

The first wave of Somali pilgrims embarking on the 2025 Hajj departed Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport on Friday, joining millions of Muslims worldwide on the sacred journey to Mecca. But as the spiritual excitement builds, so does public anger over what many are calling “exploitative and unjustifiable” Hajj costs imposed on Somali citizens.

A total of 431 pilgrims were seen off at a high-profile farewell ceremony attended by senior government officials, including Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs Sheikh Mukhtar Robow Ali, Health Minister Dr. Ali Haji Aden, and Transport Minister Mohamed Farah Nuh.

“You represent Somalia,” said Sheikh Mukhtar, advising pilgrims to uphold discipline and comply with Saudi Hajj regulations. The Minister prayed for their safe journey and divine acceptance of their pilgrimage.

Sticker Shock at $4,604 Per Pilgrim

The Ministry of Endowments has pegged this year’s official Hajj cost at $4,604, up from last year’s $4,434 — citing increased accommodation and transport prices in Saudi Arabia. While officials claim the hike is modest, Somali pilgrims still face some of the highest Hajj fees in the region, igniting public outrage.

In comparison:

Ethiopia and Kenya offer Hajj packages as low as $1,600

Djibouti pilgrims pay roughly $1,850

Sudan charges about $2,000 despite ongoing internal strife

Somalia’s cost is nearly three times higher, raising suspicions of profiteering by local Hajj agencies. In a previous statement, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre blamed “middlemen and greedy service providers” for inflating costs and called for sweeping reforms in the sector.

A History of High Costs and Broken Promises

This isn’t a new problem. In 2022, Somali pilgrims paid between $5,500 and $6,000, with many taking out loans or selling property to afford the trip. While the government touts this year’s rate as “progress,” many view it as window dressing that still leaves the majority of citizens priced out of a religious obligation.

“Why must Somali Muslims pay more than anyone else in the region to fulfill their faith?” asked a Hajj applicant who was forced to withdraw due to cost. “This is spiritual apartheid.”

Public Demands Transparency and Overhaul

Religious scholars, civil society groups, and frustrated citizens are now demanding full transparency in Hajj pricing, public disclosure of contracts with Saudi agencies, and the establishment of an independent oversight body.

Unless the government responds decisively, critics warn that Somali citizens will continue to be spiritually excluded from one of Islam’s five pillars — not by distance or war, but by bureaucratic greed.

As the 2025 Hajj season begins, one thing is clear: Somalia’s pilgrims are flying to Mecca, but the anger over Hajj costs is not going away anytime soon.

General Goita silences dissent, suspends all political activity in Mali as fears of indefinite military rule mount.

The fragile experiment with democracy in Mali has come to a halt — again. In a sweeping decree issued Wednesday night, military ruler General Assimi Goita suspended the activities of all political parties and political associations “until further notice,” citing vague “public order” concerns.

The move, seen as a direct response to a rare public protest over the weekend, is the junta’s latest escalation against civil society — and a dangerous signal that Mali’s transition to democracy may be dead in the water.

“We expected this,” said protest leader Cheick Oumar Doumbia, who helped mobilize last Saturday’s demonstration in Bamako. “This is the only language they know: repression. But we are a people committed to democracy.”

The decree comes days after a coalition of over 80 political parties and civic groups united to demand the military hand back power by December 31, 2025 — a transition deadline that the junta is now clearly ignoring.

Just last week, Mali’s transitional authorities repealed the law governing political parties, raising fears of a broader dissolution campaign. Now, the suspension of party activity across the board all but confirms the junta’s intent to rule by decree.

The Long Road to Authoritarianism

Goita first seized power in a 2020 coup, then again consolidated control after a second power grab in 2021. Under the guise of a “transitional government,” Mali has seen elections delayed, media constrained, and political space steadily eroded.

Most alarmingly, a national political conference last week recommended Goita be installed as president for a renewable five-year term — a blatant shift from transitional rule to permanent authoritarianism.

“This isn’t a transition anymore. It’s a cold-blooded regime change,” said one West African diplomat, speaking anonymously. “The mask is off.”

In 2024, Mali briefly suspended political parties for three months — now the language of “until further notice” suggests indefinite suppression.

Wider Implications for West Africa

Mali’s drift toward autocracy comes as a growing number of countries in West Africa — including Niger, Burkina Faso, and Guinea — fall under military control. The promise of democratic consolidation in the Sahel now feels increasingly remote.

With ECOWAS weakened, Western pressure diffused, and regional alliances fraying, military strongmen are discovering they can suppress political life with impunity.

For now, Mali’s opposition has pledged peaceful resistance. But with arrests, harassment, and party shutdowns escalating, the space for dissent is narrowing fast.

Beijing backs Moscow against U.S. pressure, warns against global ‘hegemonic order’ as Chinese leader attends Russia’s WWII victory parade.

Chinese President Xi Jinping landed in Moscow to join Vladimir Putin for Russia’s WWII Victory Day celebrations—just as Donald Trump’s White House renews secretive diplomatic overtures toward Moscow.

Speaking at the Kremlin, Xi echoed Moscow’s anti-Western sentiment, vowing to join Russia in resisting “unilateralism and hegemonic bullying.” While the words may seem abstract, their target was clear: Washington and its allies, who continue to support Ukraine and challenge China on trade and regional dominance.

“China will work with Russia to shoulder the special responsibilities of major world powers,” Xi declared beside Putin, referencing their growing “strategic coordination.”

Putin welcomed Xi as a “dear friend,” seizing the moment to connect Russia’s WWII legacy with his ongoing war in Ukraine—a conflict he frames as a fight against “neo-Nazism.”

The optics of Xi standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Putin at a time when Western leaders have boycotted the parade was not lost on observers. It marks China’s most explicit alignment with Russia’s wartime narrative since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

A Warning to Washington

Xi’s visit lands amid a dramatic backdrop: Trump’s push for a ceasefire deal between Russia and Ukraine is gaining traction, unsettling Beijing’s strategic calculus.

“Beijing is watching nervously,” said one Moscow-based diplomat. “Any U.S.-Russia deal could weaken China’s leverage and leave it isolated.”

Chinese media is already preparing domestic audiences for what it calls a “new era of multipolar diplomacy.” But critics say China’s stance as a neutral party in the Ukraine war is increasingly a fiction. Kyiv has accused Beijing of allowing Chinese nationals to assist Russian operations.

Pipeline Politics and Economic Pressure

Behind the scenes, Xi’s delegation is also pushing for progress on the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline—a delayed $55 billion gas project designed to redirect Russian energy flows from Europe to China. With both nations under economic strain, analysts expect a deal may finally be within reach.

“Economic pressure on both sides could push them closer to a compromise this time around,” said Yulia Shapovalova.

As Xi promises to defend the “correct view” of WWII and backs Putin’s line on “modern militarism,” it’s becoming harder for China to sit on the fence. This visit marks a critical turning point in the global alignment: Beijing and Moscow are preparing for a world where American influence is contested—not respected.

As a new electoral commission looms, fear grips while Irro’s reform agenda reshapes the battlefield ahead of municipal and House of Representatives polls.

The real war for Somaliland’s future won’t be fought in presidential palaces or televised debates—it will be decided at the ballot box in 2026, when voters return to elect a new House of Representatives and local councils across the nation. On the surface, it looks like just another electoral cycle. But beneath that calm, insiders whisper: this one will shake the political foundations of Somaliland.

Why? Because this is the first major test of President Irro’s new vision of governance, meritocracy, and institutional integrity. The old script of tribal patronage, inherited seats, and rubber-stamp politics is facing its final act. The parliamentary and local council elections won’t just install new officials; they will reveal whether Somaliland is ready to transition into a mature democracy that rewards brains over bloodlines.

And the establishment is terrified.

Election Commission in Flux Behind closed doors, a major shift is already underway. The current National Electoral Commission (NEC), is quietly preparing to step aside. Sources close to the presidency confirm that discussions for appointing a new, reformed Election Commission are already in motion—and the implications are massive.

KAAH new opposition party that once mastered the art of backdoor deals and local strongman control is panicking.

From Local Power to National Symbolism In Somaliland, local elections are anything but local. They are breeding grounds for national leaders, testing grounds for policy, and platforms for party influence. A clean sweep in the municipal vote not only reshapes local governance—it rewrites the national political narrative.

President Irro knows this. His administration has quietly backed new political actors and independent candidates with clean records, strong ideas, and zero clan baggage. These candidates—many of them young professionals, women, and former civil society leaders—are preparing to challenge the dinosaurs of Somaliland politics.

2026: The Year Clan Politics Dies? Make no mistake: 2026 could mark the symbolic end of politics by clan and the beginning of real accountability. If the new electoral commission is appointed in time, and if voters embrace change over nostalgia, the results will redraw Somaliland’s political map.

This election won’t just elect representatives. It will test the credibility of Somaliland’s democratic claim before the world. It will determine whether Hargeisa’s promise of peace and governance is more than just rhetoric.

And for the old guard, it’s the beginning of the end.

Because after 2026, there may be no more hiding behind family names, no more bought ballots, no more “we were here first” excuses. The next generation of leaders is coming. And this time, they’re coming for real change.

Somali officers join PLA-led exchange as Beijing ramps up defense diplomacy and supplies African armies with Chinese-made weapons.

Beijing has rolled out the red carpet for Africa’s next generation of military leaders—and Somalia is at the front of the line. Nearly 100 officers from over 40 African countries, including Somalia, have touched down in China for a 10-day defense diplomacy blitz that is equal parts charm offensive and strategic maneuver.

Hosted by the Chinese Ministry of National Defense and anchored at the PLA’s elite National University of Defense Technology, the exchange includes base tours, joint strategy sessions, and leadership workshops from May 6–15. It’s China’s fourth such program, but this one arrives at a critical time: Somalia’s armed forces are rearming, reorienting—and now, reengaging with Beijing.

The Somali National Army’s participation comes just weeks after it took delivery of Chinese-built ZFB-05 armored vehicles via the African Union. Although AU-branded, their Chinese origin is no accident. Beijing has quietly become a key player in African military logistics, especially where Western support has waned.

This exchange is not just about optics. China is offering hard power too: a billion-yuan military aid package, 6,000 troops to be trained, and an additional 1,000 police officers slated for capacity-building. Beijing is pitching itself not just as a friend—but as a defense partner willing to train, equip, and engage.

And it’s working. From the Red Sea to the Sahel, more African uniforms are being stitched with Chinese assistance. For Somalia, a country rebuilding its army from scratch, the promise of advanced training and modern gear—without Western political strings—is seductive.

China’s defense diplomacy in Africa is no longer subtle. It’s a strategic playbook: train elites, equip partners, and lock in loyalty through long-term military-to-military ties. The presence of Somali officers in this exchange isn’t just a photo op—it’s a snapshot of Africa’s shifting defense alliances.

In a major escalation along the Line of Control, India’s military on Wednesday launched Operation Sindoor, striking nine targets in Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PoK) and Punjab province. New Delhi said its precision missile strikes hit “terrorist infrastructure…from where attacks against India were planned and directed,” deliberately avoiding Pakistani military bases to minimize civilian harm.

Pakistani forces responded within hours, claiming to have downed five Indian warplanes and shot down several missiles. Islamabad confirmed at least eight civilians killed and 35 wounded in PoK locations including Muzaffarabad and Kotli, as well as the city of Bahawalpur in Punjab, where a mosque was struck.

Both sides have since exchanged heavy shelling and small-arms fire along multiple sectors of the contested frontier. India’s Ministry of Defence emphasized that its action was “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” while Pakistan’s army vowed to continue responding to any further incursions.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for “maximum restraint” from both nuclear-armed neighbors. U.S. President Donald Trump expressed concern over the clashes, calling them “a shame” and urging an immediate de-escalation.

Analysts warn that rising domestic pressures in both capitals—fueled by last month’s brutal attack on tourists in Indian Kashmir—risk dragging the region into a wider confrontation. For now, both governments appear locked in a dangerous tit-for-tat, with civilians on both sides bearing the brunt of renewed hostilities.

Trump Halts Yemen Bombings as Oman Brokers US-Houthi Ceasefire: Red Sea Tensions Ease Amid Diplomatic Shift

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the United States would immediately halt its air campaign in Yemen after a ceasefire was brokered between Washington and the Houthi movement by Oman. The move signals a major de-escalation in the Red Sea, where Houthi attacks on shipping had threatened global commerce and pulled the US into daily strikes.

“The Houthis have announced to us that they don’t want to fight anymore,” Trump told reporters at the White House during a joint appearance with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. “They just don’t want to fight, and we will honor that.” Trump claimed the Houthis had “capitulated” and pledged to stop targeting international shipping.

Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi confirmed the breakthrough, posting on X that Muscat’s mediation had resulted in a ceasefire agreement ensuring that neither side would target the other, including in the Bab al-Mandab Strait. “This guarantees freedom of navigation and international commercial flow,” he added.

The US State Department clarified that the agreement covers Houthi operations in Yemeni waters and against American interests, but does not extend to the group’s confrontation with Israel. The Houthis, aligned with Iran and entrenched in northern Yemen, began attacking Red Sea shipping in late 2023, linking their operations to solidarity with Palestinians amid the war in Gaza.

Senior Houthi leader Mohammed Ali al-Houthi responded cautiously, writing on X that Trump’s words would be “evaluated on the ground first,” and reaffirmed the group’s stance that its operations are tied to Israel’s actions in Gaza.

This diplomatic pause comes just hours after Israel struck Yemen’s Sanaa airport and the vital port city of Hodeidah, following a Houthi missile strike near Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport. The Israeli military accused the Houthis of direct involvement in war against the Jewish state, raising fears of a broader regional explosion.

Behind the scenes, sources suggest Iran may have helped influence the Houthi de-escalation, possibly as part of broader US-Iran nuclear talks where sanctions relief is being discussed in exchange for curbs on Iran’s nuclear program.

As one analyst put it: “This isn’t just a ceasefire in Yemen. It’s a pressure valve release in the entire Gulf security architecture.”

What remains uncertain is whether the Houthis will halt attacks on Israel and whether Israel itself will respect the US-Houthi ceasefire framework. For now, though, the airstrikes pause—and diplomacy takes a tentative step forward.

Beijing is baiting for war. And this week, it came knocking hard.

Beijing ramps up gray zone warfare as Taiwan scrambles jets, ships, and missiles to confront PLA provocation across multiple fronts.

Between Sunday and Monday, Taiwan tracked eight Chinese naval warships and six military aircraft encroaching upon its territory — four of which breached the Taiwan Strait median line. This isn’t just another fly-by. This is an orchestrated gray-zone campaign, a relentless psychological siege designed to break Taiwan without firing the first bullet — yet.

(MND image)

Taipei responded with immediate force projection: scrambling fighter jets, deploying naval patrols, and activating coastal missile systems. China’s chessboard is no longer virtual. This is the PLA leaning into escalation, tactically encircling the island from the north, southwest, and east. These aren’t drills — they’re pre-invasion rehearsals dressed in deniability.

Gray zone warfare? It’s a pretty term for slow strangulation. Since 2020, the PLA has increased military harassment with nearly daily intrusions, eroding Taiwan’s reaction time and testing its defense resolve. Beijing is normalizing intimidation, softening global outrage, and prepping its forces for a flash war the world might not be ready to stop.

But Taiwan isn’t blinking.

This isn’t just about sovereignty. It’s about showing the region that a free island democracy will not be slowly choked into submission. And every radar ping, missile battery activated, and warship intercepted is a signal to Xi Jinping: Taiwan’s military is alert, lethal, and tired of warnings.

Two Shenyang J-16 fighter jets take off. (China Ministry of National Defense photo)

China is building up to something far more dangerous. With the South China Sea fortified and PLA Navy fleets prowling in strategic arcs, Taiwan may soon face a full-spectrum blockade or a sudden precision strike designed to collapse its command-and-control grid.

And while Washington watches, Taipei is already in the crosshairs. The countdown to a forced reunification may have already started.

War is no longer theoretical. It’s airborne. It’s on the water. It’s in the strait.