The Somali Region (, , ), also known as Soomaali Galbeed () and officially the Somali Regional State, is a regional state in eastern Ethiopia. It is the second largest region of Ethiopia in terms of area. The state borders the Ethiopian regions of Afar and Oromia to the west, as well as Djibouti to the north, Somalia to the east and south; and Kenya to the southwest. Jijiga is the capital of the state.
The Somali regional government is composed of the executive branch, led by the President; the legislative branch, which comprises the State Council; and the judicial branch, which is led by the State Supreme Court.
History
What is now the Somali Region was part of the conquests of Menelik II in the late 19th century.
The Somali Region formed a large part of the pre-1995 provinces of Hararghe, Bale and Sidamo. The population is predominantly Somali, and there have been attempts to incorporate the area into a Greater Somalia. In the 1977, Somalia invaded Ethiopia, igniting the Ogaden War, which Somalia lost due to timely military intervention from the Soviet Union and its ally Cuba. Despite this defeat, local groups still tried either to become part of Somalia or independent.
The 2007 Abole oil field raid, in which 72 Chinese and Ethiopian oilfield workers were killed, has led to a series of military reprisals against the rebel group ONLF Ogaden National Liberation Front.
Until its first-ever district elections in February 2004, Zonal and woreda administrators and village chairmen were appointed by the Regional government. Senior politicians at the Regional level nominated their clients to the local government positions. In the 2004 local elections, each woreda elected a council including a spokesman, vice-spokesman, administrator, and vice-administrator. These councils have the responsibility of managing budgets and development activities within their respective districts.Tobias Hagmann, Mohamud H. Khalif: "State and Politics in Ethiopia's Somali region since 1991", Bildhaan: the International Journal of Somali Studies , 6 (2006), p. 33
Demographics Based on the 2007 Census conducted by the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA), the Somali Region has a total population of 4,439,147, consisting of 2,468,784 men and 1,970,363 women; urban residents numbered 621,210 or 14% of the population, while rural residents numbered 3,817,937. With an estimated area of 327,068 square kilometers, this region has an estimated density of 20.9 people per square kilometer. For the entire region 1, 685,986 households were counted, which results in an average for the Region of 6.8 persons to a household, with urban households having on average 6 and rural households 6.5 people.
There are 8 refugee camps and 1 transit center, housing 212,967 refugees from Somalia, located in Somali Region.
In the previous census, conducted in 1994, the region's population was reported to be 3,383,165, of which Somalis made up 3,236,667. There were 1,846,417 were males and 1,537,748 were females. The urban residents of the Somali Region numbered 492,710 households, with an average of 6.6 persons per household; a high sex ratio of 120 males to 100 females was reported.The 1994 National Census was delayed in the Somali Region until 1997. The Census did not cover all parts of the Region, namely rural kebeles in the following Zones: Shinile, Fiq, Gode, and Afder. The 1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Results for Somali Region, vol.1 , Chapter 2 "Population size and characteristics" As of 1997, the ethnic composition of the Region was 99.01% Somali, 0.30% Amhara, 0.5% Oromo; all other ethnic groups made up 0.2% of the population.1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Results for Somali Region, Vol. 1] Tables 2.4, 2.14 (accessed 10 January 2009).
According to the CSA, , 38.98% of the total population had access to safe drinking water, of whom 21.32% were rural inhabitants and 77.21% were urban."Households by sources of drinking water, safe water sources" CSA Selected Basic Welfare Indicators (accessed 28 January 2009) Values for other reported common indicators of the standard of living for Somali include the following: 71.8% of the inhabitants fall into the lowest wealth quintile; adult literacy for men is 22% and for women 9.8%; and the Regional infant mortality rate is 57 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, which is less than the nationwide average of 77; at least half of these deaths occurred in the infants' first month of life.
YearEthiopiapopulationSomali Regionpopulation% of EthiopiaSource200773,918,5054,439,1476.0% 201284,320,9875,148,9896.11%201386,613,9865,527,0006.38%2023126,526,2726,374,2845.03% The region is home to almost all major Somali clan families with the majority being from the Ogaden tribe of Darod comprising 65% of the total population. Except for Liben and Sitti, the Ogaden clan have a majority presence in all other nine zones.
The Akisho clan, Issa, Gadabuursi and Jaarso subclans of the Dir primarily inhabit the northern Sitti zone, Awbare zone.
Languages Somali as a primary language is spoken by 95.89% of the inhabitants. All other languages spoken together make up 4.11%.1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Results for Somali Region, Vol. 1] Tables 2.4, 2.14 (accessed 10 January 2009).
Religion 99.74% of the population are Muslim, All other religions together made up 0.26%.1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Results for Somali Region, Vol. 1] Tables 2.4, 2.14 (accessed 10 January 2009).FDRE States: Basic Information - Somalia , Population (accessed 12 March 2006)" Census 2007 Tables: Somali Region" , Tables 2.1, 2.5, 3.1, 3.2, 3.4
Agriculture The CSA of Ethiopia estimated in 2005 that farmers in the Somali Region had a total of 2,459,720 cattle (representing 15.19% of Ethiopia's total cattle), 2,463,000 sheep (27.66%), 3,650,970 goats (60.02%), 1,991,550 donkeys (42.66%), 3,165,260 camels (96.2%), 154,670 poultry of all species (0.5%), and 5,330 beehives (0.12%). For nomadic inhabitants, the CSA provided two sets of estimates, one based on aerial surveys and the other on more conventional methodology:"CSA 2005 National Statistics" , Tables D.4 – D.7.
Livestock Aerial survey(conducted 5-23 Nov. 2003) Conventional survey(conducted 11 Dec. 2003) Cattle 2,670,280 1,130,610 Sheep 8,410,800 4,250,110 Goats 8,525,460 3,177,580 Camels 3,041,870 194,510 Donkeys 142,640 124,290 Mules 1,430 160 Horses 1,000 80
Transportation
Ground travel West from Addis Ababa, Awash 572 km via Harar and Jijiga to Degehabur
Air travel Somali Regional State has 3 international airport and 2 commercial airports. The international airports are Jijiga Airport, Gode Airport, and Kabri Dar Airport, The 2 commercial airports are Dolo Airport, and Shilavo Airport.
Government
Executive branch The executive branch is headed by the Chief Administrator of Somali Regional State. The current Chief Administrator is Mustafe Mohammed Omer (Cagjar), elected on 22 August 2018. A Vice President of Somali Region succeeds the president in the event of any removal from office, and performs any duties assigned by the president. The current vice president is Adam Farah Ibrahim. The other offices in the executive branch cabinet are the Regional Health Bureau, Educational Bureau, and 18 other officials.
List of Chief Administrators of Somali Region No.PortraitPresidentTerm of officePartyTook officeLeft officeDuration1Abdullahi Mohamed Sa'di23 Jan 1993 Nov 199310 monthsEthiopian Somali Democratic League (ESDL)Tobias Hagmann, Mohamud H. Khalif, "State and Politics in Ethiopia's Somali region since 1991" , Bildhaan: the International Journal of Somali Studies, 6 (2006), p. 292Hassan Jire Qalinle 1993 Apr 19941 yearEthiopian Somali Democratic League (ESDL)3Abdirahman Ugas Mohumed Qani Apr 1994 19951 yearEthiopian Somali Democratic League (ESDL)4Ahmed Makahel Hussein 1995 Jun 19954 months,15 daysEthiopian Somali Democratic League (ESDL)5Eid Daahir Farah Jun 1995 Oct 19972 years,4 monthsEthiopian Somali Democratic League (ESDL)Asnake Kefale Adegehe, Federalism and ethnic conflict in Ethiopia: a comparative study of the Somali and Benishangul-Gumuz regions Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Leiden University, Doctoral thesis (2009), p. 1386Khader Ma'alen Ali Oct 1997 Oct 20003 yearsEthiopian Somali Democratic League (ESDL)Ethiopian Somali People's Democratic Party (ESPDP)7Abdulrashed Dulane Oct 2000 21 Jul 20032 years,10 monthsEthiopian Somali People's Democratic Party (ESPDP)8Abdi Jibril Ali21 Jul 2003 Oct 20052 years, 3 months,Ethiopian Somali People's Democratic Party (ESPDP)9Abdullahi Hassan Mohamed "Lugbuur" Oct 2005 Nov 20083 years,1 monthEthiopian Somali People's Democratic Party (ESPDP)10Daud Mohamed Ali Daud Axmaar Nov 2008 12 Jul 20101 year,9 monthsEthiopian Somali People's Democratic Party (ESPDP)11Abdi Mohamoud Omar (Abdi Ilay)12 Jul 2010 8 Aug 20188 years,1 monthEthiopian Somali People's Democratic Party (ESPDP)12Ahmed Abdi Sh. Mohamed (Ilkacase)8 Aug 2018 22 Aug 201814 daysEthiopian Somali People's Democratic Party (ESPDP)13Mustafe Mohummed Omer (Cagjar)22 Aug 2018 PresentEthiopian Somali People's Democratic Party (ESPDP) Somali Democratic Party (SDP)Dirir Mohamoud (Ethiopia) AfDevInfo website (accessed 14 May 2009)Prosperity Party
Judicial branch There are three levels of the Somali region judiciary. The lowest level is the court of common pleas: each woreda maintains its own constitutionally mandated court of common pleas, which maintain jurisdiction over all justiciable matters. The intermediate-level court system is the district court system. Four courts of appeals exist, each retaining jurisdiction over appeals from common pleas, municipal, and county courts in an administrative zone. A case heard in this system is decided by a three-judge panel, and each judge is elected.
The highest-ranking court, the Somali Supreme Court, is Somali's "court of last resort". A Seven-justice panel composes the court, which, by its own discretion, hears appeals from the courts of appeals, and retains original jurisdiction over limited matters. The chief judge is called the Chief of Somali Supreme Court Abdullahi Saed Omar.
Legislative branch The State Council, which is the highest administrative body of the state, is made up of 269 members.
National politics Somali is represented by 6 representatives in The House of Federation (upper chamber) and 24 representatives in The House of Peoples' Representatives (lower chamber)
Administrative zones Like other Regions in Ethiopia, Somali Region is subdivided into eleven administrative zones and Six Special administrative zones:
Afder Zone Dollo Zone (formerly Warder) Erer Zone Fafan Zone (formerly Jigjiga) Jarar Zone (formerly Degehabur) Korahe Zone Liben Zone Dhawa Zone Nogob Zone (formerly Fiq) Shabelle Zone (formerly Godey) Sitti Zone (formerly Shinile) Degehabur Special Zone (special zone) Gode Special Zone (special zone) Harawo Special Zone (special zone) Kebri Beyah Special Zone (special zone) Tog Wajale Special Zone (special zone)
The zones are themselves subdivided into districts.
See also Ogaden (clan) Jidwaq (clan) List of airports in Ethiopia
References
Further reading Tobias Hagmann, "Beyond clannishness and colonialism: understanding political disorder in Ethiopia's Somali Region, 1991–2004", Journal of Modern African Studies, 43 (2005), 509–536. John Markakis (1996): "The Somali in Ethiopia". Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 23, No. 70, pp. 567–570 John Markakis (1994): "Briefing: Somalia in the New Political Order of Ethiopia". Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 21, No. 59 pp. 71–79
External links Map of Somali Region at UN-OCHA Map of Somali Region at DPPA of Ethiopia (PDF file) List of Ogaden-Somali Members of Ethiopian Parliament