Emergencies happen often in Mogadishu. Friends’s call about ongoing terror threats is common.
Work and leisure gets disrupted. Imperial UN heads stop project activities. Stern warnings are sent on secure radios prompting road closures and rendering the city to a standstill. This means my planned activities are disrupted.
So what? People die in war zones in Syria. Mogadishu is a post conflict city. That means it is not for foreign visitors.
Mogadishu is a city that is ideal for Somalis living abroad. Their investment and hard-earned cash is welcomed. Summer vacation season is big across the Somali territories. The breakaway region in the north heavily relies on summer holidaymakers.
As a seasonal visitor and Mogadishan who hopes to live in the city, I am optimistic about the future of the city. There is a a new leadership. And I would advise visitors to come to the city and remain cautious, which means avoid government offices and hotels. Yup, go rent a home.
