Matthew Bryden | |
---|---|
Born | United Kingdom |
Nationality | Canadian |
Other names | Matt Bryden |
Alma mater | Upper Canada College King's College London |
Occupation | Strategic Consultant at Sahan Research |
Known for | Horn of Africa political analysis, considered a leading authority on insurgency in Somalia |
Matthew Bryden is a Canadian political analyst active in the Horn of Africa. He worked for several aid and political organizations in Somalia after spending some time in the region during his leave from the Canadian military in 1987. He served as the Coordinator for the Monitoring Group Eritrea (EMG) from 2008-2012. He is now a strategic security consultant at Sahan Research, a think tank based in Nairobi.
Matthew Bryden was born in the UK and grew up in Canada. [1] [2] He attended Upper Canada College in Toronto, where he graduated in 1985. [3] Bryden joined the Canadian Forces Reserve [4] and became interested in African aid programs after visiting the region during a military leave in 1987. [5]
Bryden was hired by the Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE) program in January 1988 [5] and the following year joined the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Berbera, Somalia. [6] He was reassigned to Nairobi, Kenya in August 1990, when the UN evacuated non-essential staff. [7]
In 1992, Bryden was appointed Special Advisor to the Canadian Ambassador on Somali Affairs. He led the War-torn Societies Project (WSP) from 1996 to 2003 [4] and in the two years following acted as the Horn of Africa Director for the International Crisis Group (ICG). [4] From 2007 to 2008, he served as an adviser on Somali affairs for the United States Agency for International Development USAID and the US embassy. [4]
In 2008, Bryden was appointed Coordinator of the Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea (SEMG), which monitored violations of the general and complete arms embargo introduced by United Nations Security Council Resolution 733 on 23 January 1992. [8] This included reports that the United States violated the embargo when making anti-terrorist missile strikes, and an incident where two journalists were detained under suspicions of being mercenaries. [8] Bryden said he considered any munitions delivered to Somalia to be a breach of the embargo. [8]
Bryden accused then Puntland President Abdirahman Farole and other government officials of being on the payroll of pirate gangs. [9] Abdirahman Farole in turn accused Bryden of using his position at the SEMG to create inflated reports of munitions in the neighboring regions of Somaliland in order to support his interest in the secession of Somaliland. He noted Bryden was married to a well-connected woman from the region's dominant, Isaaq clan. [10] Bryden stepped down from his SEMG position in mid-2012. [11]
As of 2010, Bryden lives in Nairobi, Kenya. [12] [13] Bryden is fluent in Somali. [1]
Puntland, officially the Puntland State of Somalia, is an autonomous territory formed in 1998 that became a federal member state. Puntland is located in the northeastern part of Somalia and its state capital is the city of Garoowe in the Nugal region. The region had a population of 4,334,633 in 2016.
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The Harti, (Somali: Harti), are a Somali clan that trace their lineage back to SalehAbdi (Harti). They are a sub-clan of the larger Darod clan. Notable sub-clans within Harti include the Majeerteen, Dhulbahante, and the Warsengeli. They predominantly reside in the apex of the Horn of Africa and its surrounding regions. Furthermore, in the southern territories, the clan's settlements span both sides of the Kenya-Somalia border.
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The Galgala campaign was a military campaign autonomous Puntland region of Somalia, that took place periodically from 8 August until 1 October 2014. It was aimed at re-gaining control of the Galgala hills, which had fallen in hands of al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab commander Sheikh Mohamed Said Atom and his militia.
The Puntland Intelligence Security Agency is an Intelligence and Security Agency based in Puntland, Somalia. It was officially established in 2001 as Puntland Intelligence Service during the rule of President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, with assistance from the United States. The agency operates throughout Somalia, but principally in the autonomous Puntland region, where it serves as the main intelligence and counter-terrorism wing of the Puntland Security Force.
Abdisamad Ali Shire was a Somali politician and military officer who served as the Vice President of Puntland fom January 8, 2009, to January 8, 2014.
The Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF) is a security force based in Puntland, an autonomous region in northeastern Somalia. As of May 2024, the PMPF had around 4800 personnel. The force is eventually expected to comprise 10,000 personnel.
Qaw, also known as Bandar Siyada, is a populated place in the northeastern Bari region of Somalia.
Horseed is a political party based in Garowe, the administrative capital of the autonomous Puntland state in northeastern Somalia.
The 2014 Puntland presidential election was held on 8 January 2014 in Garowe, the administrative capital of the autonomous Puntland region in northeastern Somalia. The third such vote to be held in the state since its formation in 1998, it followed the election of a new Parliament Speaker and Deputy Speakers on 4 January 2014 by the 66-seat regional legislature. Candidates included officials from the incumbent Puntland administration, former government ministers and prominent local entrepreneurs. The ballot saw the election of former prime minister of Somalia Abdiweli Gaas as the fifth president of Puntland, narrowly defeating the incumbent Abdirahman Farole. Parliament of Puntland concurrently elected Abdihakim Abdullahi Haji Omar as Puntland's new vice president in place of Abdisamad Ali Shire.
On 14 August 2006, Galmudug declared autonomy in central Somalia.
Ururka Dadka Puntland is an opposition Puntland political party.
Isse MohamoudorEisse Mahmoud, ; Eisse is a prominent sub-clan within the Majertein clan, comprising a significant population in four regional states primarily located in Puntland Somalia.
The 2009 Puntland presidential election was held on 8 January 2009 in Garowe, the administrative capital of the autonomous Puntland state of Somalia. The second such vote to be held in the state since its establishment 1998, it followed the election of a new Parliament Speaker and Deputy Speakers on January 04, 2009 by the 66-seat bicameral legislature. Candidates included officials from the incumbent Puntland administration, former government ministers and prominent local entrepreneurs. The ballot saw the election of former Puntland minister of finance Abdirahman Farole as the fourth president of Puntland, majority defeating Abdullahi Ahmed Jama. Parliament of Puntland concurrently elected Abdisamad Ali Shire as Puntland's new vice president in place of Hassan Dahir Afqurac.