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Post-conflict democratization, foreign funding, and NGO-ization of civil society in Somalia

Marian A.M.,

Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia; Simad University, Mogadishu, Somalia, marianbarow@gmail.com

ORCID: 0009-0008-1043-7907 |

Farouk A.F.A.,

Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia, azeemf@usm.my

Khelghat-Doost H.,

University of Lincoln, Lincoln, United Kingdom, hkelghatdoost@lincoln.ac.uk

Jaafar F. ,

Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia, faridahjaafar@usm.my

Article received: 2024.01.08 20:08. Accepted: 2024.11.22 20:09


DOI: 10.17976/jpps/2025.04.06
EDN: DWAHKW

Rubric: Orbis terrarum

For citation:

Marian A.M., Farouk A.F.A., Khelghat-Doost H., Jaafar F. Post-conflict democratization, foreign funding, and NGO-ization of civil society in Somalia. – Polis. Political Studies. 2025. No. 4. https://doi.org/10.17976/jpps/2025.04.06. EDN: DWAHKW

Abstract

 Civil society in post-conflict states like Somalia is of immense importance to democratization. However, the proliferation of NGOs and foreign aid have resulted in dependency, potentially undermining local agencies and sustainable governance. The present research explores the critical association between foreign funding, NGO-ization, and democratization in Somalia by focusing on Mogadishu. Through the implementation of a qualitative case study approach, the data was collected through in-depth interviews with the staff of local civil society organizations and direct observations. The findings reveal that donordriven NGOs usually prioritize accountability to donors over local needs. This results in short-term projects with a limited long-term influence. However, this NGO-ization model has weakened the indigenous initiatives and impact of civil society on state-building efforts. The present research holds immense theoretical and practical implications. The study underscores the limitations of NGO-ization models in developing civil society. It highlights the importance of integrating local contextual factors within the theoretical frameworks for democratization. This study provides valuable insights to the donors and policymakers, highlighting that they should prioritize funding models that enhance the long-term sustainability of civil society initiatives. Research limitations and future indications are also discussed in the last section.

Keywords

post-conflict democratization, foreign funding, NGO-ization, civil society, Somalia.

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