The Arta Conference: A Fragile Seed of Hope in a Warlord-Ruled Somalia (2000)

In the year 2000, the small but strategically significant nation of Djibouti, under the determined leadership of President Ismail Omar Guelleh, became the unlikely host to the Somali National Peace Conference in the town of Arta. This conference, spanning several intense months from May to August 2000, represented the most inclusive and ambitious attempt at Somali reconciliation since the devastating collapse of the central government and the eruption of civil war in 1991.

President Guelleh, deeply invested in regional stability and demonstrating a profound understanding of the Somali crisis, made the success of this conference a personal and national priority. His commitment manifested in providing not only a neutral and secure venue but also substantial logistical and financial backing, recognizing the immense challenges involved in bringing together a deeply fragmented society.   

The atmosphere in Arta was charged with a mixture of cautious optimism and deep-seated skepticism. Unlike previous, often fruitless, peace initiatives that primarily involved the powerful and frequently self-serving warlords, the Arta Conference deliberately sought a broader representation of Somali society. Over 800 delegates convened, encompassing respected clan elders who held significant sway within their communities, a diverse array of politicians marginalized by the ongoing conflict, influential civil society figures representing various professional and social groups, and notably, a strong contingent of women's organizations, numbering around 100 participants. These women actively lobbied for their inclusion in the political process and for the incorporation of human rights principles into the transitional framework. International observers from the United Nations, the Arab League, the Organization of African Unity (OAU), and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) also attended, signaling a degree of international support for this indigenous-led effort.   

The state of Somalia in 2000 was one of utter fragmentation. For nearly a decade, the country had been carved into a patchwork of territories controlled by heavily armed warlords. These powerful individuals and their militias held sway over key cities, ports, and strategic resources, operating as de facto rulers in their respective domains. Mogadishu, the once-proud capital, was a particularly brutal example of this fractured reality, divided into zones of control where rival factions engaged in constant, often deadly, power struggles. Ordinary Somalis lived under the arbitrary rule of these armed groups, facing extortion, violence, and a complete absence of law and order. Basic services were non-existent in many areas, and the dream of a unified nation seemed increasingly distant.   

Against this backdrop of entrenched warlordism and societal fragmentation, the Arta Conference aimed to achieve the seemingly impossible: the establishment of a unified transitional government. After months of intense negotiations, often fraught with clan-based tensions and competing interests, the conference culminated in the Arta Declaration and the formation of the Transitional National Government (TNG), with Abdikassim Salad Hassan elected as its President. A Transitional National Assembly (TNA) was also established, and a Transitional Charter was adopted to serve as the supreme law during the rebuilding phase.   

However, the Arta process was not without its significant hurdles. Several key warlords, deeply invested in maintaining their autonomy and control over their territories, boycotted the conference, viewing the TNG as a direct threat to their power. The self-declared Republic of Somaliland in the northwest and the semi-autonomous region of Puntland in the northeast also did not participate, further undermining the TNG's claim to national legitimacy. The newly formed TNG, while internationally recognized, found itself with limited authority and control on the ground, particularly in Mogadishu. The warlords continued to exert their influence, challenging the TNG's attempts to establish security and disarm militias. The international community, while offering initial support, often lacked a unified strategy and was hesitant to fully commit resources to a government with such tenuous control.   

Despite these immense challenges, the Arta Conference represented a crucial turning point. It was the most inclusive peace process Somalia had witnessed, bringing together voices from across the societal spectrum. The establishment of the TNG, even with its limitations, provided a focal point for future state-building efforts and a glimmer of hope that a unified and peaceful Somalia might one day be possible. President Guelleh's unwavering commitment and Djibouti's role as a facilitator were instrumental in achieving this fragile first step on the long and arduous road to Somalia's recovery.