The blue flag with the white star has flown outside the United Nations for decades, but in January 2026 it will carry a different significance. Somalia will assume the presidency of the United Nations Security Council, a milestone that would have seemed impossible not so long ago.
For a nation defined by 34 years of civil war, terrorism, and state collapse in global headlines, this represents more than a routine diplomatic rotation. It serves as a powerful statement. Somalia has returned to the forum where the world’s most critical security decisions are deliberated. And its arrival was not accidental.
The Security Council presidency is primarily procedural in nature, with each elected member taking a turn. Yet symbolism holds substantial weight in international politics, and for Somalia, this symbolism carries particular importance. This is the same country that, in the early 1990s, lost its central government and became synonymous with chaos.
This development also represents a quiet acknowledgment of progress that many external observers have been slow to recognize.
Within Somalia, change has moved beyond theory into reality. Streets that were once deserted after sunset now remain vibrant late into the night. Markets operate freely. Construction cranes punctuate skylines that had been static for decades. Families move unimpeded in neighborhoods once deemed too dangerous to enter. This is what recovery looks like when it begins to take hold.
Nowhere is this transformation more evident than in Mogadishu.
For the first time since independence, the capital is preparing to elect its own city council. That statement alone carries historical significance. Mogadishu has functioned under appointed administrations for generations, shaped by conflict and security emergencies. On December 25, 2025, its residents are expected to select their local leaders through democratic means. Though a local election, it is profoundly symbolic. A city reclaiming civic life after decades of merely surviving.
This political momentum is unfolding alongside economic shifts that could redefine Somalia’s future.
For Somalis witnessing this moment, the significance resonates personally. Many recall a time when their nation held no place at the international table. Now, it will wield the gavel.
