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Sub Saharan Africa
Somalia |
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| Still current at: 08 November 2009
Updated: 29 October 2009 |
This advice has been reviewed and reissued with an amendment to the Summary and the Local Travel (Sea Travel) section. The overall level of the advice has not changed.
(see travel advice legal disclaimer)
Travel advice for this country
Travel Summary
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We advise against all travel to Somalia, including Somaliland. In the Southern and Central regions, there is ongoing serious violence, dangerous levels of criminal activity and general internal insecurity. We advise any British citizens in Somalia to leave.
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Piracy remains a major problem on the seas off Somalia even as far as international waters and to the territorial waters of Yemen. On 23 October, two British nationals were taken hostage while sailing approximately 60 nautical miles from the Seychelles' main island of Mahe.
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Insurgent activity and political tension remain high. There has been particularly intense fighting in and around Mogadishu since early May 2009. On 17 September there was a double suicide attack on an African Union base in Mogadishu, killing 21 and injuring at least 30 others. An earlier suicide bomb attack in Beledweyne on 18 June killed the Somali Security Minister and more than 30 officials and civilians. The Somali President declared a state of emergency on 22 June.
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The World Health Organisation (WHO) Pandemic Threat Alert Phase has been raised to Level 6. The WHO website at www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html has further details. Check the Swine Flu page of the FCO website for further information
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Although the situation in the Somaliland region is calmer, there is still a significant threat to British interests. On 29 October 2008 there were three explosions in Hargeisa (Somaliland) and two explosions in Bossaso (Puntland). Fatalities were reported in both Hargeisa and Bossaso. See the Terrorism/Security section of this advice for more details.
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There is no British representation in any part of Somalia. Somaliland is covered by the British Embassy in Addis Ababa whilst other parts of Somalia are covered by the British High Commission in Nairobi. We are unable to provide consular assistance in Somalia and if the situation deteriorates we will not be able to assist you. See the General section of this advice for more details.
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If, despite this advice, you decide to travel to, or remain in, Somalia you do so at your own risk. Westerners and those working for western organisations have been targeted in the past and this threat is ongoing. Most recently two French nationals were kidnapped from a hotel in Mogadishu on 14 July 2009. On 26 November 2008 one Briton and one Spaniard were kidnapped from Bosasso. One Briton and one Kenyan were kidnapped in the southern region of Juba on 1 April 2008. See the Terrorism/Security section of this advice for more details.
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Piracy remains a major problem on the seas off Somalia even as far as international waters and to the territorial waters of Yemen. See the Sea Travel section of this travel advice for further details.
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There is a high threat from terrorism throughout Somalia. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers and places where expatriates operate. See the Terrorism/Security section of this travel advice for more details of other incidents.
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Should you decide to travel to Somalia against this advice, we recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance for more details.
Safety and security
We advise against all travel to Somalia. There is a high threat to Western, including British, interests from terrorism in Somalia. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. There is ongoing serious violence between opposing factions.
The incidents below highlight the threat posed by terrorism in Somalia and the capacity of terrorist groups to carry out attacks.
On 17 September a double suicide attack on an African Union base in Mogadishu killed 21 people including peace-keepers from the African Union Mission for Somalia and their Deputy Force Commander. At least 30 others were injured including a British National.
Serious fighting involving heavy weapons continues to occur in and around Mogadishu. Unconfirmed numbers of civilians of all ages have been killed in the violence. The fighting has been particularly intense since early May. On 18 June Security Minister, Omar Hashi, was killed in a suicide bomb attack at a hotel in Beledweyne, which claimed the live of more that 30 other officials and civilians.
On 29 October 2008 there were three explosions in Hargeisa (Somaliland). The explosions occurred at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) office, the Ethiopian Trade Office and the President’s Villa. Deaths were reported at both the UNDP offices and the Ethiopian Embassy. Exact numbers of injured and dead are not clear.
Also on 29 October 2008 there were two explosions in Bossaso (Puntland). These explosions reportedly took place near security institutions. Deaths were reported. Exact numbers of injured and dead are not clear.
Westerners and those working for western organisations have been targeted. Most recently, two French personnel were kidnapped from a hotel in Mogadishu on 14 July. One Briton and one Spaniard were kidnapped from Bosasso, on their way to the airport, on 26 November 2008. A Somali national working for the BBC was murdered in the port city of Kismayo in June 2008. One Briton and one Kenyan were kidnapped on the road between Saakow and Bu'aale in the southern region of Juba on 1 April 2008 and continue to be held. On 28 January 2008 three aid workers, one French, one Kenyan and one Somali, were killed in the southern port town of Kismayo. Somalis working for international organisations, including the UN, have been victims of targeted attacks during 2008..
A number of British nationals and Westerners have been killed and injured in attacks in Somaliland. The Somaliland authorities believe these were terrorist inspired.
You should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be against civilian targets, including places frequented by foreigners. For more general information see Terrorism Abroad.
Crime
There is a dangerous level of criminal activity by numerous bodies of armed militia throughout Somalia. As a result there have been murders, armed robbery and a number of incidents of kidnapping. There are regular and sporadic outbreaks of inter-clan violence throughout the south of Somalia and especially in Mogadishu.
For more general information see Victims of Crime Abroad.
Political Situation
Sea Travel
Attacks of piracy and armed robbery against ships in and around Somalia's waters are frequent and continuing. On 23 October two British nationals were taken hostage approximately 60 nautical miles from the Seychelles' main island of Mahe. The Department for Transport currently advise mariners to remain at least 200 nautical miles from the Somali coast when transiting between the equator and 08N latitude, and 100 nautical miles from Somalia’s northern coastline in the Gulf of Aden. However, pirates have been using motherships to attack shipping further than 200 nautical miles from the Somali coast (the Sirius Star at 450nm (800km) from the Kenyan coast on 15 November 2008). Therefore, we advise mariners to maintain a high level of vigilance and to exercise extreme caution when anywhere near Somali waters.
Shipping companies are encouraged to log on to the Maritime Security Centre (Horn of Africa) website at: http://www.mschoa.org/ to obtain advice and guidance on passage planning round the Horn of Africa. The web site aims to provide the shipping community with advice regarding pirate activity in the region, including details of typical pirate behaviour tactics and analysis of previous attacks, as well as an overview of the other counter-piracy and maritime organisations active in this area at present.
Mariners should also be familiar with the advice contained in Marine Guidance Note 298: Measures to Counter Piracy, Armed Robbery and other Acts of Violence against Merchant Shipping and the International Maritime Organization’s official circulars on piracy.
For more general information see River and Sea Safety.
Local laws and customs
For more general information for different types of travellers see Your Trip.
Health
Polio remains a major problem in Somalia. With cases occurring outside of the capital there remains the risk of continued spread of wild polio both in Somalia and to neighbouring countries.
In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 24,000 adults aged 15 or over in Somalia were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 0.5% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.
You should seek medical advice before travelling to Somalia and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.
For more general health information see Travel Health.
General
If things do go wrong when you are oversees then this is How We Can Help.
Credit cards are not accepted in Somalia and it is not possible to obtain currency advances against a credit card. If you go, you should take hard currency, normally US dollars.
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