For a government whose slogan was "not one inch" just a few months ago, it might have been more apt to have adopted "not that inch." On 22 April, last year's secret bilateral Somalia-Türkiye oil and gas deal emerged after its submission to the Turkish parliament, revealing that Mogadishu had ceded immense potential profits and sovereignty for pennies. Signed during the geopolitical fallout of the Somaliland-Ethiopia Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and harried through Somalia's parliament, the agreement points to further political and economic vandalism by the current federal administration and its desire to monopolise Somalia's sovereign rents and national resources. While insisting that Addis would have "not one inch" of Somali coastal territory, Mogadishu has offered every centimetre of the country to foreign powers.
Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital, faces numerous challenges, from insecurity and flooding to a rising cost of living. Yet one of its most persistent problems is unmanaged waste. Trash lines the streets, washes into the sea, and fills unmanaged landfills, creating serious public health hazards. Despite the Banadir Regional Authority’s claims of encouraging responsible waste management, the scale of the problem has overwhelmed its capacity. Garbage collection is mostly left to private companies, many of which engage in harmful dumping practices to cut costs, often due to extortion from armed groups and government forces. The city’s only two landfills are already overflowing, contributing to foul air, water contamination, and disease outbreaks such as cholera and malaria. Political patronage worsens the crisis, as Mogadishu’s mayor and deputies are appointed for loyalty, not competence, leaving no real legislation or enforcement on waste management. Corruption, lack of oversight, and rent-seeking prevent effective solutions, while donor interest is minimal unless waste problems affect them directly. With an estimated 2,500 metric tons of garbage generated daily, Mogadishu urgently needs elected leadership, strong institutions, and laws to address its waste crisis. Without decisive action, poor waste management will continue to threaten health, the environment, and urban development.