This talk was presented at an official TED conference For the young and unemployed in the world's big cities, dreams of opportunity and wealth do come true but too often because they're heavily recruited by terrorist groups and other violent organizations. Human rights advocate Mohamed Ali draws on stories from his native Mogadishu to make …
Last week in Mogadishu, unidentified gunmen attacked Ann-Margarethe Livh, a Swedish diplomat, by a major intersection, killing her Somali translator and driver and leaving her seriously wounded. This was the latest in a series of attacks in the city that have targeted foreigners and high profile Somali leaders. A bomb was recently placed in the …
WITH A LITTLE HELP, SOCIAL ENTERPRISES CAN HELP REBUILD COUNTRIES OVERRUN BY CONFLICT The desire of the disenfranchised for change and sustainable markets is at the heart of conflict. The Arab spring in Tunisia was triggered by a street vendor setting himself on fire in protest at unfair working conditions. Mass demonstrations usually demand increased …
By Mohamed Ali, Founder, Iftiin Foundation and New Voices Fellow, The Aspen Institute I recently participated in a conference on fighting piracy in Somalia. The topic: how to combat the thousands of men, AK47’s strapped to their backs, that were taking skiffs into the azure blue waters of the Indian Ocean to hijack and loot …
INTERVIEW By Rohita Javangula Somalia’s reputation as a failed state often overshadows the country’s potential, but Aspen Institute 2013 New Voices Fellow Mohamed Ali, a former Somali refugee, represents a new generation of entrepreneurs working to rewrite the country’s story. After fleeing during Somalia’s conflict, Ali chose to devote his life to fighting for immigrant …