Aligning Cultures is expanding its geographic presence into Somalia, where we have identified and engaged local partners for prevention and countering of violent extremism (CVE) programming in Bay and Bakool, Southwest State. Drawing on our deep experience in CVE, community resilience, and local partner capacity building from across the MENA region, we are positioning Aligning Cultures to contribute meaningfully to Somalia's peacebuilding and stabilization ecosystem.
Why Somalia, Why Now
Somalia's ongoing challenges with violent extremism reflect many of the same underlying dynamics we have addressed in Iraq, Syria, and Sudan: governance vacuums, youth unemployment, community grievances, and information environments dominated by extremist narratives. Our experience in these contexts positions us well to support local partners in developing community-based prevention strategies. Bay and Bakool, in Southwest State, represent a priority area where community resilience programming can make a meaningful difference in preventing radicalization.