Research cooperation between Somalia and Sweden began in 1982, but was interrupted in
the early 1990s due to the civil war. As Somalia gradually starts the process of institutionbuilding and shifting towards a federal system, the Swedish government is considering whether and in what form to re-establish its support for domestic research capabilities. The Swedish International Development
Cooperation Agency commissioned a team from the Overseas Development Institute and the
Somali Institute for Development Research and Analysis (SIDRA) to conduct a feasibility study for
research cooperation in Somalia. The study, which took place between March and October 2019,
was organised around three guiding questions: What are the key enabling factors for and barriers to research performance and academic freedom at universities in Somalia today? What are the current ongoing initiatives termed, defined or categorised as ‘research’ support or cooperation to and in Somalia? What are the different opportunities and modalities for support to and organisation of research cooperation in Somalia?
