Governing Commodity Flows in the Somali Borderlands

Asnake Kefale, Jacob Rasmussen

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingBook chapterResearchpeer-review

Abstract

The authors of this chapter scrutinize the processes and practices that shape the governance of cross-border trading within Somali East Africa. Focusing on livestock, sugar, charcoal, electronics, and other goods traded across the Somali-Ethiopian and Somali-Kenyan borders, the chapter analyzes the shifting roles of state and state-like authorities in regulating, facilitating, and interrupting the circulation of goods. The chapter highlights how Somali traders and a host of other actors along the Berbera and Kismayo corridors have specialized in maintaining the flow of goods, releasing them when they encounter friction(s), and putting them back into circulation.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationTrade Makes States : Governing the Greater Somali Economy
EditorsTobias Hagmann, Finn Stepputat
Number of pages20
Place of PublicationLondon
PublisherHurst Publishers
Publication dateMay 2023
Edition1
Pages125-144
Chapter6
ISBN (Print)9781787387058
ISBN (Electronic)9781805260905
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2023
SeriesAfrican Arguments

Keywords

  • Borderlands
  • Governance
  • Somali territories
  • Trade
  • state-making
  • Trade operators
  • Somaliland
  • Somalia
  • Kenya
  • Trade governance
  • Circulation
  • Ethiopia
  • Cross-border trading

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