City of flight - New and secondary displacements in Mogadishu, Somalia

Somalia experienced a sharp increase in new displacements associated with both conflict and disasters in 2017 and the first half of 2018. Many of those displaced have moved from rural areas to the country’s main cities in search of shelter, protection and humanitarian assistance. Mogadishu has been at the centre of the recent displacement crisis. Within the city, forced evictions have triggered secondary displacement, and data shows that the vast majority of those evicted had already been displaced before. Displacement is clearly shaping Somalia’s urban landscape and contributing to its urbanisation rate, which is one of the highest in the world.

This is the second case study in our thematic series “Unsettlement: urban displacement in the 21st century”. It discusses the latest developments in terms of rural to urban displacement in Somalia and the ongoing situation in the capital. By examining the drivers and patterns of urban displacement, it aims to contribute to broader discussions on the nature of the phenomenon, increase knowledge and inform programming and policymaking to address and reduce it.