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Lecture

Nimco Ali EBO
Somaliland Beyond the Headlines: A Nation That Chose Peace, and Was Ignored with Carly Maisel

Monday 9.03.2026

How to watch

This lecture starts on 9 March at 7:00pm (UK).

Summary

After state collapse and genocide, Somaliland’s elders, women, and civic leaders rebuilt a country through dialogue, not dependency. Today it stands as a functioning democracy in one of the world’s most strategic regions, yet has remained largely unrecognised by the international system—until the recent decision by Israel to formally engage and recognise Somaliland, signaling a potential shift. This session with Carly Maisel explores what Somaliland teaches us about agency, resilience, and the uncomfortable politics of international recognition in a changing global order.

Nimco Ali EBO

An image of Nimco Ali EBO

Nimco Ali is an FGM survivor, strategist and author. Born in Somaliland, she is CEO and Co-Founder of The Five Foundation, The Global Partnership To End FGM. She also previously co-founded Daughters of Eve in 2010. Nimco’s work over the last decade and a half has helped to position FGM as a central issue in ending violence against women and girls. From 2020-2022, she was also the independent advisor on violence against women and girls for the UK Home Office.

Nimco’s professional experience has included working for counter-terrorism within the civil service and supporting the rights of girls as part of Girlguiding UK. She is also a leading commentator in international media on the rights of girls and women – particularly surrounding FGM and related issues.

Nimco was awarded an OBE for her groundbreaking activism in 2018. This adds to her long list of achievements to date. In 2014, she was awarded Red Magazine’s Woman of the Year award, and placed at No 6 on the Woman’s Hour Power List. Most recently, she was named by The Sunday Times as one of Debrett’s 500 most influential people in Britain, as well as one of the Evening Standard’s 1000 Most Powerful and BBC’s 100 Women.

Nimco’s debut book, What We’re Told Not To Talk About But We’re Going To Anyway, was published by Penguin in June 2019.