MOGADISHU, Somalia — In a lecture hall filled with proud families and graduating students, Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre on Saturday pointed to education as the country’s clearest path out of decades of conflict and instability.
“As a government, we are convinced that there can be no development without investing in our human capital,” Hamza said, addressing graduates at the University for Peace (UPEACE) Somalia. “This can only be achieved through meaningful education.”
The ceremony marked UPEACE Somalia’s fifth graduation and coincided with the International Day of Education, observed annually on Jan. 24. Graduates received master’s and doctoral degrees in peace-related fields, many of them having completed their studies inside Somalia — a rarity not long ago.
For some speakers, the moment symbolised how far the country has come.
“This graduation is a statement of confidence,” said Dr Mohamed Osman. “Knowledge can rise from the most difficult places. Somalia was once described as one of the world’s most failed states. Today, it is a place where even foreign students come to study.”
UPEACE Rector Dr Francisco Rojas Aravena said the ceremony reflected broader national progress, calling education a quiet but powerful sign of recovery.
“We are proud to celebrate this milestone,” he said. “It shows the direction Somalia is taking as a country.”
Students, many of whom lived through years of insecurity, spoke of responsibility as much as achievement. Su’di, a student leader and UPEACE alumna, urged graduates to take their learning beyond classrooms.
“Today you move from peacemakers in theory to peacemakers in practice,” she said. “You are a signal that Somalia is full of hope.”
International partners echoed that message. Dr Andreas Wose Mokake of Ireland-based Spirasi challenged graduates to think boldly, telling them to “dare to disturb the world by becoming the creators of change.”
Looking ahead, Prof Samuel Kale Ewusi, UPEACE’s regional director for Africa, said the continent’s future would depend less on natural resources and more on leadership and ethics.
“Here in Somalia, UPEACE is producing scholars ready to shape Africa’s future,” he said.
As the ceremony ended, graduates posed for photos, many clutching certificates that represented not just academic success, but a belief that Somalia’s rebuilding can begin with ideas, classrooms and educated young leaders.
