Case 109 - Intragovernmental Negotiation: Soviet-Somali Relations and the 1978-1979 Ogaden War

Galaydh, Ali Khalif

Soviet-Somali relations flourished during the early 1970s, but by 1977 they were strained by domestic and external factors.  The 1978-1979 Ogaden War brought the situation to a head. This case study should be analyzed in one-day discussion groups as an informal simulation in which each group represents an interagency task force instructed to choose the best option available to the Somali government. It offers the perspective of a small, developing country immersed in a deep-seated conflict with regional and international implications.