Reality Brief: Mogadishu

Current alerts

• Whole country

  Whole country strongly advised against, including Somaliland; Hargeisa and Berbera advised against except for essential travel.

  Published on March 12, 2026 · France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Somalia, safety

Alerts checked on October 2, 2026 against the sources cited.

Essentials before you arrive

• France strongly advises against travel to the whole country, including Puntland and Somaliland; Hargeisa, Berbera and the road between them are advised against except for essential travel (update of 12 March 2026). The UK advises against all travel to Somalia except the Awdal, Maroodijeh and Sahil regions, where it advises against all but essential travel.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Somalia, safetyGOV.UK (FCDO), Somalia travel advice: warnings and insuranceGuide: Safety and emergencies

• Al-Shabaab controls much of the centre and south and carries out near-daily attacks, especially in Mogadishu (car bombs, commandos, targeted killings). The risk of kidnapping foreigners, including journalists and aid workers, is very high; ISIS is present in Puntland.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Somalia, safetyGuide: Safety and emergencies

• If travel is essential: escort, short stay, secured accommodation (airlock, armed guards, walls, emergency exits), registration with the French embassy in Nairobi and on Ariane, and an emergency plan that does not rely on your government.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Somalia, safetyGOV.UK (FCDO), Somalia travel advice: warnings and insuranceGuide: Safety and emergencies

• A visa is required: from a Somali embassy, or on arrival at Mogadishu airport (single entry for one month, 60 USD). A separate procedure exists on arrival in Somaliland.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Somalia, entry and residenceGuide: Entry and residence

• Ambulance 999, fire 555, police 888, unreliable numbers; the Somali Red Crescent runs a free number for all emergency services, 446.

  GOV.UK (FCDO), Somalia travel advice: getting helpGuide: Health

Living in Mogadishu

• France strongly advises against travel to the whole country, including Puntland and Somaliland; Hargeisa, Berbera and the road between them are advised against except for essential travel (update of 12 March 2026). The UK advises against all travel to Somalia except the Awdal, Maroodijeh and Sahil regions, where it advises against all but essential travel.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Somalia, safetyGOV.UK (FCDO), Somalia travel advice: warnings and insuranceGuide: Safety and emergencies

• Al-Shabaab controls much of the centre and south and carries out near-daily attacks, especially in Mogadishu (car bombs, commandos, targeted killings). The risk of kidnapping foreigners, including journalists and aid workers, is very high; ISIS is present in Puntland.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Somalia, safetyGuide: Safety and emergencies

• If travel is essential: escort, short stay, secured accommodation (airlock, armed guards, walls, emergency exits), registration with the French embassy in Nairobi and on Ariane, and an emergency plan that does not rely on your government.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Somalia, safetyGOV.UK (FCDO), Somalia travel advice: warnings and insuranceGuide: Safety and emergencies

Field experience

• Tip

  Pharmacies, clinics and hospitals

  Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): pharmacies (1), clinics (3), hospitals (22). Locate those near your home in the first days and check opening hours and on-call services locally.

• Tip

  Where to shop for food

  Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): markets (4), supermarkets (7). Compare a few basic prices between market and supermarket before settling into habits.

• Tip

  Banks, cash machines and exchange

  Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): banks (14), currency exchange (1). Withdraw and change money at these official places, preferably during the day, never in the street.

• Tip

  A furnished flat for the first weeks

  Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): furnished apartments (10). A furnished flat gives you time to visit several neighbourhoods before signing a lease.

• Emergency numbers

  Somali Red Crescent (all services) 446; ambulance 999, fire 555, police 888.

  446999555888

  GOV.UK (FCDO), Somalia travel advice: getting help· Oct 2, 2026

• Embassy of France in Kenya

  Passport: France

  French interests in Somalia are handled from Nairobi.

  Peponi Gardens, off Peponi Road, Nairobi, Kenya+254 20 760 5555

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Somalia, entry and residence· Oct 2, 2026