The young Somali woman changing how the world sees Mogadishu

ByFardowsa Hanshi BBC Somali.

Key points

• Somalia has Africa's longest mainland coastline, stretching more than 3, 000km (1, 860 miles) along the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden.
• Regarding 10, 000 tourists visited Somalia in 2024, a 50% rise on the previous year, according to the country's tourism department.
• Since the collapse of Somalia's central administration in 1991, Mogadishu has endured decades of civil war, destruction and displacement.
• Sucdi Abdul Fattah Abdul Khader is among a growing number of local guides taking visitors beyond the headlines to explore Mogadishu's beauty spots, historic sites and culture.
• Its beaches and sand dunes sit alongside historic coastal cities such as Mogadishu, whose culture reflects centuries of Indian Ocean trade.

As the sun rises over the Indian Ocean, waves lap onto the golden sands while palm fronds rustle in the cool sea breeze. Welcome to. Mogadishu.

This is the image that one young Somali woman wants the world to have of her home city – in contrast to the one of suicide attacks and young men wielding AK-47s that plenty of residents at present associate with Somalia's capital.

Her favourite spot is Jazeera beach, where visitors can enjoy the sea before heading to nearby sand dunes.

"It's one of the tourist attractions where we bring our guests. It's a nice place, " notes the 23-year-old. The dunes, she adds, remind some visitors of the Sahara.

But her tours are regarding more than scenic views. She additionally takes visitors to the fish market, where they discover the variety of marine life available along Somalia's extensive coastline and to parts of the city that reflect its history as a busy Indian Ocean trading centre, with the influences of both its Ottoman and Italian former rulers.

Visitors can additionally sample Somali food, including camel meat, samosas and traditional tea.

Sucdi notes numerous arrive in the city with expectations shaped by years of hearing regarding the insecurity.

"Mostly, they are surprised by how beautiful the country is and how welcoming people are, " she notes.

At the fish market, she notes, visitors are particularly impressed by the variety of fish species.

Guiding tours runs in Sucdi's family. Her father worked in the profession for over three decades, taking journalists, photographers and visitors from different countries around Somalia. He introduced her to the business almost three years ago.

"I started this job as a hobby, but it has become something that I like and am passionate about, " she notes.

She now works alongside her father and a team of guides, building on his experience while using social media to reach a wider audience.

She shares videos of her tours on TikTok, offering individuals outside Somalia a glimpse of places they may never have imagined visiting.

She is additionally considering producing content in English to reach audiences who do not speak Somali.

Tourism remains a relatively new field in Somalia, she notes, with only a handful working as guides in Mogadishu.

Although numbers are still fairly low, the business is seasonal, but Sucdi notes this year has been particularly encouraging. Having five tourists a week is considered a success but she is confident that numbers will grow. Nevertheless, she states plenty of visitors are still concerned concerning security.

Since the collapse of Somalia's central administration in 1991, Mogadishu has endured decades of civil war, destruction and displacement. Much of the city centre was reduced to rubble, and basic services and infrastructure largely broke down.

But after the withdrawal of the Islamist militant group al-Shabab from most of the city in 2011, and the establishment of the federal administration in 2012, Mogadishu has undergone a gradual transformation.

Returning members of the Somali diaspora, local entrepreneurs and investors supported fuel a construction boom, with new hotels, restaurants, businesses and residential developments reshaping the capital.

Although insecurity and the legacy of conflict remain part of everyday life, today, Mogadishu is a growing commercial hub.

Plenty of visitors ask concerning their safety before travelling and often encounter security checkpoints around the city. But she notes their experience on the ground is generally positive.

"What they heard from the news and everywhere else is not the same as what they see in the country, " she notes.

Although some question whether Mogadishu is safe enough for a young woman to be working as a tour guide, Sucdi is determined to continue. She wants visitors to experience a Somalia that is rarely seen.

"I would want them to see the beautiful, welcoming side of Mogadishu, and not the side that they heard from the media, which is explosions and bombs, " she notes.

For some tourists, that contrast between the country's reputation and what they experience can be striking.

American travel content creator Chris Reese. This person goes by the name Authentic Travelling, has visited Mogadishu twice.

His first trip, almost a year ago, was a solo visit. He enjoyed it so much that he decided to return with a group of friends. This person had seen videos of his visit on social media.

"I had such a positive experience – I really enjoyed seeing the country for the first time – that I opted to bring back a group of my friends, " he notes.

What stands out for Chris is the city's coastal setting, its food and atmosphere.

"It is such a beautiful tropical place. I love the vibe, the weather and the food, " he notes.

During the group's visit, they enjoy lunch overlooking the Indian Ocean before heading out to explore the beaches and sand dunes.

"The desert is beautiful and picturesque. It is additionally amazing that it's barely a 30-minute drive from Mogadishu, " he states.

Before his first trip, Chris notes, much of what he knew concerning Somalia came from international news coverage.

"If you only read the news reports regarding Somalia, you would be scared to visit. And honestly, that's what I saw in the media before I came, mostly negative headlines." But visiting the country challenged those perceptions.

"Coming here, on my very first trip, showed me that there is so much more to this country than what is shown in the headlines, " he notes. Mihaela Patap, from Romania, loves Somalia's natural beauty.

For now, the young Somali woman changing how the world sees Mogadishu remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.