About me

I am the Head of the State Fragility initiative (SFi) at the International Growth Centre (IGC). Based at the London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) and operated in partnership with Oxford University, the IGC brings together a global network of leading researchers and in-country teams in Africa and South Asia to support partner governments with demand-led policy advice based on frontier research. 

The SFi builds on the work of the LSE-Oxford Commission on State Fragility, Growth, and Development to develop and promote actionable recommendations to address dimensions of state fragility. 

Within IGC, I lead the initiative strategy and ensure its overall effectiveness at national, regional, and global scale, including liaising closely with SFi funders. I have overall responsibility for the continued quality of the initiative work which include: 

• national-level engagements with policymakers of countries undergoing pivotal moments, where exit from fragility may be possible, with the flagship engagement being in Yemen

• the DFI Fragility Forum, which brings together DFIs to improve the effectiveness of job-creating private investment in fragile and conflict-affected environments, as well as broader work on development finance and private sector development in fragile contexts

• programme of work on scaling up investments in energy access in fragile settings

• thematic leadership on state fragility issues within the wider IGC. 

In addition to my role at the IGC, I am deeply committed to and actively engaged in policymaking in fragile and conflict-affected states, particularly focusing on advancing economic development in Somalia. 

In November 2022, I was honoured to be appointed to the National Economic Council of Somalia through a presidential decree till 2026. This council is an integral part of the Office of the President and plays a pivotal role in shaping the nation’s economic strategies and policies.

As a member of the National Economic Council (NEC) and serving as the National Economic Advisor, I am entrusted with the critical responsibility of shaping and guiding the policies that are essential to Somalia's economic recovery, stabilisation, and long-term development. My role encompasses not only contributing to the formulation of strategic policies but also ensuring that these initiatives are grounded in rigorous evidence, tailored to the unique challenges and opportunities within Somalia. In this capacity, I collaborate closely with fellow council members, key government officials, international stakeholders, development partners, and subject-matter experts. Together, we work to craft robust, forward-thinking, innovative policy solutions that promote inclusive and sustainable growth, mitigate economic vulnerabilities, and strengthen resilience. 

Contact details:

Email: A.Ali49[at]lse.ac.uk or abdilahi.ali[at]theigc.org or abdilahi.ali[at]nec.gov.so

Public profiles:

IGC: https://www.theigc.org/people/abdilahi-ali

NEC: https://nec.gov.so/teams/abdilahi-ali/

Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com › abdi-ali-5b632416a

Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Abdilahi_Ali

Ideas.repec profile: https://ideas.repec.org/f/pal833.html

Researcher ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5398-0450

Google Scholar: 

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=4uni1_UAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao