Lido Beach, Mogadishu

Lido Beach (Somali: Xeebta Liido) is a beach in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, which overlooks the Somali Sea. The name Lido derives from the Italian word for "beach". The name Liido is also very popular among locals.

The "Liido beach" in 2015

History
the Lido beach and the Hotel (overlooking the Mogadishu coastline before destruction)

The beach in northern Mogadishu was initially developed in the late 1930s for the Italian colonists living in the capital of Italian Somalia.[1]

In the 1950s it was fully developed by the Italian administration under UN rule, with the enlargement of a nearby hotel, that was the tallest building of Mogadishu in those years.

After prolonged decades of war and anarchy in the capital, from 1991 the beach fell into disuse. The hotel has been destroyed by a terrorist attak.

But it is experiencing a revival in the last decade[2]

On 16 August 2020, Al-Shabaab attacked the Elite Hotel, detonating a car bomb and engaging in a firefight with Somali security forces. The attack killed 16 people and resulted in over 200 people being rescued by Somali special forces. The United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, James Swan strongly condemned the terrorist attack and "expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the victims."[3][4]

Present

Today, hundreds of families come to relax on Mogadishu's coastline each weekend. People stay out at Lido Beach way past dusk to watch the beautiful night skyline and the deep blue ocean. This is a perfect place to get the fresh perspective of a rediscovered Somalia.[5]

Somalia has the longest coastline in Africa with 3100 km along the Indian Ocean, which is home to attractive beaches valuable for tourism. To make Somalia one of the biggest entertaining and tourist destination spots in Africa, Lido Beach has seafood restaurants, hotels, and parks.

The Somali diaspora plays an important role in recovering Mogadishu, building new luxury downtown and beaches like the village, Ocean restaurant, Beder restaurant, Lido seafood restaurant, City Palace and many more that attract international tourists. There are many newly established businesses here.[6]

Notes
  1. Video of the "Lido beach" in the late 1930s
  2. Lido beach is back!
  3. "United Nations condemns deadly terrorist attack on Mogadishu hotel". UNSOM. 2020-08-17. Retrieved 2020-08-23.
  4. "Somalia: UN condemns 'brazen' terrorist attack on beachside hotel". UN News. 2020-08-17. Retrieved 2020-08-23.
  5. Lido Beach in 2018
  6. "Mogadishu's Lido beach: Sun, surf and... grenades?". BBC News.

See also

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