The clans in Somalia devised a plan to get rid of Barre, the former president of Somalia. They were later rewarded with success but that was short lived as they found that forming a coalition to rule the country was more difficult than they had believed. Following Barre's departure, hundreds of thousands of people died whether it is from clashing factions or starvation. The UN offered to aid in helping distribute food but later developed into rebuilding Somalia. There were people that the UN saw as obstacles and directed their attention to Mohamed Farah Aidid, a powerful clan leader. The UN saw Aidid as the biggest threat to the reconstructing of the Somali government. The UN struggled to capture Aidid which led to battles between factions and the UN. The US, who had pulled out of Somalia earlier, returned to ensure the safety of the UN as they also pulled out. Despite failing to "restore hope" to Somalia, the UN also saved countless others from starvation.

      In June 1995, Aidid claimed himself as president of Somalia but the title was not accepted and not appreciated by rival clans. Aidid strategically captured important territory through battles lasting throughout 1995 and 1996. After receiving a gun shot wound, Aidid died later to be succeeded by his son, Hussein Mohammad Aidid. In the mid to late 1990's, plans were being made by clan factions to establish a government. In December 1997, the "main" clan leaders met in Cairo, Egypt and developed a plan to hold a conference to decide on a new national government but the conference was constantly postponed due to disagreements and clan fighting.

     The conference was held in Djibouti in the middle of 2000. Hundreds of clan leaders, politicians and warlords argued over a new national government. The conference elected a transitional legislative body and a president in August. The transitional legislative failed to take control over Muqdisho and after three years their testing period expired. A new legislative body and president were elected in 2004. The legislative body experienced challenges from clan warfare, a destroyed infrastructure and how to unify Somalia with the northern "breakaway" state.

Sources:

""Somalia"." MSN Encarta. Microsoft Corporation. 11 Jul 2006
      http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761554555_6/
     Somalia.html#p32.