22 Nov 2011 – Morning headlines
Key Headlines:
- Somali Government welcomes UK hosting conference on Somalia (Source: TFG)
- Somali Government announces Joint Committee for the Road map (Source: Radio Mogadishu )
- We want a stable Somalia UAE tells Kibaki (Source: Daily Nation )
- Al Shabaab warn Ethiopia against Somalia incursion (Source: Gulf Today)
- Somali military conflict turns into regional war against al Shabaab ( Source: Xinhua )
- UN envoy urges concerted global support for efforts to restore stability (Source: UN News)
- Al Shabaab militias demolished Jowhar’s main detention camp (Source: Radio Bar-kulan)
- Somalia gov’t: Ethiopian troops ‘need a mandate’ ( Source: AP)
- Kenya seeks Obama support for Somalia incursion (Source: the Standard)
- Eritrea wants UN action on Kenya over Somalia claim (Source: the Standard Reuters)
PRESS RELEASE
Somali Government welcomes UK hosting conference on Somalia
21 Nov – Source: TFG – 359 words
On behalf of the Transitional Federal Government and the people of Somalia, the Prime Minister of Somalia Dr Abdiweli Mohamed Ali welcomed Prime Minister David Cameron’s recent announcement on hosting an international conference next year on tackling instability in Somalia and protecting ships from pirates in the Gulf of Aden.
The Prime Minister of Somalia stated that Somalia is very grateful to receive such a high profile announcement and added that the Prime Minister of UK was right when he said that there is a real and pressing need to pull together the international effort. This is the right time to help Somalia in order to consolidate security gains in the capital city and other parts of the country. The Prime Minister of Somalia noted that extremists focus on young Britons and other countries in the west for radicalization and this is a new phenomenon that requires our collective efforts. We Somalis fully support the UK Initiative to host an international conference on Somalia, which represents a historic opportunity to bring a new hope for Somalia which could lead to peace and stability in Somalia. The Prime Minister of Somalia stated that the issue of terrorism and piracy are global and we need to find a global solution.
On 06 September 2011 key stakeholders in Somalia signed a roadmap to end the transition by August 2012, and since then the government has been making progress towards political outreach to regional administrations, improved security in Mogadishu and other parts of the country, implementation of Mogadishu Stabilization Plan is going very well, and fighting corruption and good governance are all helping the situation to improve. The Transitional Federal Government is committed for the implementation of the roadmap and key tasks include completing the constitution process and to reform the parliament. We are on the right track and we request for the UK and other countries to support us in this journey, which is essential to bringing peace and stability in Somalia. Somali people have welcomed UK’s announcement with a great hope and set a high standard and their expectation is that a hope and restoring peace and stability in the country will come soon.
SOMALI MEDIA
Somali Government announces Joint Committee for the Road map
21 Nov – Source: Radio Mogadishu – 161 words
TFG’s PM Dr Abdiweli Mohamed Ali has announced the Joint Committee of the Roadmap 2011/2012. According to him, the implementation process of the Roadmap is currently going very well and most of the tasks have been completed so far. The Joint Committee comprises of the TFIs, Puntland, Gal-Mudug, ASWJ and members from the civil society and experts.
Al Shabaab militias demolished Jowhar’s main detention camp
21 Nov – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 118 words
Reports from Jowhar indicate that al Shabaab militias have demolished the middle Jubba regional detention camp in the town, which was established by the former central government of Somalia. Confidential reports show that the militants are currently demolishing former central government buildings and selling the land to the residents at a fee of 600$.
Al Shabaab, government soldiers fight in southern Somalia
21 Nov – Source: Mareeg Online, Shabelle – 84 words
At least 4 people were killed and a number others wounded when al Shabaab and the Somali national army clashed in villages close to the Afmadow district of lower Jubba region, southern Somalia, reports said. Reports indicate that the battle beween TFG forces and al Shabaab fighters occurred in Heyn village close to Afmadow district.
http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.
Mogadishu celebrates World Teachers’ Day
21 Nov- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 116 words
Mogadishu yesterday celebrated the festivity of world teachers’ day slated on every 21st day of November, where many education-oriented organizations, teachers and education officers have merged to celebrate the day in a colorful way. The World Teachers’ Day celebrates the profession and promotes teaching standards for the teaching profession.
Galkayo airport bombarded with artillery
21 Nov- Source: Somalia Report- 41 words
A clan militia based in south Galkayo, which is controlled by Galmudug region, yesterday attacked the Galkayo airport, which is controlled by Mudug region, both in Somalia’s semi-autonomous state of Puntland, according to a Puntland official who spoke to Somalia Report.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Al Shabaab warn Ethiopia against Somalia incursion
22 Nov : Source: Gulf Today – 338 words
Somalia’s Al Shabab rebels have warned Ethiopia on they would “break the necks” of its troops, a day after reports that Addis Ababa sent hundreds of soldiers into the war-torn country. “They do not scare us,” said Yusuf Ali Ugas, the insurgent group’s commander for the Hiiraan region.
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/
Kenya seeks Obama support for Somalia incursion
21 Nov- Source: the Standard- 955 words
Kenya’s United Nations Permanent Representative in New York has appealed directly to the Obama administration to support Kenya’s incursion in Somalia to root out al Shabaab. In diplomacy reflective of President Kibaki’s strategy of courting international support for the war in Somalia, Ambassador Macharia Kamau early last week made an appearance at the Capitol Hill, the seat of congressional power, to make a case for Washington’s support of the war.
We want a stable Somalia, UAE tells Kibaki
21 Nov- Source: Daily Nation- 240 words
Kenya and the United Arab Emirates yesterday agreed that the resolution of the Somalia conflict and stabilisation of the Horn of Africa nation was a key priority ahead of the reconstruction of the country. Meeting in Abu Dhabi, UAE, President Kibaki and UAE President and ruler of the Abu Dhabi, Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan underscored their joint support for post-conflict Somalia.
Eritrea wants UN action on Kenya over Somalia claim
21 Nov- Source: the Standard, Reuters- 542 words
Eritrea has complained to the United Nations Security Council about Kenyan allegations that it sent weapons to Islamist rebels in Somalia, calling for an independent investigation to judge the dispute. Foreign Minister Osman Saleh said in a letter to the Council that Eritrea was confident an investigation would find Nairobi’s “defamatory” accusations to be baseless, and urged the United Nations to take action.
http://www.standardmedia.co.
Al Shabaab grows as foreign fighters join in
21 Nov- Source: the Star- 765 words
About 750 to 1,000 foreign fighters, including American citizens, are now swelling the ranks of al Shabaab in Somalia, a senior Kenyan military official has said. Al Shabaab has taken advantage of the Arab Spring to further cement its relationship with the Al Qaeda affiliate in Yemen, the Kenyan military official added.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somalia gov’t: Ethiopian troops ‘need a mandate’
21 Nov- Source: AP- 349 words
A Somali government spokesman yesterday denied that Ethiopian troops have entered Somalia to help fight insurgents despite several witnesses reporting the movement of troops. Abdirahman Omar Osman said Ethiopian troops would only be welcome if they had an international mandate or a bilateral agreement with the Somali government, but there is currently no such agreement.
UN envoy urges concerted global support for efforts to restore stability
21 Nov – Source: UN News – 373 words
The United Nations envoy for Somalia today emphasized the importance of the Roadmap adopted in September setting out a series of tasks to be completed ahead of concluding the country’s political transition process, and called for coordinated international efforts to ensure the implementation of the plan.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/
Noose tightens on Somali rebels as Ethiopia returns
21 Nov- Source: AFP- 603 words
Al Shabaab rebels faced growing encirclement by regional armies yesterday, as the war-torn nation’s defence minister welcomed deployment of foreign forces against the fighters. “We welcome Ethiopian troops — if they have entered Somalia — and any other country that contributes forces to fight against the al Shabaab militants, as long as they do not violate our sovereignty,” Hussein Arab Isse said.
UK security firms take up arms against pirates
21 Nov- Source: Reuters- 290 words
Security firms led by G4S are providing armed guards to ships sailing pirate-infested Somali waters, with one start-up kitting out a gunboat to lead World War II style convoys, as shipowners step up their response to constant attacks.
http://af.reuters.com/article/
Somali military conflict turns into regional war against al Shabaab
21 Nov – Source: Xinhua News – 942 words
What began a month ago as a temporary military expedition into Somalia by Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) to repulse a militia group is transforming rapidly into a major regional war against the al Shabaab after two other Horn of Africa states joined the fray.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/
Mourning in Mogadishu
22 Nov – Source: Foreign Policy – 104 words
Photographer Jared Moossy traveled to Somalia this September, photographing a country ravaged by famine. He visited two refugee camps, near Bald Hawa and Dolo, and the capital, Mogadishu. What he saw — and what he photographed — was a country ravaged by decades of war, drought, and terrorism (see selection of pictures at link below).
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/