November 29, 2012 | Morning Headlines.
Ethiopia to stay in Somalia until AU takeover: PM
28 Nov – Source: AFP – 146 words
Ethiopian troops will remain in Somalia until African Union forces fighting Islamists can take over, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said Wednesday, as he met with his Somali counterpart. “We are waiting for AMISOM (African Union Mission in Somalia) force to come and replace us, and until we get that assurance then we will be waiting there,” he told reporters. Hailemariam, speaking alongside newly elected Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, on his first official visit to the Ethiopian capital, gave no timeline for a pullout of troops. Mohamud said that the Shabaab is “literally defeated” — although many experts say it remains a potent threat — and also warned foreign fighters with the extremists to leave Somalia.
Key Headlines
- UPDF to deploy 2000 veterans in Somalia (New Vision)
- Somali president arrives in Addis Ababa Ethiopia (Hiiraan Online)
- Somali government ministers visit Beledweyne amid killings (Bar-Kulan)
- Former chairman of Hiiraan elders laid to rest (Bar-Kulan)
- 6 killed as local militia clashes with Somaliland over elections (Garowe Online)
PRESS RELEASES
AMISOM condemns the assassination of the newly inaugurated leader of Hiiraan regional elders Union
28 Nov – Source: AMISOM – 186 words
The African Union Mission in Somalia has condemned the assassination of the newly inaugurated leader of Hiiraan regional elders Union, Sheikh Mohamud Sheikh Hussein. Sheikh Mohamud Sheikh Hussein was shot and killed a day after his inauguration by three men armed with pistols in the regional capital, Beledweyne.
AMISOM Force Commander Lt. General Andrew Gutti sent his condolences to the family and friends of the assassinated leader as well as to the people of Hiiraan. “This was an attack aimed at derailing the efforts of the Somali people to recover from the years of anarchy and to establish legitimate local governance,” he said.
“AMISOM stands ready to assist the Somali Federal Government and Somali Police Force in their efforts to bring the perpetrators of this atrocious act to justice,” he added.
The Force Commander, who on Sunday visited Beledweyne to inspect the newly deployed AMISOM troops, reaffirmed AMISOM’s commitment to helping the Somali National Security Forces build up their capacity to secure the region.“We have recently deployed more Djibouti troops serving under AMISOM to boost security and to help train our Somali counterparts,” he said.
http://amisom-au.org/2012/11/
SOMALI MEDIA
Somali president arrives in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
28 Nov – Source: Bar-kulan/Hiiraan Online – 81 words
Somalia president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived at Addis Ababa as part of his tour to neighbouring countries. The president who left Djibouti where he has been for the last two days is expected to meet Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailmariam Dessalegn and other leaders to discuss a range of issues including bilateral relations between the two countries. During his stay in Djibouti, the president met his Djiboutian counterpart and commissioned the opening of the Somali embassy premises in Djibouti.
Somali government ministers visit Beledweyne amid killings
28 Nov – Source: Shabelle/Bar-kulan – 110 words
A high-level delegation headed by Somalia’s Interior and National Security Minister Abdikarim Hussein Guled reached on Wednesday the central town of Beledweyne, the provincial capital of Hiiraan. Many people, including local authority received the delegation at the airstrip on Wednesday and held talks in the district administration office in the city. The visiting ministers discussed with the elders and Hiiraan officials and AMISOM forces commander in the region the current security challenges and how they should be overcome.
Former chairman of Hiiraan elders laid to rest
28 Nov – Source: Bar-kulan – 89 words
The Chairman of Hiiraan Council of Elders who was gunned down on Tuesday in Beledweyne town has been laid to rest at Bulo-Hubey cemetery on the outskirts of the town. The burial ceremony of Sheikh Muhumed Sheikh Hussein (Marya-Adde) was attended by Hiiraan regional authorities, area district officials, government military officials, AMISOM and several people who were saddened by the killing of the chairman.
6 killed as local militia clashes with Somaliland over elections
28 Nov – Source: Garowe Online – 83 words
At least six people were killed Wednesday in Huddun district of Sool region in northern Somalia in armed clashes between Somaliland security forces and local militias who have rejected Somaliland’s elections. Local sources have reported that 4 Somaliland soldiers were killed while the local militias lost 2 fighters in battles, where the two sides used heavy weapons including artillery. At least 5 others were wounded during the fighting, with local sources reporting that all were civilians.
REGIONAL MEDIA
UPDF to deploy 2,000 veterans in Somalia
28 Nov – Source: New Vision – 136 words
The army has started recalling ex-servicemen for deployment against the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab terrorists in war-torn Somalia. The week-long exercise, which started on Monday, will end on Saturday. The recall targets army veterans, retired soldiers, local defence units and members of auxiliary forces such as Arrow Boys and Amuka in eastern Uganda. Army spokesperson, Colonel Felix Kulayigye said the recruitment was intended to prepare for the return of a contingent of peacekeepers from Somalia early next year. He defended the recruitment of veterans saying it would reduce on the time needed to train new soldiers, adding that it would also provide the veterans employment.
South Sudan, Somalia blocked from joining EAC
28 Nov – Source: Daily Monitor – 87 words
South Sudan and Somalia have been locked out of the East African Community (EAC) after the economic bloc’s officials advised against admission. The decision comes as a blow to the businesspeople who will continue to face restrictions in moving goods and investment capital, especially into Juba which had made an application for admission.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Ethiopia to stay in Somalia until AU takeover: PM
28 Nov – Source: AFP – 146 words
Ethiopian troops will remain in Somalia until African Union forces fighting Islamists can take over, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said Wednesday, as he met with his Somali counterpart. “We are waiting for AMISOM (African Union Mission in Somalia) force to come and replace us, and until we get that assurance then we will be waiting there,” he told reporters. Hailemariam, speaking alongside newly elected Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, on his first official visit to the Ethiopian capital, gave no timeline for a pullout of troops. Mohamud said that the Shabaab is “literally defeated” — although many experts say it remains a potent threat — and also warned foreign fighters with the extremists to leave Somalia.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“Somalia has hundreds of small power operators. You can shout over the fence to your neighbour who is supplying the street, if the power goes off. He can’t ignore you. We should borrow from the Somalis and refine the model.”
From Tororo without love: What Somalia can teach ‘bad’ Umeme
28 Nov – Source: Daily Monitor – 779 Words
I suspect if one did an opinion poll to find the most hated public services/utilities body in Uganda today, it would be the electricity company Umeme. Don’t be surprised if Umeme, which came to be after the lethargic state-owned Uganda Electricity Board (UEB) was privatised, is even more hated than its successor. In the last year, calls have grown louder for Umeme to be nationalised and to returning the management of electricity to state-appointed bureaucrats. That would be a disaster.