February 25, 2013 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

PM Shirdon meets EU diplomats in Mogadishu

24 Feb – Source: Radio Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu/ – 118 words

Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon on Sunday hosted EU diplomats including EU envoy to Somalia Michele Cervone d’Urso, in Mogadishu. British envoy to Somalia Matt Baugh and other diplomats from the French embassy in neighbouring Kenya also held talks with the prime minister. Speaking to the press shortly after his meeting with the EU diplomat, the PM said the issues he discussed with the visiting diplomats includs bilateral relation between Somalia and their respective countries and strengthening of international support for Somalia.

Key Headlines

Somali soldiers complete six month training (Daily Monitor)
Somalia’s federal Government calls a convention to create a regional government for Jubba(Hiiraan Online)
Somalia: Jubaland convention delayed clashes in Kismayo (Garowe Online)
Over 50 perpetrators Incl. foreign fighters arrested says Puntland (Radio Bar-kulan)
Somalia: Tens of thousands protest against Al Shabaab in Garowe Puntland (Radio Mogadishu)
Turkish deputy PM visits Mogadishu to inspect development projects (Africa Review)
Somaliland:French university pledges assistance to local maritime institute (Somaliland Press)
Al-Shabaab beheads civilian in Hiiraan (Radio Bar-kulan)
Four Somalis in U.S. found guilty of supporting terrorists back home (CNN News)

PRESS STATEMENT

Communique of the general assembly IGAD platform for drought disaster resilience and sustainability in the horn of Africa

23 Feb – Source: IGAD – 280 words

Recalling:

1. The Declaration of the Initiative at a Joint Horn of Africa and East Africa Summit of Heads of State and Government held in Nairobi, Kenya on 9th September 2011 and the Summit Directive for IGAD to convene a ministerial progress review after 6 months of the Declaration of the Initiative;

2. The endorsement of the IGAD Regional Platform for Drought Disaster Resilience and Sustainability (Hereafter referred to as the “Platform”) by the IGAD Summit of Heads of State and Government of 25 November 2011 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

3. The Communique of the Joint IGAD Ministerial and High Level Development Partners Meeting on Drought Resilience and Growth in HoA held in Nairobi, Kenya on 4th April 2012.

Considering:

1. African Union Policy Framework on Pastoralism in Africa and the UN Systems response to address the special needs of the drylands recently published as Global Drylands (2011).

2. The IGAD objectives and Areas of Cooperation as stipulated in the Agreement Establishing IGAD (Article 13A) and existing IGAD Policies on Livestock, Environment and Natural Resources, Gender, Food Security etc;

3. That IGAD Member States are developing strategies and programs aligned with Country Programming Papers (CPPs) and are creating national coordination mechanisms for harmonization, alignment and coordination of interventions with respect to building drought resilience.

4. The establishment of the Global Alliance for Action for Drought Resilience and Growth as named by the meeting of IGAD Ministers and High-level Minister of Development Partners on 4th April 2012 at Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya.

5. The IGAD Secretariat 10-month progress report on the Initiative as well as a report on the progress made in establishing an IGAD regional CAADP compact.

SOMALI MEDIA

PM Shirdon meets EU diplomats in Mogadishu

24 Feb – Source: Radio Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu/ – 118 words

Somalia’s federal Government calls a convention to create a regional government for Jubba

24 Feb – Source: Hiiraan Online – 103 words

Interior Minister Abdikarim Hassan Guled has called a conference to discuss the creation of Jubbaland state. Addressing the media, Abdikarim has denied his government’s knowledge in the ongoing preparations in Kismayo to organize a conference, which is led by the interim Jubba leaders, calling to convene another conference that is more inclusive. “We have been hearing these reports, but we are not involved in the ongoing preparations” Said Abdikarim. Mr. Abdkarim called all parties to join in a more inclusive conference which is led by the federal government.

Al Shabaab beheads civilian in Hiiraan

24 Feb – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 81 words

Al-Shabaab insurgents have allegedly beheaded a man at Duqaqe village, some 40 km west of Bula-burte town, Hiiraan region The middle aged man was said to be a resident of Beledweyne town and was allegedly taken hostage by al Shabaab militants who later beheaded him. Locals say the militants took away the lifeless head of the man and left his headless body at the scene of the incident.

Jubaland convention delayed, clashes in Kismayo

23 Feb – Source: Garowe Online/Raxanreeb – 98 words

Armed clashes broke out between government forces and armed militia inside the southern port city of Kismayo on Saturday, leading to at least 9 people killed, on a day the Jubaland convention opening was delayed. Moallim Mohamed Ibrahim, spokesman for the Jubaland convention organizing committee, told Somali media that the opening day for the Jubaland convention has been pushed from Feb. 23 to Feb. 26, 2013 to give more time to Somali Federal Government to send its representatives.

Over 50 perpetrators including foreign fighters arrested, says Puntland

24 Feb – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 105 words

Puntland authorities say they have disrupted terrorist cells in their region following operations conducted by its security forces. They claim to have apprehended what they called “principal terrorists and their terror networks” who were behind past and recent attacks in the region, including the assassination of Sheikh Abdiqadir and the assassination attempt of the Deputy Police Chief. In a statement on Sunday, Puntland said it has arrested more than 50 perpetrators, including foreign fighters, in Galkayo, Garowe and Bossaso and over eight others in Las Anod.

French university pledges assistance to local maritime institute

23 Feb – Source: Somaliland Press – 91 words

Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Hon Abdillahi Jama Osman (Geeljire) has announced that a French University which teaches Marine Science and Technology will in the near future begin to make provisions for advisory and research services with Berbera Maritime and Fisheries Academy. Hon Abdillahi Jama Osman (Geeljire) who is currently in the UK, said Somaliland will benefit from a lately forged partnership with EU countries during the recently held Paris conference on Maritime and piracy issues.

A Somali caught for India bombing

24 Feb – Source: Radio Kulmiye – 67 words

The officials of the security in India have told that they have seized 2 suspects, one of them a Somali national. The Indian security representative said that the people are believed to have been behind the bombings in Hyderabad township. They were caught at the border with Nepal. Indian police have said that the Somali citizen had illegally entered the republic.

Tens of thousands protest against al Shabaab in Garowe, Puntland

24 Feb – Source: Garowe Online/Horseed Media/Radio Mogadishu – 99 words

Almost 20,000 people came out chanting slogans and carrying banners protesting al Shabaab in Garowe’s downtown square on Sunday. In a bold move, Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole and Vice President Abdisamad Ali Shire accompanied by Puntland officials walked from the Presidential Palace towards the square where the rally was being held to speak in front of crowd of almost 20,000 people.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Somali soldiers complete six month training

24 Feb – Source: Daily Monitor – 81 words

About 551 newly trained Somali soldiers yesterday left Uganda to join their colleagues already deployed in the war-torn nation. The soldiers underwent a six month training in different fields conducted by the European Union troops, the UPDF and the United States. The training included modules on gender issues, human rights, the law of armed conflict and international humanitarian law.

Turkish deputy PM visits Mogadishu to inspect development projects

23 Feb – Source: Africa Review – 98 words

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag arrived in Mogadishu on Saturday to inspect development projects funded by his government in the Somali capital. The projects include Digfer General Hospital and the Marine Institute which are being rebuilt. Other projects under development include medical facilities, schools, universities and a concrete plant for restoration of dilapidated road infrastructure. Mr Bozdag, who was accompanied by the Turkish Minister of Development Cevdet Yilmaz, also paid a courtesy call on Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud at Villa Somalia.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Four Somalis in U.S. found guilty of supporting terrorists back home

23 Feb – Source: CNN News – 110 words

A Somali terror leader implored his fellow countryman in California to send money ‘to finance jihad,” triggering a chain of events that ended with four convictions. U.S. government agents recorded dozens of such calls a few years ago, according to the Department of Justice. And on Friday, a jury found four Somali nationals guilty of supporting terrorism in their native country. The verdict came after prosecutors played the recordings to jurors in a San Diego federal court during weeks of trial.

Clan feud kills 11 in Somali port city of Kismayo

23 Feb – Source: AFP – 110 words

Clashes between rival Somali clan militias in Kismayo killed 11 Saturday, witnesses said, in the worst unrest since Kenya-backed pro-government forces recaptured the southern port from Islamist insurgents last year. The fighting erupted when a clan leader died at a police station, prompting pitched battles between clansmen, two of the three groups that have traditionally fought for control of Kismayo. “I saw at least 11 people, especially fighters, killed in these battles,” a Kismayo elder, Mohamed Ga’al, told AFP.

East African Nations assess drought resilience

22 Feb – Source: VOA News – 103 words

East African ministers are gathering in Ethiopia to discuss their policies for increasing resilience against drought. The last regional drought in 2011 triggered famine conditions in southern Somalia and forced hundreds of thousands of Somalis to flee to Kenya and Ethiopia. Dealing with future drought is taking center stage at the the IGAD meeting, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, a group of East African nations. Droughts occur in this region about every three years.

Ukraine to join NATO anti-piracy mission

22 Feb – Source: AFP – 175 words

Ukraine will provide a ship to take part in NATO’s Ocean Shield anti-piracy operation off the Horn of Africa, the first alliance partner nation to do so, NATO head Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Friday. Rasmussen said Ukraine was “a significant partner for NATO”, and an exchange of letters with Defence Minister Pavlo Lebedev confirmed Kiev’s offer of a vessel.
NATO’s Ocean Shield cooperates with the EU’s Operation Atalanta and several other task forces fighting pirates who prey on shipping off the Horn of Africa.

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS

“And from a little hospital in Somaliland, where miracles are being born every day, a hopeful pilgrim agrees with all of her heart and bows in reverence for the potential of this place underneath a desert sky.”

Somaliland: On Faith and Future

23 Feb- Source: Somaliland Press-656 Words

From the roof of the hospital, I watch the frenetic rush that marks the end of the day here. Women painted in brilliant color carrying sacks of vegetables and meat open the gates to their simple homes, ready to nourish their children. Men get up from café tables, lock shop doors, and honk their horns in impatience with traffic. The clouds become backlit by an orange sun as the wind rushes toward me, carrying the call from the six surrounding mosques. The people below pick up the pace, the men to prayer, the women to home, a never ending bending and bowing in loyalty to God and Family and Clan.
As the energy increases I am overwhelmed with the days falling off the calendar, closing my time here. And I wonder. What sort of devotion guides me to these moments? What kind of faith do I have in humanity to fling myself across the world to the Horn of Africa? What sort of prayer do I have for our future? What sort of pilgrim am I?

“It’s time to adapt the international strategy in Somalia to new conditions dealing with the problem at its source, on land, rather than at sea. Until a solution is found in Somalia, the pirates will keep coming.”

The best way to tackle pirate may be on the land.

24 Feb- Source: Puntland Social Development-507 Words

In 26 January 1991, Somalia descended into war after the fall of the regime of Mohamed Siad Barre. From that day, some European and Asian countries took advantage of the chaos in Somalia and sent their commercial fleets to fish in Somali waters. Other European countries sent to Somalia thousands of drums of toxic waste, including nuclear waste, to be dumped at sea.
Without a coast guard to monitor and prevent such illegal activities, Somali fishermen began organizing and arming themselves to confront waste dumpers and to collect fees from foreign vessels taking fish out of their waters. The situation worsens day after day and fishermen convert to the piracy.