August 6, 2013 | Morning Headlines.
Heavy security presence in Mogadishu following bomb explosions
05 Aug – Source: Radio Dalsan/Shabelle – 126 words
Somali police forces and the national security and intelligence agency are on alert in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia following more than twenty bomb explosions on Sundaynight. The police were seen patrolling the main roads and junctions of the capital as the public buses were banned from the main roads including the road to the airport and the presidential palace. Somali police commissioner Gen Abdihakim Dahir said that the police were investigating huge number of bomb explosions that happened on a single night, blaming the act on al Shabaab militants. At least ten civilians were wounded in the attacks which no one has claimed responsibility yet.
Key Headlines
- AMISOM deplores attacks in Mogadishu (AMISOM)
- Jubaland delegation flies to Ethiopia (Radio Bar-kulan )
- Leaders: Stop unfair accusations against Amisom ( Standard Media)
- AU’s Uganda summit prods Somalia towards 2016 poll (Star Africa/APA)
- Official Position of Puntland Government on Relations with Federal Government of Somalia (Garowe Online)
- Himan and Heb president unveils 4 cabinet ministers ( Radio Bar-kulan)
- At least 15 hurt in late night Mogadishu blasts ( Africa Review)
- Somalia’s Puntland Cuts Ties with Central Government (AFP/Global Post)
- Kenyan FM defends Somalia operation amid criticisms (Xinhua)
PRESS RELEASE
AMISOM deplores attacks in Mogadishu
05 Aug – Source: AMISOM – 228 words
The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC)for Somalia, Ambassador Mahamat Saleh Annadif has strongly condemned the string of attacks on civilians carried out last night around Mogadishu by the al Qaeda affiliated terror group al Shabaab.
Several civilians were reportedly injured in the attacks which targeted camps for the internally displaced as well as street lights that the government had erected along a main thoroughfare in the city. “These desperate and craven acts on the Somali people demonstrate that the al Shabaab terrorists have nothing to offer but death and destruction. Protecting the people from this terrorist menace continues to be the top priority of AMISOM and the Somali government.” Said Ambassador Annadif .
The attacks come as Somalis prepare to mark the second anniversary when the Somali National Army with the support of the AMISOM forces pushed the al Shabaab terror group from fixed positions within the city, ushering in the longest period of relative peace the capital has had since the collapse of central government in 1991.
“Two years ago, Somalia National Security Forces with the support of AMISOM achieved a strategic success when they forced al Shabaab out of the capital.” Said Ambassador Annadif. Since their withdrawal from Mogadishu, the al Shabaab terror group has suffered a string of losses and has resorted to guerilla tactics that have continued to claim the lives of innocent civilians.
SOMALI MEDIA
Jubaland delegation flies to Ethiopia
05 Aug – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 95 words
A high level delegation led by Jubaland deputy president Gen Abdillahi Sheikh (better known as Fartag) flew to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa to meet Somali Federal government delegation as part of ongoing talks between Jubaland and federal government. Speaking to Bar-kulan before he departed Kismayo airport, Gen Fartag said that he will attend the reconciliation talks between his administration and Mogadishu-based government. The deputy president said that he is hopeful of reaching an agreement with the Somali Federal government after months of standoff between Kismayo and Mogadishu administrations over the disputed Jubbaland affairs.
Prominent Somali politician dies in Mogadishu
05 Aug – Source: BBC Somali Service/Radio Mogadishu/Dalsan/Shabelle – 106 words
A prominent Somali politician and former warlord Osman Hassan Ali Atto has died in Mogadishu on Monday, his family said. Mr. Atto who had blood pressure died in his home near KM6 area in Mogadishu late on Monday afternoon, according to his daughter, Seynab Atto. He returned back from central Somali town of Galkayo on Saturday where he has been involved in the construction of new airport for the Galmudug regional administration. Late Atto served as minister of trade and then a member of parliament in the former Somali transitional government. He has also been a prominent warlord in 1990s.
Official Position of Puntland Government on Relations with Federal Government of Somalia
05 Aug – Source: Garowe Online – 145 words
With reference to the public statement by H.E. Abdirahman Mohamed Mohamud (Farole), the President of Puntland, on the occasion of August 1 celebration held at Puntland State House in Garowe – and in line with policy recommendations issued on July 24 by the Puntland Joint Ministerial and Parliament Committee – Puntland Government hereby suspends all cooperation and relations with the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS). Since its establishment in 1998, Puntland has endeavored to build and strengthen public institutions, law and order, and delivery of basic services to the people of Puntland, whilst contributing positively to reinstituting a viable and re-united Federal Republic of Somalia since 2004. Puntland has expended critical support to reinstituting a united and federal Somalia, by investing in terms of time and energy, manpower and materials, financial resources, and political obligations for the sake of peace and rebuilding of Somalia.
Himan and Heb president unveils 4 cabinet ministers
05 Aug – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 82 words
The recently elected Himan and Heb president Abdillahi Ali Mohamed (Barleh) has today unveiled three of his new cabinet ministers. Unveiled minister include interior security minister Khadar Mohamed Farah Said, minister of fishing and resources Abdi Kulan Ali, and finance Minister Mohamed Sahal Ali. The Somali central region authority leader stated that the administration’s members of the Parliament asked him to quicken nominating cabinet ministers. He added that he will unveil the rest of his cabinet ministers in the next few hours.
Heavy security presence in Mogadishu following bomb explosions
05 Aug – Source: Radio Dalsan/Shabelle – 126 words
Somali police forces and the national security and intelligence agency are on alert in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia following more than twenty bomb explosions on Sunday night. The police were seen patrolling the main roads and junctions of the capital as the public buses were banned from the main roads including the road to the airport and the presidential palace. Somali police commissioner Gen Abdihakim Dahir said that the police were investigating huge number of bomb explosions that happened on a single night, blaming the act on al Shabaab militants. At least ten civilians were wounded in the attacks which no one has claimed responsibility yet.
Military court execute murderer in central Somalia
05 Aug- Source: radio Mogadishu/Kulmiye/Risaala/
A military court in Beledweyne city, the capital of Hiiraan on Monday carried out an execution of a man linked to militant group al Shabaab who has killed veteran traditional elder last year, officials said.
The execution occurred at an area called Lama-galay, army base in the strategic city where governor of Hiiraan, Abdi Farah Laqanyo, officials of the Somali government, the African Union peacekeeping forces especially from Djibouti and large crowd witnessed.
Spokesman of Somali military court, Col. Abdullahi Muse Keyse stated that Mukhtar Hassan Mahamed was executed after admitting that he assassinated local elder named Sheikh Mohamed Hussein Abdi known as Mara-Adde in 2012.
Keyse, the spokesperson of the military said 18 years old, Mohamed was arrested on 27th September in 2012 and that two of his accomplices escaped.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Leaders: Stop unfair accusations against Amisom
05 Aug – Source: Standard Media – 138 words
Leaders of countries whose troops serve in the African Union Mission in Somalia ( AMISOM) have said unfair accusations, deliberate distortion of facts and bad mouthing against their
members must stop. The leaders’ spoke in the wake of a statement appearing in Kenyan and Somali media, attributed to some Somali leaders, saying Kenya should withdraw its troops from the Horn of Africa country.The Somali delegation withdrew the statement at the meeting at Munyonyo, Uganda, after Kenya and other regional countries strongly objected. Kenya has played a leading role in peace initiatives in Somalia, leading to major achievements including liberation of the Port of Kismayu. In a communiqué issued at the end of the AMISOM Troops Contributing Countries (TCC) Heads of State Summit in Uganda, regional leaders also rejected suggestions to re-hat the African Union Mission in Somalia ( AMISOM).
President Uhuru Returns From AMISOM Summit in Kampala
05 Aug – Source: Capital FM/All Africa/Citizen TV – 222 Words
President Uhuru Kenyatta arrived in Kenya on Monday morning from Kampala Uganda, where he attended the Heads of State Summit for countries contributing troops to the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). The plane carrying the President and his delegation touched down at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport shortly before10am and was received by senior government officials. The summit, attended by Ethiopia’s Premier Hailemariam Desalegn, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia, host president Yoweri Museveni and representatives from other member states, assessed the successes, challenges and the future of AMISOM.
At least 15 hurt in late night Mogadishu blasts
05 Aug – Source: Africa Review – 282 Words
At least 15 people were injured in a series of apparently coordinated blasts in the Somali capital Mogadishu late Sunday. According to affected residents, at least 20 grenade attacks were carried out. Medical sources confirmed that 15 people sustained injuries including government army officers and civilians. After midnight, residents in Wardhigley District in central Mogadishu, heard mortar shells landing around Mogadishu Stadium, the city’s main playground that hosts units of the peacekeepers serving with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). “At least ten mortar shells fell in the area,” a resident said. Close to half of Mogadishu’s 17 districts were affected by the shells and blasts in what many said was one of the most terror-filled nights in the city in months. The distressed districts include Hodon, Howlwadag, Wadajir, Dharkenlay, Wardhigley, Hamarweyne and Waberi.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somalia’s Puntland Cuts Ties with Central Government
05 Aug – Source: AFP/Global Post – 299 Words
Somalia’s northeastern Puntland region said Monday it had cut all relations with the central government in Mogadishu, raising the prospect of further fractures to the already war-torn nation. In an official statement, Puntland accused the internationally-backed government in the capital Mogadishu of undermining the federal constitution and of ignoring “national reconciliation” efforts. It also accused Mogadishu of rejecting the fair “sharing of power, resources and foreign aid” among Somalia’s multiple regions. “Puntland government hereby suspends all cooperation and relations with (the) Federal Government of Somalia,” an official statement read. Relations would only be restored if Mogadishu “restores and adheres to the country’s genuine provisional federal constitution”, as well as consults over security issues and ensures a fair distribution of international aid across Somalia, it added. There was no immediate response from Mogadishu.
AU’s Uganda summit prods Somalia towards 2016 poll
05 Aug – Source: Star Africa/APA- 356 Words
African Union leaders who were meeting in the Ugandan town of Munyonyo on Sunday have encouraged plans by the Somali government to hold elections in 2016 by which time more parts of the war-torn country would have been liberated from al-Shabaab control and their threat largely neutralized. In a joint communiqué released on Monday, regional leaders including Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn and President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya welcomed the commitment of the fledgling government in Mogadishu to conduct elections in the next two years and pledged support towards this end and in the general drive to facilitate the creation of a conducive environment for people to vote in what would be the first major poll in Somalia for over forty years. Regional leaders whose countries contribute troops to the military campaign against Islamist insurgents in Somalia urged international stakeholders, partners and friends of the horn of Africa nation to lend support to its government to realize this objective.
Kenyan FM defends Somalia operation amid criticisms
05 Aug – Source: Xinhua – 183 words
Kenyan Foreign Minister Amina Jibril Mohamed on Sunday said criticisms that her country was involved in internal politics in Somalia are not helpful in ongoing efforts to end the decades-old conflict in the Horn of African country. Mohamed made the remarks in an interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the one-day summit on harmonizing the operation of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
Kenya’s top diplomat stressed that now is the opportune time to martial all the resources to help stabilize Somalia by 2016. The summit of the African countries contributing to AMISOM troops was held amid displeasure between Kenya and Somalia, whose government complains of Kenya’s involvement in internal politics in the southern town of Kismayo. Somalia wants to control the seaport and the airport among other installations and have all the revenues remitted to the central government, after the Indian Ocean town was recaptured from rebels not long ago with the help of Kenyan troops. Mohamed said Kenya has not formally received the complaints, noting that Kenya has instead been supportive of the efforts to pacify its northeastern neighbor.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“SEED is a 4 year programme with 2 components – one on market development and the second on developing the investment climate targeting markets including agriculture, fisheries and livelihoods”.
Seeding jobs and growth in Somalia
05 Aug – Source: DFID Blog – 733 Words
When I think of fragile and conflict affected states such as Afghanistan, Somalia or the Congo, in the development context, I think of humanitarian projects or perhaps peace building initiatives. These are generally short-term programmes aimed at dealing with emergencies rather than focusing on long-term economic growth. Of course these types of programmes are essential, but with 21 out of 28 of DFID’s priority countries classed as “fragile” we need to give some serious thought to how we do economic development work in fragile and conflict affected states, especially as economic development becomes an increasing focus in DFID. The argument for increased work in the space is there; private sector development can play a key role in fragile and conflict-affected states, reducing poverty, promoting immediate stabilisation and sustained recovery, and, where economic factors contribute to conflict, addressing the causes of conflict.