August 5, 2014 | Daily Monitoring Report.

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Somali President announces new initiatives to empower the youth

05 Aug- Source: Radio Mogadishu/Radio Bar-kulan- 174 words

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has announced several new initiatives designed for the empowerment of the Somali youth to partake in the government’s efforts towards peace and development.

The president made the announcement while speaking in Washington DC where he is attending the historic three-day US-Africa Summit in Washington.

“Somali youth are the future of Somalia. They want and deserve what young people around the world want: to be able to walk safely in their cities, to work in meaningful jobs that provide enough to support their families, to match their ambitions with opportunities, to participate fully and actively in planning and actualising initiatives that improve Somalia,” he said.

He said that his government will generate opportunities for young people in an attempt to divert their attention from violence and armed conflicts in the country.

“The Federal Government of Somalia will generate opportunities for young people that are positive alternatives to participating in violence and conflict. I am very proud to announce several key initiatives that we are seeking to rapidly implement.” He added.

Key Headlines

Puntland condemns Monday’s suicide bomber that killed police officers (Radio Gaalkayo)
Somali President announces new initiatives to empower the youth (Radio Mogadishu)
President says there will be no troops rotation for AMISOM to avoid risk of Ebola virus (Radio RBC)
Somalia tries to come up with tougher laws on illegal firearms (Radio Dalsan)
Middle Shabelle officials seek medical aid for cholera victims (Radio Bar-kulan)
Somaliland opposition leader son joins ISIL (Somali Current)
Ahlu Sunna criticizes Gedo regional commissioner’s trip to Kismayo (Radio Goobjoog)
Somalia: Puntland leader appoints new state television director (Radio Garowe)
Al Shabaab ‘on the run’ US Somalia say at Africa Summit (Daily Nation)
Six dead after diarrhea outbreak in the outskirts of Jowhar (Radio Goobjoog)
Farmers displaced from Tosweyne by conflict (Radio Ergo)
Somaliland: Dozens killed in Tribal fighting in Togdheer (Somaliland Informer)
Al Shabaab claims Somali police chief killing (Al Jazeera)
Ebola stops peacekeepers (news24/Reuters)

PRESS STATEMENT

Investing in the next generation: creating the future for Somalia’s youth

05 Aug – Source: Office of the President of Somalia – 370 words

The President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, speaking from Washington DC, where he and members of the Federal Government of Somalia are attending the historic US-Africa Summit, today announced several new initiatives aimed to empower Somali youth.

With one of the largest youth populations of any nation in the world, Somalia faces critical challenges, including providing education, developing meaningful employment opportunities, reducing the attractiveness of radicalism, and increasing youth participation in civic and Government-led processes and activities.

· the development of an overarching youth empowerment framework and associated legislation and policies;
· the development of a job creation program and youth enterprise
· developing a University accreditation system.
· strengthening youth representation in civil, Government and political activities, focused at the local and regional political level;
· promoting access to the opportunities presented by the introduction of fibre optics and 3G to Somalia.

The US-Africa Summit (4-6 August 2014) hosted by President Obama, is the largest event any US President has held with Africa heads of state and government. Aimed at strengthening ties between Africa and US, the Summit is focusing on trade, investment, security and democratic development.

“The United States is one of Somalia’s key development partners. This Summit, with its theme of ‘Investing in the Next Generation’ reflects the core of the Federal Government of Somalia’s responsibility and work.

Over the next few days the Federal Government of Somalia team will be having discussions with US partners to explore ways to stimulate investment and growth in Somalia in order to unlock opportunities, connect Somalia better to the US and create an enabling environment for Somalia’s next generation,” concluded HE The President.

SOMALI MEDIA

Puntland condemns Monday’s suicide bomber that killed police officers

05 Aug- Source: Radio Gaalkayo/Radio RBC/Puntlandtv- 187 words

The Security Minister of Somalia’s Puntland State has condemned the Al Shabab planned suicide bomber that killed five people in Bosasso among them the Regional Police Commissioner Colonel Abdurahman Ali Hussein.

The Security Minister Hassan Osman said the attack will never derail the security operations aimed to eradicate the terrorist groups in the region.

“The suicide bomber organized by al Shabaab has killed police officials and soldiers in Bosasso today [Monday].” the minister said during a press conference in Garowe.

“The terrorist group al Shabaab attempts to discourage our efforts towards the counter-terrorism activities, but I want to assure that it will never disappoint us from doing this work effectively.” the minister added.

The Minister has expressed condolences to the families and relatives of the slain officers.
The al Qaeda-linked militant group in Somalia has claimed the responsibility of suicide bomber in the Northeastern town of Somalia’s Puntland State on Monday.

A spokesman for the group Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Mus’ab has told Radio Andalus, the al Shabaab’s media arm that they have targeted the police officials in Bosasso.

Somali President announces new initiatives to empower the youth

05 Aug- Source: Radio Mogadishu/Radio Bar-kulan- 174 words

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has announced several new initiatives designed for the empowerment of the Somali youth to partake in the government’s efforts towards peace and development.

The president made the announcement while speaking in Washington DC where he is attending the historic three-day US-Africa Summit in Washington.

He said that his government will generate opportunities for young people in an attempt to divert their attention from violence and armed conflicts in the country.

President says there will be no troops rotation for AMISOM to avoid risk of Ebola virus

05 Aug- Source: Radio RBC/Gubta Online/Radio Dalsan- 237 words

Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has announced that there will be no troops rotation for African Union forces in Somalia [AMISOM] to avoid the risk of the Ebola virus which has killed hundreds of people in Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leone is one of the AMISOM contributing countries and has deployed nearly one battalion into Somalia’s Southern region of Jubba.

“AMISOM will hold on troops rotation to Somalia until we make sure that people arriving in Somalia are not affected,” President Mohamud told reporters in Washington on Monday.

He said, the Federal Government of Somalia discussed the fears that the risk of Ebola virus into Somalia so that proper procedures to contain the virus will be in place.

Last week, the spokesman of the AMISOM mission in Somalia Colonel Ali Aden Houmud said they put on hold the rotation of the Sierra Leone battalion in Kismayo in order to avoid that the fresh troops could be affected and risk to spread the virus into Somalia.

Somalis in Mogadishu are talking the issues sensitively as they believe that engaging with AMISOM personnel can endanger their health as there are various troops from West African nations are currently operating in Somalia including Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

Ebola, which is a hemorrhagic virus has so far killed more than 900 people in several countries in the West Africa. The virus has no known treatment, according to the World Health Organization.

Somalia tries to come up with tougher laws on illegal firearms

05 Aug- Source: Radio Dalsan/Radio Shabelle- 196 words

The federal government wants to come up with tougher laws governing the privately owned weapons in Mogadishu.

In a cabinet meeting which was held in Mogadishu on Monday, chaired by Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed, the ministers discussed a lot the matter of privately owned weapons and how they should be regulated. After the meeting, Ridwan Haji Abdiwali, the spokesperson of the government spoke to reporters. He said the ministers praised the recent most operations by the security forces in which weapons of different types and their possessors were captured.

“There was a car loaded with explosives..but it had exploded before the planned target. Their movements were being monitored. And it is true they were being monitored. So thank God no one was harmed in that explosion”. Mr. Ridwan said. “There were also operations in which the security forces were recently recovering illegal firearms which sometimes find their way to or sold to the peace spoilers’ groups of al Shabaab”. He added.

Mr. Ridwan also said that the debate on the regulation of illegal firearms is not over it. People who possess illegal arms claim to be using such weapons while ensuring their own self-defence.

Middle Shabelle officials seek medical aid for cholera victims

05 Aug- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 118 words

Middle Shabelle regional administration on Tuesday called on the international relief agencies to provide medical assistance to populations in villages near Jowhar town affected by the cholera outbreak in the region.

Middle Shabelle deputy commissioner Ali Osman Ibrahim said that those affected by the outbreak in various villages in the region need immediate and urgent medical attention.

At least 8 people have so far died in cholera outbreak in many villages near Jowhar town, the provincial capital of Middle Shabelle region including Magay, Jarirow, Shan and Qalimo.

Some of the cholera victims are being treated in Jowhar district hospital run by INTER-SOS, a non-profit humanitarian aid organization in Somalia.

Somaliland opposition leader son joins ISIL

05 Aug- Source: Somali Current/ Horseed Media- 138 words

The son of the main opposition leader in the self declared state of Somaliland Hussein Feysal has join the Islamic state of Iraq and Levant rebels fighting in Syria.

Hussein Feysal alias Abu Shue`eyb video was seen in the social media network of YouTube while speaking in Finnish language. “I am happy to join my brothers’ mujahidin ISIL here and I will enter paradise,” He said.

Reports say Abushu`eyb was previously intercepted in Lascanod town while trying to join Somali al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab militant group.

Hussein’s father Feysal Ali Warabe is the main opposition leader in the self declared state of Somaliland and it is not clear how this will affect his ambitious political career in the northern self declared state that is looking for international recognition.

Ahlu Sunna criticizes Gedo regional commissioner’s trip to Kismayo

05 Aug – Source: Radio Goobjoog – 161 words

The administration of Ahlu Sunna Wal Jamaa in Gedo region criticized the visit of Gedo regional commissioner Mohamed Abdi Kaliil to the port city of Kismayo, the administrative headquarters of interim Juba administration on Monday.

Sheikh Al-Ansar, senior officials of Ahlu Sunna in the region said that the governor’s trip to Kismayo is against the will of the people in the region Sheikh Al-Ansari also said that Ahlu Sunna is a separate entity from Gedo administration adding that it will not be affected by the governor’s decision to back Interim Juba administration led by Ahmed Madobe.

On the other hand Mohamed Abdi Kaliil speaking during meeting with top leaders of Juba administration said that he has tirelessly worked hard to persuade the people of Gedo region join and support Juba administration so as to get rid of the parallel regional administrations in the region.

He urged the federal government of Somalia to support the ongoing efforts meant to complete the administration.

Somalia: Puntland leader appoints new state television director

05 Aug – Source: Radio Garowe- 100 words

The President of Somalia’s Puntland Government Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas has sacked the Director-General of state radio and television agency Ahmed Mohamed Ali (Ahmed Kismayo) from the post on Monday. According to presidential decree dated August 4, 2014, Ahmed Kismayo has been replaced with Abdifatah Nur Qodah (Ashkir).Hussein Abdi Yusuf was named as the Deputy Director-General of Puntland TV and Radio station.

Six dead after diarrhea outbreak in the outskirts of Jowhar

05 Aug – Source: Radio Goobjoog – 169 words

At least six people died and more than 44 others were hospitalized after diarrhea breakout in Magay and Jilaal localities in the outskirts of Jowhar district. The administrator of Jilal locality 20 kilometres East of Jowhar district Mohamed Mohamud Abass told Goobjoog FM that five people three children among them died the last 72 hours adding that 20 others were hospitalized.

Dr. Shueb Omar Mohamed among the local doctors who delivered emergency medical support to the affected areas under Jowhar district stated that the outbreak out might spread to new areas if immediate action is not taken.

On the other hand at least one person died and 24 others were hospitalized in Jilal locality as the administrator of Jilal locality Abdullahi Mohamed Boll confirmed to Goobjoog FM.

The administrator added that at least 10 patients reach the health centers every 24 hours since the outbreak started in the region, he underlined the need for immediate support from federal government and international aid agencies to save the lives of the people.

Farmers displaced from Tosweyne by conflict

04 Aug- Source: Radio Ergo- 169 words

Hundreds of families have fled their homes in Tosweyne village, about 18 km south of Bay’s Bardale district, following clashes between Somali government forces and Al-Shabaab fighters who used to control the village. The people have fled to Bardale district and several other villages including Kurtun and Hobashole. Most of the displaced people are farmers.

Radio Ergo’s local reporter who visited Tosweyne said the rich agricultural area was abandoned and only a few people had stayed behind to look after the property. Ali Nor Mohamed, a 75 year old father of several children, had sent his three wives and their children out of the village. “I am just here to watch our houses,” Mohamed told Radio Ergo.

He added that repeated conflicts in the village had made worse the already deteriorating standards of living. Farming families, the majority, had faced successive seasons of poor rains and low food production. More than 500 farmers have already moved to Hudur and Baidoa due to drought.

Somaliland: Dozens killed in Tribal fighting in Togdheer
04 Aug- Source: Somaliland Informer- 155 words
Tribal fighting between two clans erupted at the outskirts of Burao on Saturday. Initial reports indicate that a land dispute between the two tribes caused the clashes at Baliga Diirye , 35 kilometers Northern part of Togdheer province.

Local reporters said that a large number of people were killed in the fight ,though the exact number of casualty figures was not immediately released to the media ,and the tension between the two clan is very high, each one is sending men to enforce their own militias already in the area.
Somaliland Administration did not intervene to solve the dispute or to stop the fighting, despite fears that the fighting could spread many places of Somaliland.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Al Shabaab ‘on the run’, US, Somalia say at Africa Summit

05 Aug- Source: Daily Nation-230 Words

Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud told leaders at the ongoing US-Africa Summit in Washington that the war against al Shabaab is on course. “The geographical control of al Shabaab is shrinking very fast,” President Mohamud said.

Addressing journalists at a separate briefing at the summit, the assistant US secretary of State for political-military affairs Tom Kelly said: “Al Shabaab is on the run, thanks to the efforts of Amisom and the Somalia National Army.” Mr Kelly specifically praised Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Burundi and Djibouti for their contributions to the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM).

He said Somalia presents a good-news story. “Recent terror activity in Kenya and Djibouti is a reflection of weakness, not strength,” he added. He said the US has given Amisom more than $500million since the start of the war against al Shabaab in 2007.

Al Shabaab claims Somali police chief killing

05 Aug – Source: Al Jazeera – 147 words

Somalia’s al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab rebels have claimed responsibility for the suicide explosion that killed a senior police chief in the north of the war-torn country, the latest in a string of attacks.

“With the blessing of Allah, the mujahedeen have carried out a successful operation targeting senior apostate officials,” al Shabaab spokesman Abdulaziz Abu Musab said in a statement, boasting that three other policemen also died in the Monday’s blast.

Government officials in Mogadishu confirmed Adirahman Abbas, police chief in the Bari region of Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland region, was killed in the attack.

Abbas headed the police in Puntland’s key port of Bosaso, the Bari region’s main city. Officials confirmed that other police officers died in the blast, without giving an exact number.

Musab claimed the police chief was “targeted due to his crimes against Muslims… having imprisoned, tortured and killed many, thereby fulfilling the orders of the Crusaders.”

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Ebola stops peacekeepers

05 Aug- Source: news24/Reuters- 233 words

Sierra Leone, which is battling to contain the deadly Ebola virus, will stop new rotations of its UN-led forces into Somalia for now as authorities move to establish safeguards, Somalia’s president said on Monday.

Sierra Leone is one of the key countries contributing troops to the Africa Union mission in Somalia (AMISOM), which is helping battle Islamic militant al Shabaab insurgents there. But Sierra Leon is now deploying hundreds of troops within its own borders under an emergency plan to battle Ebola, which has killed nearly 900 people across West Africa.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, speaking to reporters during the African leaders’ summit in Washington, said there would be no new rotations of Sierra Leone’s forces until proper procedures were in place. He gave no timetable or further details.

“Amisom [will] stop the rotation of the Sierra Leone battalion so that new soldiers won’t arrive into Somalia unless we provide a means to ensure” that people arriving are unaffected, he said.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“If the Somali delegation does not seize the moment at the US-Africa Summit and implement policies that affect change for the masses, the youth of tomorrow, the very same people the President says he wants to engage will be left behind their peers in the continent.”

Are African Leaders Ready to Own the US-African Summit?

05 Aug- Source: Wardheernews-534 Words

The three-day US-Africa Summit, Aug 4-6, 2014 started amid the Ebola outbreak which continues to dominate the headlines. The first day started with much bang to welcome African leaders from over forty African countries to a leadership summit that is intended to strengthen US African relations. Although some are sceptical of the summit’s reach and success due to mainly the on-going issues that accompany Africa and its leadership namely corruption, human rights violation, disease and famine, the summit is the beginning of what the US promises will be a great first step to engage African countries in business and development.

Secretary of State Kerry welcomed everyone in the opening of the summit, with hopeful remarks that sounds encouraging and optimistic. Despite the many who are asking how this summit will change the culture of corruption, tribal violence, and human rights violations that is the usual African narrative, maybe this summit is what Africa needs, or maybe the summit is the answer to the US’s ghost chase of China which dominates Africa in development and investment, so far it has invested some $ 200 billion across Africa.

China has become Africa’s ‘great white hope’ while the US all but stopped to engage Africa in president Obama’s tenure. The Obama administration might have found the secret recipe albeit a bit late, namely that Africa is changing in the face of all the problems that exist on the ground. There is a growing middle class who are young and educated, Africa is home to most of the growing economies in the world, and it’s spewing out more and more educated young professionals that are entrepreneurial, tech savvy and ready to engage.

“No government can function effectively in the long run without some notion of collective participation in the political process, so it is imperative that all citizens to get involved on how the country is run in order to emancipate the seats of power from the incompetent and the corrupt politicians who squandered the dreams and the aspirations of the society.”

Clamor for Leadership: The Somali Tragedy

04 Aug- Source: Wardheernews-446 Words

Politics and Politicians change with circumstances but pervasive lack of leadership among Somalia’s political elite is a prevalent trend. There is no cohesive and coherent grass roots level of civil society to fill the power vacuum of the Somali peculiar situation. The incumbent president Hassan Sheikh symbolizes predicament; he was selected to propel the country into a stable, prosperous and peaceful future, instead his dithering and lackluster administration has opted to take off the lid of the root causes of the country’s disintegration into civil war, tribal politics, a throwback to a dark past. He implicitly and explicitly supports some section of the society while alienating others, anyone who tries to criticize his failed policies is intimidated or silenced in extreme cases.

The corruption pervades the echelons of power, the lucrative contracts and key positions are given to the pals of the government, and the administration was publicly embroiled in acrimonious corruption case with the former Central Bank Governor who left the country in a hurry a few days into her assignment fearing for her life. The security of Mogadishu has deteriorated to an extent where no government entity is safe. The presidential palace and the parliament were attacked multiple times, members of parliament are continuously killed, notably the recent cold blooded murder of Sado Ali Warsame, a prominent national figure and an activist in the heart of the capital city Mogadishu. How a government that cannot provide security to its own lawmakers can lead a country or run the machinery of the institutions it’s supposed to run.

Top tweets

@TheVillaSomalia Investing in the next generation: creating the future for Somalia’s youth. 4 August 2014, Washington DC – The… http://fb.me/1r3lV1SJJ

@Somalia111 Shocking killing of #Bossaso police chief today. I condemn attack and stand in solidarity w people & government of #Puntland against terror.

@amisomsomalia Image of SNA soldiers after completion of training course conducted by AMISOM. #AMISOM building SNA capacity pic.twitter.com/9cG7gjfcTT

@mukhtaryare Somali jihadist: I’m calling on all the Muslims in the West to make hijrah with your families to the land of khilfah.pic.twitter.com/arHd1gIIaJ

@USIP “Al Shabab’s territory is shrinking,” said Somalia president Hassan Mohamoud at a #USAfrica press conference earlier: pic.twitter.com/2iFiKD7byM

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Image of the day

Image of the day Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Speaking at the ongoing US-Africa summit in Washington, DC. Photo: ‏@USIP