September 23, 2014 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Lawmakers present motion against the giveaway of Mogadishu seaport

22 Sept – Source: Radio Mogadishu/Goobjoog/SNTV – 101 words

The federal parliament of Somalia had its first meeting in Mogadishu on Monday since the fifth parliamentary session was officially opened. Monday’s meeting was chaired by the second deputy of the federal parliament Mahad Abdalla Awad. The meeting was attended by 139 members, at least 20 lawmakers have presented a motion against the handover of Mogadishu seaport to Turkish company, al-Bayrak and termed the agreement as an acceptable. Abdikadir Mohamed Adan ‘Sandhere’, one of the MPs who signed the motion said they prepared the motion after they keenly looked into the grievances of the seaport labourers and the business people.

Key Headlines

Somali president leaves for UN meeting (Xinhua)
Lawmakers present motion against the giveaway of Mogadishu seaport (Radio Mogadishu)
Somaliland set to attend UK summit and the talks with Somalia (Somaliland Informer)
Galmudug submits complaint letter to federal government (Bar-kulan)
Schools advised to beef-up security over al Shabaab (New Vision)
Chamber of Commerce lauds al-Bayrak’s takeover of Mogadishu seaport (Radio Goobjoog)
Somalia: Puntland dismisses accusations by Galmudug (Garowe Online)

SOMALI MEDIA

Lawmakers present motion against the giveaway of Mogadishu seaport

22 Sept – Source: Radio Mogadishu/Goobjoog/SNTV – 101 words

Somaliland set to attend UK summit and the talks with Somalia

22 Sept – Source: Somaliland Informer – 99 words

Somaliland Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation Ministry officials have on Monday announced that the country will attend an international conference aimed at addressing commerce and natural resources which the UK government is about to host. Somaliland Foreign Minister Hon. Mohamed Bihi Yonis has revealed that the attendance of the country at the meeting in the UK shows that the world is now interested in Somaliland’s natural resources. The FM went on to say that the meeting is to kick off on the 14th of Oct 2014 and is due to be attended by traders both from Somaliland and the UK.

Galmudug submits complaint letter to federal government

22 Sept – Source: Bar-kulan – 92 words

The president of Galmudug state in Somalia, Abdi Awale Qeybdiid has sent a complaint letter against its neighboring state of Puntland to the Somali government and the international community. Speaking to the local press in Mogadishu, Qeybdiid accused Puntland authorities in Mudug region of closing down a newly built airstrip on the southern outskirts of Galkayo, the provincial capital of Mudug region. He added they requested the federal government to address the matter within three days. He said the people of Galmudug will not tolerate their airstrip to remain closed any further.

Chamber of Commerce lauds al-Bayrak’s takeover of Mogadishu seaport

22 Sept – Source: Radio Goobjoog – 97 words

Somalia Chamber of Commerce has hailed the takeover of Mogadishu seaport by Al-Bayrak, a Turkish company. Chamber of commerce chairman Mohamud Abdikarim Gabayare stated that the move of the company’s takeover of the port will boost business activities in the country and hence encourage Somali business community to speed up their import and export exercises. He added that there will be no increase of levies charged on the products the business people import to the country through the seaport. This remarks comes a time when Al-Bayrak company has taken over the management of Mogadishu seaport on Sunday.

Somalia: Puntland dismisses accusations by Galmudug

22 Sept – Source: Garowe Online – 106 words

Puntland Government in northern Somalia has dismissed accusations made by Galmudug authorities, saying southern airstrip doesn’t comply with international standards of civil aviation on Monday, Garowe Online reports. Minister of Civil Aviation and Airports Hassan Haji Saed said ‘Puntland doesn’t oppose airstrip in Barahley neighborhood’ but it is not satisfied with the distance it spans from the legible airport in Galkio. He denied the possibility that dispute over Galkio airport relates to political differences between Puntland and Galmudug:”It is politicized issue and it can’t be tied to political matters”. “You need to think critically when you want to install airport,” said Civil Aviation Minister Saed.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Schools advised to beef-up security over al Shabaab

22 Sept – Source: New Vision – 122 words

The Resident City Commissioner of Kampala, Aisha Kabanda, has advised schools around the city centre to step up security in their premises following threats by al Shabaab to hit the country. Al Shabaab threats are real and therefore, you should ensure that security is stepped up to avoid loss of lives,” Kabanda told the administration of Little Muheji School in Nansana, Kampala on Friday. The US recently killed the top most wanted al Shabaab terrorist Ahmed Godane through airstrike in Mogadishu the capital of Somalia and Islamist militants vowed to retaliate his death by striking Uganda and Kenya because of their troops deployed in the lawless state under AMISOM. Uganda security forces last week arrested suspected terrorists in the country and their hideouts busted.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Somali president leaves for UN meeting

22 Sept – Source: Xinhua – 143 words

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud on Monday left for a UN summit meeting in New York this week, state radio reported. The Somali leader will speak at the summit that is expected to bring world heads of states and government in New York to tackle key issues affecting the world. The president will brief the UN meeting about progress made by his government in various areas, particularly on security and the fight against Islamist militant group of Al-Shabaab. Somali government and African Union peacekeeping forces have recently launched a major offensive to retake areas still under al Shabaab control in south and centre of the country. The Somali government has pledged to intensify the fight against al Shabaab and made the horn of Africa nation free of militants by 2015, and ready for the 2016 elections when the tenure of the current government ends.

Kenya to stay the course in Somalia stabilisation quest

22 Sept – Source: Defence Web – 103 words

Kenyan troops will keep fighting Islamist militants in Somalia until peace and stability is restored to the region President Uhuru Kenyatta said a year after gunmen stormed a shopping mall in his country’s capital. Militants belonging to Somalia’s al Qaeda-allied al Shabaab attacked Nairobi’s upmarket Westgate shopping mall on September 21, 2013, killing at least 67 people in an attack that evolved into a four-day siege. Al Shabaab, which is fighting Kenyan and other African soldiers who are part of a UN-mandated African Union force in Somalia, has repeatedly threatened more attacks on Kenyan soil if the country does not withdraw its troops.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“The demise of al Shabaab leader will greatly diminish the spirit of the group, but it doesn’t mean the ideology that thrusts the group will vanish easily. The Somali religious scholars need to double their efforts against extremism, and opportunities for education and employment must be created for the young exploited Somalis.”

Somalia: The Demise of al Shabaab Leader

22 Sept – Source: Garowe Online – 1197 words

The U.S. airstrike operation that was carried out on the first day of September successfully targeted Ahmed Godane, the leader of al Shabaab in Somalia. The result of this operation has been welcomed by Somali leaders and the activists in social media as a progress that is made toward the “eradication” of Somalia’s extremist group. The news of the demise of Godane came only on Friday, September 5 when the Pentagon’s press secretary, Rear Adm. John Kirby, confirmed the death in a brief written statement. In addition, President Barack Obama, speaking at the conclusion of a NATO summit in Newport, Wales, said the successful U.S. strike was an example of his administration’s determination to hit back at terrorists. Likewise, a press statement released by the White House stated that Godane’s removal is a major symbolic and operational loss to the largest al Qaeda affiliate in Africa and reflects years of painstaking work by our intelligence, military and law enforcement professionals. On the other hand, the Facebook Page of Villa Somalia stated that US forces conducted the airstrike with the full knowledge and agreement of the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS).