December 1, 2014 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Talks to resume between Somalia and Somaliland in Turkey

30 Nov – Source: Hiiraan Online – 281 words

Negotiations are expected to resume in Turkey between the Federal Government of Somalia and the self-declared independent state of Somaliland. The Somaliland delegation will include Minister of Presidential Affairs Hersi Ali Haji Hassan, Foreign Minister Mohamed Bihi Yonis, and other deputies. Delegates representing the Federal Government of Somalia are also expected to arrive in Turkey in the coming hours. Talks are due to begin; however, no official date has been released by the Turkish government on when the negotiations will resume.

Key Headlines

Somali PM urges end of Harardere clashes (Radio Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu)
Talks to resume between Somalia and Somaliland in Turkey (Hiiraan Online)
Brother of Somalia PM Minister injured Mogadishu (Radio Dalsan)
MPs to hold another session over controversial motion against the PM (Radio RBC)
Ten killed in Adado fighting (Radio Bar-kulan)
Puntland Government frees former Mudug Governor (Radio Garowe)
Create buffer zone along Kenya-Somali border says Barua (KBC)
Cop shot dead another seriously injured in Dadaab Al Shabaab attack (Star- Kenya)
Yemen and Djibouti on terrorism alert (IHS maritime)
German Ambassador meets Foreign Minister of Somalia (Embassy of German Nairobi)

PRESS STATEMENT

Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, HE The President: The integration of the various existing regional security elements into one, nationally cohesive force is crucial for the future of Somalia”

29 Nov – Source: Office of the President – 526 words

The integration of regional security forces is a critical element in both the further development of the Somali National Army (SNA) and the achievement of state-building goals, in particular the formation of a federal Somalia.

Vision 2016 and the Somali Compact, adopted by the Federal Government of Somalia in 2013 articulate specific priorities towards ensuring the security, political and development progress of Somalia. The London Security Conference (September 2014) further supported the integration of regional armed forces into the Federal security institutions as one of those priorities.

Concurrently, the FGS aims to ensure a unified national security sector structure and creating increasingly cohesive entities within that structure.Our existing partnership with Puntland, the emergence of the Interim Juba Administration (IJA), the establishment of the Interim South West Administration (ISWA), and the work of the committee for the formation of the Interim Administration for the Central Regions (IACR) are testament to the FGS’s commitment to a unified, federal Somalia.The development of a national security force, and in particular the Somali National Army (SNA) must evolve in parallel with the creation of federal states. Formally integrating the various regional security forces is the next step in this evolution.

We recognize and acknowledge the various security forces currently aligned with the emerging states and interim administrations, including, but not limited to, the Puntland Darwish, the Interim Juba Administration Security Forces (IJASF), the forces associated with Interim South West Administration and Ahlu-Sunna Wal Jama’a (ASWJ). The FGS envisages all of these ultimately becoming part of the Somali National Army (SNA). It is anticipated that the SNA sector divisions will fall in line with federal boundaries to improve coordination of forces and promote stability across Somalia. Progress on technical issues such as boundaries is essential to continue positive momentum towards the integration of our forces.

It is our intention to negotiate and formalise an agreement to this end with the Interim Juba Administration, Interim South West Administration, and Puntland in the aftermath of the High Level Partnership Forum in Copenhagen. We also intend to begin a similar dialogue with the committee for the formation of the Interim Administration for the Central Regions (IACR). We expect this agreement to be formalized as soon as the IACR is formally established.

The integration of the various existing regional security elements into one, nationally cohesive force is crucial for the future of Somalia. Now is the time to take advantage of the success of Operations Eagle and Indian Ocean that have driven al-Shabaab from their strongholds in the countryside. But the momentum generated following liberation of critical towns and districts from al-Shabaab control must be maintained. To achieve this, we must all commit to the development of a fully representative, meritocratic and accountable professional army.

In line with this statement of intent, the FGS will oversee the urgent development of a concept note and operational plan that will layout the steps necessary to ensure our commitment is realised. Furthermore, the FGS reiterates its determination to implement all resolutions mandated by the United Nation Security Council (UNSC) on children in arm conflicts as part of the ethos of protecting and serving the people of Somalia.

SOMALI MEDIA

Somali PM urges end of Harardere clashes

30 Nov- Source: Radio Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu/Radio Mustaqbal- 123 words

Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed has called upon the two warring parties in Harardere conflict to stop the bloodshed immediately and come to negotiating table to solve their conflict.

The PM said in a press statement that the continuous killing in the area is uncalled for and there is need to stop further displacement and destruction of property. “I urge the two warring clans to immediately cease the conflict as soon as possible and solve their difference through peaceful means,” Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed has urged elders, the local community leaders and peacemakers to calm the situation while bringing together the warring parties in the negotiating table.

The recent tribal clashes in Harardere have claimed 15 people while 20 others were wounded.

Talks to resume between Somalia and Somaliland in Turkey

30 Nov – Source: Hiiraan Online – 281 words

Delegates representing the Federal Government of Somalia are also expected to arrive in Turkey in the coming hours. Talks are due to begin; however, no official date has been released by the Turkish government on when the negotiations will resume.

Brother of Somalia PM Minister injured Mogadishu

30 Nov – Source: Radio Dalsan – 75 words

News that Dalsan news received confirms that a brother Somalia PM is injured in Mogadishu, His name is Abdikhayr Sheikh Ahmed.

According to Dalsan news, the young man was injured after he refused to stop a car that he was driving at a checkpoint in Mogadishu. He was admitted to one of Mogadishu hospital, Abdikhayr was a Somalia diaspora. He come to Mogadishu after PM Abdiweli was nominated.

MPs to hold another session over controversial motion against the PM

29 Nov – Source: Radio RBC – 158 words

Members of Somalia’s Federal Parliament are planning to hold another session on Sunday to discuss on the controversial motion against the current Prime Minister of Somalia.

The standing motion tabled late October by the supporters of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had met strong opposition from the rival parliamentarians supporting the Prime Minister who disrupted three sessions of the parliament before. Some of the MPs supporting this motion told RBC Radio that they will be willing to deliver the motion to the parliament again as they recounted that there was ongoing efforts to settle the issue of disrupting sessions within the parliament.

But the MPs supporting the Prime Minister are still convinced to reject the motion unless as they said a proper mechanism to resolve the misunderstanding was found in advance. Local sources also confirm that there were ongoing efforts by politicians and diplomats attempting to ease the stand-off and settle the dispute in a commonly agreed manner.

Ten killed in Adado fighting

29 Nov – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 92 words

Ten people lost their lives and more than twenty others were wounded in a fighting between pastoralists groups near Adado the capital of himan and Heb administration. Hiban and Heb administration Minister for social services has confirmed to Radio Bar-Kulan.

The clashes which took place 200 kilometer south east of Adado were instigated by pasture and water. The injured were taken to Adado hospital for treatment while others were taken to Baxda according to local administration. The local administration has called upon the warring parties to solve their differences in the negotiation table.

Puntland Govt free former Mudug Governor

29 Nov – Source: Radio Garowe – 85 words

Puntland government in northern Somalia has freed former governor of Mudug Abdirashid Ali Hashi (Dhubane) on guaranty on Saturday morning, Garowe Online reports. Nugal regional police Commander Ahmed Abdullahi Samatar (Layli) has confirmed to radio Garowe that the release of Hashi came after clan elders stepped up intense efforts.

On November 25, former Mudug governor accused regional president Abdiweli Mohamed Ali of cementing family’s power, and failing to deliver on presidential election promises while speaking at a press conference in the state capital of Garowe.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Create buffer zone along Kenya-Somali border, says Barua

30 Nov – Source: KBC – 388 words

The United Nations (UN), should deploy its peace keepers along the Kenya –Somalia boundary to contain the Alshabaab attacks on the Kenyan territory, Gichugu MP Njogu Barua has said. Barua said due to the lengthy boundary, the Kenyan security agents have not been able to patrol the 700 kilometer stretch boundary due to limitation in number of personnel. He said the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF), currently working in conjunction with the UNISOM in Somalia to dismantle the Alshabaab insurgents could not be able to patrol the boundary effectively.

Cop shot dead, another seriously injured in Dadaab Al Shabaab attack

30 Nov- Source: Star- Kenya- 305 words

A policeman was shot dead and another seriously wounded in a fresh attack by suspected Al shabaab militias near at Dagahale near the Dadaab refugee camp on Saturday. “The attackers were on foot, and trailed the officers for about 100 metres (yards) before firing at them at a close range,” regional police official Musa Yego said. The injured officer was rushed to Garissa County hospital by Red Cross rescue team. Yego said the attackers were thought to be Al Shabaab members or sympathisers. The attackers are said to have disappeared into a refugee camp.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Yemen and Djibouti on terrorism alert

30 Nov- Source: IHS maritime- 326 words

Yemen’s Interior Ministry has ordered increased security along the country’s coastline in response to information that al-Qaeda’s Somalia-based affiliate al-Shabaab is planning to carry out attacks in the country. The Yemeni Coast Guard and the navy have been told to arrest any suspects arriving by sea.

Yemen continues to be riven by Shiite and Sunni factionalism and civil strife, which has been exploited by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) to launch terror attacks. On Monday, the US Department of State issued a travel advisory warning of “specific threats from terrorism” aimed at Western and local targets, which could include “attacks on maritime vessels in or near Djiboutian ports”. In May, al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in Djibouti town centre and threatened further attacks.

German Ambassador meets Foreign Minister of Somalia

28 Nov – Source: Embassy of German, Nairobi – 324 words

The German Ambassador to Somalia, Andreas Peschke, used the opportunity of the visit of H.E. Abdirahman Duale Beileh, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Federal Republic of Somalia, to Nairobi to have a first exchange of views on the perspectives of German Development Cooperation with Somalia.

Ambassador Peschke highlighted that the German Government committed itself to the New Deal process as well as to the Somali Compact and used the Brussels Conference last year to pledge an amount of up to 95 million Euros for the support of state- and peace-building measures by bilateral development cooperation with a focus on economic foundations. Moreover, he emphasised the overall need for further security and stabilisation measures as a precondition for any long-term engagement.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“The Presidency and military, therefore, agreed and confirmed that Kenya’s action was retaliatory but successfully obliterated the camps and killed the militants in one fell swoop. In February of 2012, KDF was formally integrated into Amisom, which has for years on end struggled with the seemingly Sisyphean task of propping up Mogadishu and stabilising the country.”

Operation Linda Nchi failed; let military return

29 Nov – Source: Daily Nation – 752 words

The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) informed us that the Al-Shabaab militants who executed 28 Kenyans in cold blood inside Kenya’s borders planned their raid at a camp in Somalia, some 21 kilometres away from the common border.

Further, Kenya Defence Forces said, Al-Shabaab had another camp some 45 kilometres inside Somalia. But, said the military, this part of Somalia in which these two camps were, falls under the supervision of Ethiopia and not Kenya.

Therefore, it implied, it could not have taken out these facilities in its on-going war against Al-Shabaab because this mandate rightly belongs to Addis Ababa. The military also said it killed 100 militants the same day they massacred Kenyans after it launched an aerial pursuit into enemy territory. It is important to note that KDF’s statement was aired not long after Deputy President William Ruto mumbled and fumbled at his own news conference on the massacre in Mandera.