May 11, 2015 | Daily Monitoring Report.
EU Delegation Office To Open In Somalia
11 May – Source: AMISOM – 500 Words
The European Union (EU) has announced the opening of an EU Delegation office to Somalia. The announcement was made on Sunday in Mogadishu during celebrations to mark Europe Day and follows the signing of an Establishment Agreement between the President of Somalia H.E Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud and the EU Head of Delegation in Somalia Mr. Michele Cervone d’Urso. The agreement formalizes the presence of EU in Somalia and in essence paves way for more European countries to open up embassies in Mogadishu. “Today is a special day. It is Europe Day, so we wanted to move beyond words, to concrete deeds. So we signed an agreement to show that we are the biggest donor but want to be more than that. We want to be present in Somalia and want to open a delegation in Somalia,” Cervone d’Urso said.
As one of Somalia’s biggest donor, the European Union shut its office in Somalia in the flareup of war more than two decades ago. The move to reopen its office follows major improvements in security due to the intervention by the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the Somalia National Army (SNA), who have together neutralized and pushed out Al-Shabaab militants except in marginal areas. Speaking during Europe Day celebrations, attended by among others, top military officials and members of the diplomatic corp, President Mohamoud hailed the partnership between Somalia and the European Union. He said, “The EU since independence has always been a major partner of development and today after 25 years of being in a difficult situation still is”, and thanked the EU for its commitment to rebuild Somalia. He added, “Here in Somalia we have never questioned and we are in no position to question at all the level of commitment the EU has on Somalia”.
Key Headlines
- Elders Of Two Jubba Regions Call On Government To Evacuate Somali Refugees From Yemen(Goobjoog News)
- Somali Man Killed In Shooting In Minneapolis (Sahan Journal)
- Somali Soccer Team Impressive Performance In Djibouti (Mareeg.com)
- Somali President Dismisses Term Extension (Hiiraan Online)
- Somalia Closely Watches Kenya’s Separation Wall: Minister (Radio Danan)
- Somali Embassy In Yemen Makes Plea To Somali Federal Government (RBC Radio)
- EU Delegation Office To Open In Somalia (AMISOM)
- Female Police Officers Call For More Involvement In The Somali Police Force (UNDP)
- Somali Mothers Struggle To Raise Up Children Amid Challenges (Xinhua News/Shanghai Daily)
- Somalia: Farming Against Fighting (Africa Agribusiness)
- Puntland Security Lapse (Garowe Online)
- Somalia Grapples With Mayhem (Somali Current)
- Somali Human Rights Roadmap Ready For Implementation (UNSOM)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Elders Of Two Jubba Regions Call On Government To Evacuate Somali Refugees From Yemen
11 May – Source: Goobjoog News – 353 Words
Traditional elders and intellectuals of two Jubba regions have urged the federal government to evacuate Somali refugees who are trapped in Yemen by violence, as life has gone from bad to worse for the Somalis living there due to the on-going Saudi-led military offensive against the Houthi rebels. Elder Hassan Naaleeye, who gave interview to Goobjoog News, said that it is the responsibility of the government to pull Somali citizens out of Yemen. He has also called on people to welcome and host Somali people who are fleeing from Yemen.
“It is [for] the government to play its role, and I [would] request Somali clerics, politicians and intellectual people to fundraise and donate and help their brotherly Somalis trapped in Yemen violence” he said. The fighting in Yemen has claimed thousands of lives and displaced hundreds of thousands including Yemenis, and Somali refugees who escaped the conflict and hardships in their country before the current conflict in Yemen. Since 1st April, 2,423 Somali refugees have returned home by themselves using small boats. They accused the government of failing to help them. The Somali government promised to dispatch ships and planes for the evacuation of Somalis caught in Yemen’s conflict, but have yet to do so. On 27th April the Director of the Parliament Mohamed Iyow told Goobjoog that the parliament approved the dispatch of two ships to evacuate Somalis from Yemen.
Somali Man Killed In Shooting In Minneapolis
11 May – Source: Sahan Journal – 152 Words
A Somali man was shot dead early Sunday morning outside Karmel Mall, a popular Somali shopping center in Minneapolis. Minneapolis police responded to reports of shots fired near 2 a.m. at the intersection of Pillsbury Avenue S. and W. Lake Street. When they arrived, they found the body of a man left on the street. Friends identified the deceased as Ahmed ‘Lefty’. Around 1:30 a.m, Lefty and two of his friends left a coffee shop at Karmel Mall. He was walking to his car parked on the street when he was shot by unidentified men, according to a friend of the victim. Lefty is survived by a wife and a 2-year-old daughter. Police said they believe this was not a random incident. They interviewed several people and searched the area, but no one has been arrested yet, according to a police statement.
Somali Soccer Team Impressive Performance In Djibouti
11 May – Source: Mareeg.com – 137 Words
Somalia’s Under-23 football match against Rwanda ended with draw (1-1). Despite showing impressive one touch ball until extra time, the Ocean Stars did not qualify for the next round due to goal differences. The first leg, which was played in Kigali, ended with two goals to nothing – seeing home team taking the lead. Due to insecurity issues raised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Somalia could not host a home game in Mogadishu and the match was transferred to Djibouti. Kenya, wherethe follow-up match was slated to take place, dismissed the option of Somalia’s soccer team using Nairobi as home ground, citing security concerns. The Deputy Chairman of the Somali Football Federation, Ali Mohamed Abdi, congratulated the team for their excellent performance. The squad is expected back in the country on Monday. Rwanda will face Uganda in the next round.
Somali President Dismisses Term Extension
10 May – Source: Hiiraan Online – 392 Words
Facing domestic opposition and international pressure, Somalia’s president guaranteed he would not seek a term extension, assuring a timely election in the country after his term expires in August next year. His remarks come after the United Nations Envoy to Somalia Nicholas Kay warned Somalia’s incumbent leaders of an alleged term extension bid, stressing that the international community would not accept any term extension after August next year. “I shall never seek any term extension.” Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said on a teleconference he hosted to listen the mainstream views of his fellow Somalis. During the two hour teleconference, he urged Somalis to work with his government to restore peace and order in one of the world’s most dangerous countries. Mr. Mohamud whose government is credited with diplomatic progress for the impoverished nation may run for a second term election in 2016. His predecessor Sheikh Sharif Ahmed who’s currently studying at the Oxford University is also reported to be planning to make a political comeback and run for the presidency once again in the approaching election, which is expected to be a tough race between key political players. It’s the first time Somalia’s president has publicly declared he would not seek any term extension.
Political experts were quick to point out early loopholes that may encumber the preparation for the upcoming election in Somalia. “What puzzles many Somalis including myself is the talk about political election in August 2016 when the review of the Provisional Constitution which is one of many preconditions for political election has yet to be put in words, debated and passed by legitimate stakeholders for national referendum,” said Mohamed M. Uluso, a veteran Somali politics expert as well as a regular Hiiraan Online Op-ed contributor. “Other preconditions yet to be considered include well-publicized laws, well-established institutions and well organized preparation before attempting to embark on national election that embodies the concept of political representation.” In April 2013, President Mohamud was named to the Time 100, TIME magazine’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. His efforts in advancing national reconciliation, anti-corruption measures, and socio-economic and security sector reforms in Somalia were cited as reasons for the selection at the time. However, very little has so far been accomplished as the end of his term is fast approaching.
Somalia Closely Watches Kenya’s Separation Wall: Minister
10 May – Source: Radio Danan – 150 Words
Somalia’s interior minister says his country is closely watching Kenya’s separation wall being built on the common border following cross-border attacks by militants in Somalia. Abdirahman Odowa told reporters that the government is following the development as reports emerged that Kenya moved the border wall deeper into Somalia, a move Somalia sees as violation of the country’s border line. Kenya is currently building a 440-mile wall along its border with Somalia in a bid to keep out militants from al-Shabaab and boost security, after a wave of attacks that have claimed scores of lives and brought severe criticism of the Kenyan government’s response. It is part of a series of measures announced by the Kenyan government to crack down on extremism in the wake of an attack by al-Shabaab on Garissa University in the northeast in early April which saw 148 people, most of them students, killed.
Somali Embassy In Yemen Makes Plea To Somali Federal Government
10 May – Source: RBC Radio – 157 Words
The Somali embassy in Yemen has made a plea to the Mogadishu based Federal Government on the deteriorating situation of Somali people trapped in Yemen, RBC Reports. Amid hundreds of thousands of Somalis are trapped in Yemen, a nation currently descending into lawlessness. The Somali embassy in Yemen has requested the Somali government evacuate its citizens. The Somali Consular to Yemen, Hussein Haji, asked the federal government to deliver on its promise of evacuating trapped Somalis, calling on the Somali government to take advantage of the ceasefire period and begin getting Somalis out of Yemen. After the eruption of the Yemeni conflict, the Somali Federal Government promised to send ships to Yemen to evacuate Somali people. Boatloads of Somali people fleeing from Yemen have docked in Somalia’s major port towns of Bossaso and Berbera, but hundreds of thousands of Somalis are still trapped in Yemen.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Female Police Officers Call For More Involvement In The Somali Police Force
11 May – Source: UNDP – 455 Words
At least forty female officers from the Somali Police Force (SPF) completed a seminar this week to assess the needs of female officers, with the view of improving their work conditions and enhancing their role in the force. The needs and capacity assessment seminar drew officers from all police stations in the Banaadir region was organized by the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) with support from UNDP. The seminar aimed to improve service delivery in the SPF through greater involvement of female officers. UNDP’s Civilian Policing Project supports training and appointment of police officers, promoting human rights training and gender equality in all three Somali police forces and helps foster public trust and confidence in them.
In addition, new police uniforms were issued in Mogadishu and Somaliland to help better identify police officers and distinguish them from the military. This will eventually build trust and confidence and tangibly improve the official conduct of the police. Women in Somalia are particularly vulnerable and underrepresented in government institutions. Their voices need to be heard when designing responses to insecurity. This requires ensuring sufficient numbers of women in the police and also career support for female police officers, enabling them to perform professional police duties at all levels.
Targeted recruitment and training of female police officers has resulted in an increase of female police officers. Assistant Superintendent of Police Sylvia Auma, the AMISOM facilitator at the seminar said the participants raised several issues, which if addressed, will improve service delivery of the SPF and the fight against crime. “One of the things that came out vividly is their role in intelligence and information gathering, which they appreciated and has in most cases been successful and we applauded them for that. They also felt that this seminar could be shared or extended to the rest of the sectors or regions so that not only the Banaadir region benefits.
Somali Mothers Struggle To Raise Up Children Amid Challenges
10 May – Source: Xinhua News/Shanghai Daily – 640 Words
Shariifo Mohamed, the mother of two, has been a street cleaner since her mother died six years ago when a landmine exploded underneath along the road killing her together with dozens of other women in South Mogadishu. Mohamed took up her menial 2 U.S. dollar a day job from her deceased mother to help her take care of the family. “I’m the eldest of the family and my father had died before my mother, so I had to fill the gap and feed the rest of the family including my unemployed husband,” she told Xinhua in a recent interview.
Somali mothers joined the rest of the world on Sunday to mark the International Mother Day amid struggle to raise up their children alone due to conflict the Horn of Africa nation. The women and children have been living in the harshest of conditions for over two decades due to factional fighting. Successive years of droughts and conflict have resulted in repeated crop failure, depletion of livestock, rising food prices, deteriorating purchasing power, eroded coping mechanisms and a perpetual state of emergency, with mothers bearing the brunt as the most destitute and vulnerable.
Somali men used to be the breadwinners in the families, but since the collapse of an effective central government for over two decades ago, women replaced men as breadwinners due to the insecurity that forced most of their husbands to remain indoors. Since then, women are the care providers of their families. Some of them became street hawkers; others sell tea, juices or food, while still others became housemaids, just for the struggle to provide food on the table and as a result suffer the consequences of being raped or robbed in the process. Last year, Mohamed survived an explosion, the same as that killed her mother when a massive roadside bomb blasted near a pile of garbage she was trying to remove. The incident happened in Hodan district where at least 5 street cleaners were murdered and more than 8 others injured. “Four of my colleagues were killed in the attack and the force of the blast threw their bodies into the air,” Mohamed narrated. However, when asked about the mother’s day, Mohamed said “I have no idea.”
Somalia: Farming Against Fighting
10 May – Source: Africa Agribusiness – 1, 092 Words
Farak Doudi, 56, swings a rifle and cleans a water canal that washes into his banana fruit plantation. He marvels at the yellow banana trunks that sag over the waterway. At the same time he is jittery – sneaky bandits might raid his crop and ruin his income or even worse plunder his life. This is Shabelle region – the country’s southern province known as Somalia’s “food basket.” In this region much of Somalia’s farming is concentrated because water from the Shabelle and Hubba rivers provides irrigation even when the rains fail. Here, in a country that once rumbled on for 18 years without a government, farmers like Farak are leading an astonishing recovery for Somalia’s agriculture.
Before the country’s slide into lawlessness in 1991, when the president Mohammed Said Barre was deposed, Somalia was famous for its drought resistant goats, camels, sheep, bananas, sorghum and corn. At the time, Somalia was the largest banana exporter in all of east East Africa. Its greatest output was 110 tons in 1990 just before the onset of war. Its fruit was fancied for its sugary taste in the key markets of Europe, Kuwait, and United Arab Emirates. Even today after much mayhem Somali is the world’s largest producer of frankincense plant. Today in 2015, relative calm has returned. Al Qaeda linked insurgents have been neutralized, ocean pirates have been stamped out and United Nations backed government controls much of the country. The Somalia Central Bank is leading the way, distributing loans, tractors and land ownership certificates to committed farmers like Farak.
Before the war’s onset all of the country’s land was nationalised. Now, financial remittances from Somalis working in Dubai, Europe and America swell up to $1,2 billion per year, support 41% of the population and oil the country’s vital agriculture sector. Even traditional donors like Kuwait and Dubai are coming on board, constructing ports to export Somalia’s oranges, plums, groundnuts and camels. Once again the main cash crop, bananas, are thriving. Somalian agriculture on its own has distinct natural advantages. Somalia’s main export port of Mogadishu is close, just a five hour flight to the Arabian Gulf, which is one of the world’s most lucrative agriculture markets. Only 1.6% of the country is farmed. The other 69% is reserved for pasture. It’s not surprising that livestock farming makes up 40% of Somalia’s gross domestic income and 50% of its yearly exports.
OPINION/ANALYSIS/CULTURE
“On January 8, 2014, the Puntland parliament elected Abdiwali Mohamed Ali “Gaas” former prime minister of Somalia as the region’s new President by one vote. Ever since, Puntland’s stability remains fragile, Poverty rates are disastrous, security forces are weak and poorly paid for the last couple of months, and corruption is rampant. Clan struggles persist, criminal networks and terrorists carry out near-daily attacks on Puntland security forces in Garowe, Galgala, Galkacyo and Bosaso, often operate freely and Al-Shabaab fighters have become powerful in the region.”
Puntland Security Lapse
10 May – Source: Garowe Online – 687 Words
Puntland was established in 1998 as an autonomous state in Somalia. Local politicians, civil society and clan leaders had decided not to wait any longer for a functioning central government in Mogadishu and set up their own regional administration. Puntland is located in north-east Somalia that has a large and wider area and population more than 4 million. Puntland has so far remained a largely peaceful place, at least when compared to the war ravaged south. The state provides basic but essential governance services. The economy is recovering and the port of Bossaso has become a major trading hub. There are several UN agencies; International NGOs operating in Puntland and also the European Union, United Nations are the biggest donors in Somalia. They have liaison offices in the region. Puntland’s leaders frequently travel abroad to meet with officials and representatives from the international community, and the leaders of federal democratic republic of Somalia and neighboring countries.
On January 8, 2014, the Puntland parliament elected Abdiwali Mohamed Ali “Gaas” former prime minister of Somalia as the region’s new President by one vote. Ever since, Puntland’s stability remains fragile, Poverty rates are disastrous, security forces are weak and poorly paid for last couple of months, and corruption is rampant. Clan struggles persist, criminal networks and terrorists carry out near-daily attacks on Puntland security forces in Garowe, Galgala, Galkacyo and Bosaso, often operate freely and Al-Shabaab fighters have become powerful in the region. The security of Puntland became worst when the President Of Puntland Dr. Gaas’ has sacked most of the top security leaders in Puntland and appointed some of his close allies abroad who have no experience in Security, Governance and even Puntland regions. Three weeks ago now the UN, compound in Garowe was attacked by terrorist group Alshabab, and killed more than 8 U.N workers and wounded dozens, afterwards there was no clear investigation yet.
“To this point, they have not done anything to deal with the nightmares that are dawning on innocent lives. Thus far, the federal Government has talked too much and done too little and the subsequent impact on people’s lives plays out in such tragic fashion. The average Somalia sustained high hopes that the current situation would get better but all indications point to a bleak future.”
Somalia Grapples With Mayhem
10 May – Source: Somali Current – 788 Words
It has been two and half years since the current President—Hassan Sheikh Mohamed was inaugurated into office. The Somali people were excited about him being elected with the expectation that he would change and reform the country for the better, but so far we find that, with him in power, when it comes to the lives of the Somali citizens and the welfare of the nation, nothing has changed. Rather, the tragedies and outrage continues in unspeakable proportions. Almost every day brings news of terrible attacks, suicide bombings and constant fear. Some are so heinous, horrendous and malicious, that they dwarf all else. For instance, the Somalia’s mayhem has already spilt over into neighboring countries, notably Kenya where the recent attack by Somalia’s Al-Shabab took place — in Garissa University College— which left 147 students dead, and hundreds wounded. One may be asking how can it be?
In the wake of daily carnage, attacks and tragic episodes in the capital city and many other parts of the country the government has displayed ineptitude in dealing with the security issues that have been imminent matter for months and years. If you analyze the current situation of these various areas of Somalia—especially the capital city Mogadishu, there are constant attacks on government facilities, private properties and public infrastructure. It is impossible to root out the motives and causes of the attacks but in the face of the constant terror the government seems to act oblivious and out of its depth. From the landmine attack that targeted late President Abdullahi Yusuf’s convoy in 2008 to the April attack on the Ministry of Education in which 17 died, and to daily calamity inculcated towards innocent lives in lower Juba, as I write this piece, the country is grappling with tragedies and is ravaged by insecurity. The fact of the matter is, in the face of savagery and continuous fear; the Federal Government seems disoriented, impotent and incompetent to tackle this faceless misery. One may profess that the government is doing something about the insecurity of the country but it is not changing its essence. The average Somali stares in disbelief when the government pronounces that will do something about the insecurity that interrupted the daily lives of average Somali.
“Our meeting here today shows our resolve towards ending the violations of human rights. God willing, from today onwards we will start to implement the human rights laws.”
Somali Human Rights Roadmap Ready For Implementation
09 May – Source: UNSOM – Video – 5:46 Minutes
The Federal Government of Somalia and Somali human rights defenders have endorsed, with some amendments, the country’s Human Rights Roadmap at a validation meeting held in Mogadishu on Saturday.
TOP TWEETS
@UNSomalia: Congratulations to #Somalia‘s @IfrahAhmedfgmon winning the @Women4Africa award for #Humanitarian of the Year! #FGM
@IOM_news: To support #youth employmnt in #Somalia,IOM had a life skills training for 206 displaced youthhttp://ow.ly/MMt7L
@LaetitiaBader: New @hrw report: 1000s deported from#SaudiArabia, incl. to #Somalia, since 2013 w/o chance to claim asylum http://hrw.org/node/134595
@DalsanFM_SOM: #Somalia President Mohamud says Somalia can learn alot from Europe when it comes to unity and economic progress.
@SaeedNaaji1: 2020 is the year for commercial #oil deliveries in #Somalia http://www.qaranimo.
@ahmed_yassin1: It’s unacceptable proposition @AMISOM to be in @PUNTLAND, #SOMALIA.
IMAGE OF THE DAY
The European Union (EU) has announced the opening of an EU Delegation office to Somalia. The agreement formalizes the presence of the EU in Somalia and in essence paves way for more European countries to open up embassies in Mogadishu. Photo: AMISOM