May 20, 2016 | Daily Monitoring Report
No Delay Of Elections, Somali President Confirms To UN Security Council
20 May – Source: Radio Dalsan – 142 Words
Somali President,Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has confirmed to visiting UN Security Council members that elections will go ahead as planned without any delays. Speaking during a meeting with the UNSC members in Mogadishu on Thursday, the President reiterated that elections in the country will go on as agreed in the month of August.
He observed there is no enough time but expressed confidence that Parliament would pass the crucial electoral bills in time to pave way for the polls within the stipulated period. Fifteen diplomats from the UNSC are in Mogadishu to assess the development made towards the electoral process. The team is the country to give moral support to the Federal government in fighting the armed Al-Shabaab militia group.The team also welcomed the historic security, economic and democratic developments so far made by the Mogadishu administration.
Key Headlines
- No Delay Of Elections Somali President Confirms To UN Security Council (Radio Dalsan)
- Parliament Cannot Amend The 2016 Election Agreement Says Puntland (Garowe Online)
- Traditional Elders Call For An End To Beledeweyn Fighting (Goobjoog News)
- UN Security Council Concludes Visit To Somalia With Call For Elections (AMISOM)
- Qatar Red Crescent Society To Launch Somalia Projects (The Peninsula)
- President Uhuru Meeting United Nations Security Council (The Citizen TV)
- Will Kenya Really Close Dadaab? (IRIN)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Parliament Cannot Amend The 2016 Election Agreement, Says Puntland
19 May – Source: Garowe Online – 113 Words
The semi-autonomous state of Puntland has affirmed that the Federal Parliament cannot amend the 2016 election agreement, which was signed by officials of the Federal government and federal member states.In a communique from the weekly cabinet meeting held on Thursday and chaired by the Vice President Abdihakim Abdullahi Haji Omar, the cabinet expressed fears that continuous interference of the 2016 election process was aimed at delaying the polls scheduled for August.The cabinet discussed the issue at length and resolved that the Federal Parliament had no constitutional mandate to make the amendments. The state has now threatened to withdraw all its previous commitments and support for the process should the interference persist.
Traditional Elders Call For An End To Beledweyn Fighting
20 May – Source: Goobjoog News- 124 Words
Traditional elders have appealed for an immediate ceasefire to fighting between militia groups of two rival tribes in Beledweyne town of central Somalia. The bloody battle has left several people dead over the past one week. The fighting between clan militias started over a dispute for land and pasture dispute between members of the rival sub-clans. This has escalated into a deadly fight, which has displaced hundreds of residents including women and children.
One elder, Ahmed Hassan, urged the warring sides to unconditionally stop the hostilities and bloodshed in the region. “We must take all necessary steps to stop the bloodshed in Beledweyne town,” said Hassan. The two clans have severally fought over resources in the region in the past, and while the Somali government has been able to mediate between the groups, a lasting ceasefire has never been achieved.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
UN Security Council Concludes Visit To Somalia With Call For Elections
19 May – Source: AMISOM – 244 Words
United Nations Security Council members on Thursday ended a one-day visit to Somalia, with a plea to its Federal Government to stick to an electoral timetable that would see an August ballot.Representatives of the Security Council’s 15-member states who met with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, civil society members and senior United Nations and African Union officials, also commended the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) for its role in securing the country.
Joint AMISOM and Somali National Army (SNA) efforts have resulted in the recovery of areas held by Al Shabaab militants, creating space for humanitarian access and enabling the strengthening of state institutions and preparations for much expected presidential elections.
“We will be renewing the mandate of AMISOM shortly. We have all been listening and learning about the successes, but also the challenges that AMISOM faces,” Matthew Rycroft, the United Kingdom Permanent Representative to the UN Security Council told journalists at a joint press conference after the meeting.
The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia Ambassador Francisco Madeira, thanked the Council for its commitment and support to Somalia and AMISOM.“We believe that this is a joint venture, this is business that needs to succeed It takes AMISOM, SNA, national security forces, politicians, clan leaders and federal and regional authorities to make it work,” Ambassador Madeira said.The Council members and Ambassador Madeira also met with Somali civil society groups and representatives of humanitarian agencies.
Qatar Red Crescent Society To Launch Somalia Projects
20 May – Source: The Peninsula Qatar – 341 Words
Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has signed an MoU with the Organisation of Islamic Dawa (OID) to execute the third phase of integrated development and rehabilitation programmes at a cost of $2m (QR 7.3m) in Banaadir, Middle Shabelle, and Lower Shebelle in Somalia.
The agreement was signed by Saleh bin Ali Al Mohannadi, Secretary-General, QRCS, and Hammad Abdul Qader, Director-General, OID’s office in Qatar: “The agreement will enable us to bring development to fragile areas in Somalia where people are suffering due to severe poverty, inadequate medical services, lack of clean water and food security due to natural disasters and unrest. All these conditions have had a tremendous impact on children, expectant and breastfeeding mothers and the elderly,” said Al Mohannadi.
“Programmes will cover 10 towns in the three regions, focusing on vulnerable families affected by disasters and conflict. They need agricultural equipment and capacity-building to generate income independently. We will also offer basic welfare services such as healthcare, water and sanitation, education and transportation, in coordination with concerned Somali ministries and local community leaders,” he said The third phase will help improve living standards of beneficiaries. Foods, health services, education and water will be provided to victims of drought and conflict. Some 3,000 families will benefit directly and 121,000 families indirectly.
President Uhuru Meeting United Nations Security Council
20 May – Source: Citizen TV – 290 Words
President Uhuru Kenyatta will on Friday morning meet members of the United Nations Security Council.The diplomats from the 15–member Security Council will discuss the situation in Somalia and the work of the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) in Somalia, whose troop contributing countries are Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Sierra Leone.The President will discuss other Kenyan concerns about AMISOM. Among them is the lack of critical components necessary to achieve the strategic objective of stabilizing Somalia, such as robust land, air and maritime capabilities and assets.AMISOM continues to face financial challenges which threaten the effectiveness of the mission.
The recent decision by the European Union to effect a 20% reduction of funding to AMISOM is a manifestation of this difficulty. Of equal importance, is the temptation of our international partners to forget that the African Union is in Somalia on behalf of the United Nations. Whereas the continent is footing the bill of stabilizing Somalia by blood and flesh, it is disheartening that the international community is even contemplating to reduce support to AMISOM. Kenya’s decision to shut down the Dadaab Refugee Camp is also expected to feature prominently in the discussions.The Ministry of Interior and Co-ordination of National Government has set up a 14–member task force – the National Taskforce on Repatriation of Refugees – whose role is to develop modalities, timelines and costs for the repatriation of refugees in Kenya, develop refugee management and control strategies during the period of repatriation as well as develop a verification criterion for refugees that will feed into a comprehensive database.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“And how can Western governments take the high ground if Dadaab – the world’s largest refugee complex – is perennially on life support? There was a $25 million funding shortfall in 2012, and the World Food Programme has cut food rations twice since 2013. The Kenyan government’s refusal to consider an assimilation policy and drop its encampment approach means there has been no long-term strategy to improve livelihoods,”
Will Kenya Really Close Dadaab?
19 May – Source: IRIN – 1593 Words
If the Kenyan government is bluffing over its announcement that it will close Dadaab refugee camp by November and repatriate 350,000 Somalis back across the border, then it’s a more elaborate ruse than usual.Consider this: it has gone to the trouble of getting the African Union’s Peace and Security Council to declare that Dadaab constitutes “a serious threat to the security of Kenya”; last month it quietly revoked the prima facie refugee status for Somalis; then it took the big step of disbanding the Department of Refugee Affairs; and now it has set up a National Task Force on the Repatriation of Refugees to come up with the method, timeline and budget for closure by the end of this month.
But scepticism is well founded. This is not the first occasion Kenya has threatened to close Dadaab. It has long branded the sprawling system of camps a haven for the Somali jihadist group al-Shabab. The militants have launched two major attacks on Kenya – Westgate in 2013 and Garissa University in 2015 – killing at least 215 people, and striking major blows against the government’s prestige. But there is no public evidence that links the attackers to Dadaab.
Nevertheless, the government insists that its actions are based on security concerns – a framing that works for both a domestic and international audience. Imaana Koome of the Refugee Consortium of Kenya said the officials he would regularly talk to are now “tight lipped” and citing “national security”. ”Where is this coming from? Your guess is as good as mine.”
TOP TWEETS
@MinisterMOFA: Had an excellent discussion H.E. Mario Giro strengthening our ties further on the Sidelines of #ItaliAfrica#Somalia
@amisomsomalia:UN Security Council concludes visit to#Somalia with call for elections http://goo.gl/lpwoSV
@yhassan_ :@HarunMaruf Election model (if Fed Parliamnt endorses) expects coordinated nat’l events. Up hill task. Delay not ideal but possible #Somalia
@joaoscarpelini:#Somali people in numbers! Learn more about demographic & socio-economic information on the Somali people @ http://analyticalreports.org/
@OCHASom :In #Somalia, only 55% of the pop. has access to improved water sources.#ShareHumanity. @UNdeClercq,@TheVillaSomalia
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Members of the UNSC met with Somali political actors.
Photo: UNSOM