December 22, 2016 | Morning Headlines
Over Ten People Killed In Clashes Between Al-Shabaab And Local Fighters In Southern Somalia
21 December – Source: Goobjoog News – 166 Words
Over ten people including local fighters and Al-Shabaab have been killed and several others wounded in clashes between local militias backed by Jubbaland forces and Al-Shabaab fighters in south Somalia on Tuesday evening, residents said. Owbarkhadle Elmi said Jubbaland forces backing local fighters have attacked Al-Shabaab fighters who rustled over 2000 camels near Kismayo town.“Local fighters supported by Jubbaland forces attacked Al-Shabaab camp following days Al-Shabaab fighters took 2500 camels from the local people living there,” said Elmi. This comes days after Jubbaland forces captured three key areas including Janay-Abdale and Ber-hano, about some 60 kilometers west of Kismayo town. Al-Shabaab militants have not commented on the latest clashes in Lower Juba region in southern Somalia.Al-Shabaab adopted monthly Zakat that obliges every nomadic family with 10 heads of livestock to give away at least one, while those rearing as many as 20 are needed to contribute three in alms, according to locals. The group is carrying out hit and run attacks in major towns.
Key Headlines
- Over Ten People Killed In Clashes Between Al-Shabaab And Local Fighters In Southern Somalia (Goobjoog News)
- Somalia’s National Leadership Forum Names Committee To Tackle Drought (Garowe Online)
- Return Of EX-PM Sees The Largest Gathering In Recent Times (Radio Dalsan)
- Somalia Humanitarian Fund Allocates US$3.2 Million For Urgent Drought Response Including New Contribution From Sweden (Relief Web)
- Foreign Envoys Urge Somalia To Fix Poll Malpractices (Xinhua)
- Somalia Staggers Towards Better Elections (Chatham House)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Somalia’s National Leadership Forum Names Committee To Tackle Drought
21 December – Source: Garowe Online – Words
Leaders of the Somali Federal Government whose term of office ended in September 10 and regional states convening the National Leadership Forum (NLF) in the capital Mogadishu, has formed National Drought Response Committee on Tuesday following worsening humanitarian situation in parts of the country, Garowe Online reports. The committee comprises of 9 officials from the Federal government and regional states, who will coordinate efforts to provide humanitarian aid to hundreds affected nomadic families.
Outgoing Federal Information Minister, Mohamed Abdi Mareeye, told media that most development projects will be halted to focus on the emergency response projects in drought stricken areas in the country. However, during the NLF conference, Somali leaders jointly urged the international community for intervention to avert worsening humanitarian situation and provide immediate relief to the nomadic community, whose livelihoods are endangered due to persistent drought conditions.
According to reports, the drought has affected Sool, Sanag, Bari regions and part of Somaliland, Galmudug, Jubaland and Hirshabelle states. The committee will be responsible to draw emergency relief plan for each region and the mechanism to avert the situation, said Mareeye. Somali Leaders warned that if situation persisted, it could have lead to further impact on the communities and cause more deaths to people and animals.
Return Of EX-PM Sees The Largest Gathering In Recent Times
21 December – Source: Radio Dalsan – 225 Words
Activities in Mogadishu came to a standstill on Tuesday when presidential candidate Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo returned to Somalia four years after he lost his last bid. His big return was marked by pomp and colour not seen for a long time in the Somali capital. Thousands of his followers dressed in white t-shirts with his images and campaign slogans. The big number of his followers led to a security challenge to the police and SNA who by 6am morning had closed roads leading to the Aden Abdulle International Airport where Farmajo was expected to land.
A commotion ensued some meters away from the airports entrance with Farmajo’s supporters demanding to gain entrance to welcome their presidential choice. SNA and Police however declined to allow them to move any closer but they continued to chant in support of Farmajo. So much was the pomp and color that photos of supporters became a hit on social media. “I have never seen such a big number of people gather in Mogadishu.” Ali AlSomaal a Farmajo supporter told Radio Dalsan. “Basing on his welcome on Tuesday if there was a one-person one-vote by the people, Farmajo would likely emerge winner” Mohamed Abdow a Somali issues analyst told Radio Dalsan. Farmajo served as Prime Minister of Somalia from the year 2010 to 2011 in Sheikh Sharif Ahmed’s administration.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somalia Humanitarian Fund Allocates US$3.2 Million For Urgent Drought Response, Including New Contribution From Sweden
21 December – Source: Relief Web- 408 Words
A new contribution of US$2.2 million from the Government of Sweden to the Somalia Humanitarian Fund (SHF) has immediately been allocated by the Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Mr. Peter de Clercq, to support humanitarian response to drought affected families. “Sweden’s timely contribution to the Somalia Humanitarian Fund is greatly appreciated as it will help us boost response at a critical time to assist the most vulnerable communities affected by the prolonged drought conditions,” said Mr. de Clercq.
Some five million Somalis – more than 40 per cent of the country’s population – are currently in need of humanitarian assistance, including more than 320,000 children under age five who are acutely malnourished. The worsening drought conditions are putting a heavy burden on vulnerable communities across the country. Mr. de Clercq allocated the new funds together with the Somalia Humanitarian Fund’s remaining balance of $1 million. The $3.2 million SHF allocation will allow humanitarian partners to deliver food, clean water and life-saving health, nutrition and sanitation and hygiene services.
Some $1 million will support food-insecure families in the areas most affected by drought with unconditional cash grants, emergency water and health support for livestock. Another $380,000 will go to health services, including critical primary health care and improved early warning surveillance and response systems. Water and sanitation programmes will be boosted with almost $1.1 million and some $800,000 will be used to procure life-saving nutrition supplies, including ready-to-use therapeutic food. Mr. de Clercq warned that “more resources are urgently needed to help affected communities cope with the deteriorating situation before we descend even further towards a disastrous scenario.” The new contribution brings Swedish funding to the Somalia Humanitarian Fund for 2016 to SEK 65 million ($7.5 million). With contributions from Australia, Denmark, Ireland, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, total funding made available by donors for the year come to more than $27 million.
Foreign Envoys Urge Somalia To Fix Poll Malpractices
21 December – Source: Xinhua – 319 Words
Foreign envoys on Wednesday called on Somali leaders to swiftly address various malpractices to ensure credibility of the electoral process.In a joint statement issued in Mogadishu, envoys from the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Ethiopia, Italy, Sweden, Britain and the United States urged the National Leadership Forum (NLF) to uphold accountability, transparency and legitimacy of electoral process.
They also called on the Independent Electoral Dispute Resolution Mechanism (IEDRM) to address serious irregularities during the electoral process, including bribery, intimidation, kidnapping, manipulation of delegate lists and failure to comply with the mandatory requirement to reserve seats for female candidates.According to the international partners, there has been frustration over a lack of feedback from the IEDRM.”For the sake of accountability, transparency and credibility, international partners call upon the IEDRM to publicize the complaints and how it processed them,” the statement said.
The envoys also called on the NLF, the highest authority that created the IEDRM and that is responsible for safeguarding the legitimacy of the electoral process, to work with the IEDRM to ensure accountability for the electoral abuse.They maintained that the electoral process must now be concluded swiftly and in a successful and credible manner.Michael Keating, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia, said the NLF should reach a decision on the disputed seats in the House of the People in a prompt and fair manner that is broadly acceptable to the people of Somalia and the international community.
OPINION , CULTURE & ANALYSIS
“Money from the Gulf countries, Turkey and others is reportedly funding presidential candidates, with external partners aiming to secure political, business and strategic regional interests through Somalia. However, financial backing will not be enough to secure the presidency,”
Somalia Staggers Towards Better Elections
21 December – Source: Chatham House – 1172 Words
The Somali presidential elections have been postponed four times since 10 September, reflective of an imperfect process and the country’s many problems. Despite the resolution of contests for over 90 per cent of seats in the lower house, and the selection of a majority of the 54 members of the newly constituted upper house, repeated interruptions and the need to re-contest some seats mean that the selection of the next president and government will be pushed into 2017.
But progress to date also highlights the success of reforms and an evolution of the political transition. Despite its flaws, Somalia has a more competitive electoral process and political landscape than many countries in the Horn of Africa or elsewhere on the continent. Largely one-sided elections in Sudan, Ethiopia and Djibouti over the last year are testament to this, as are disputed and delayed polls in Burundi, the Gambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where incumbents refuse to step down. So although frustration is growing among both Somalis and the international community, there is also a pragmatic recognition of the need for patience.
It is important to note that conditions in Somalia continue to make a universal poll impossible. In May, the federal government and national leadership forum instead agreed on a hybrid electoral college model, one that would continue to be based on a clan-based power-sharing formula. Elders from 135 clans and sub-clans selected 14,025 members from across the country to vote for 275 MPs in the lower house (51 members per seat). The upper house represents the six federal states and has been selected by their presidents and state assemblies.
This is a far cry from one-person-one-vote elections, but efforts have been made to widen representation during the 2016 elections, not least in an attempt to dilute the influence of corruption on the overall results, and it represents progress towards a more participatory democracy. The hope is that the continued extension of effective government and security across the country will allow contested, universal elections in 2020. This trajectory is far from certain, and will require continued engagement from weary regional and international partners such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Britain and the US, who are increasingly preoccupied with their own domestic concerns.