April 13, 2017 | Morning Headlines
Somalia And The UAE Agree Upon Diverse Cooperation
12 April – Source : SONNA – 260 Words
Federal Republic of Somali and the United Arab Emirates have agreed upon diverse cooperation such as, security, counter terrorism, piracy, economic development, trade, immigration and the UAE to take part in pardoning Somalia the debt it owes. A delegation spearheaded by the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia His Excellency Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, has on Tuesday concluded their two days’ official visit in Abu Dhabi in the UAE.
During the official visit in the Abu Dhabi,the Somali delegation had talks with the crowned ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahiyan who is also the 2nd in command of the UAE armed forces Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed who congratulated the Somali President H.E. Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo for his recent win as the President of Somalia, and the overall support of the Somali nationals. Sheikh Zayed has also added that the UAE will redouble its support for Somalia, so that Somalia will overcome the terrorists whom he called them as intending to hijack Islamic religion.
The President of Somalia H.E. Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has appreciated the cordial hospitality and the constant support which the UAE offers to its Somali brothers. Somalia and the UAE equally agreed that the sovereignty and the unity of Somalia is incontrovertible and significant for security and the cooperation between the two sides. Among the delegation which the President of Somalia was spearheading were, the Minister for foreign affairs and international relations, ambassador Yusuf Garad Omar, the State Minister of the State House Abdikadir Moalim Nur and other officials.
Key Headlines
- Somalia And The UAE Agree Upon Diverse Cooperation(SONNA)
- Six People Die Of Disease And Hunger In Eldibir Mudug Region(Goobjoog News)
- No Word On UAE Naval Base Deal As President Returns From Abu Dhabi(Goobjoog News)
- Somali National Army Celebrates 57th Anniversary(SONNA)
- Somali President Vows to Eradicate Militants As He Offers Peace Talks(VOA News)
- A Place Called Home(AFP)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Six People Die Of Disease And Hunger In Eldibir, Mudug Region
12 April – Source : Goobjoog News – 152 Words
Six people died Tuesday of cholera and starvation in Eldibir district, Mudug region, an official in the area has said. Abdirahman Hassan Jim’ale the district commissioner of Eldibir district told Goobjoog News the six succumbed to cholera and hunger adding to many others who have died in the recent past as the drought continues to bite.“We have difficulties accessing any humanitarian aid here and the outbreak of cholera has worsened the situation claiming six lives,” Jim’ale said adding the area lacks any medical facility.
The official said the situation was worsening and the impact of drought was decimating livelihoods. “We now have increased cases of fever, watery diarrhea and malnutrition yet we do not have any supplies.”The drought continues to unabated in most parts of Somalia and humanitarian agencies warn it could worsen since the expected rains may fall way below levels needed to support lives in the near future.
No Word On UAE Naval Base Deal As President Returns From Abu Dhabi
12 April – Source : Goobjoog News – 309 Words
The government has remained tight lipped over the controversial naval base deal as the president returned from a three days official visit to UAE but a statement from the foreign ministry said the Persian Gulf country ‘respected the sovereignty and unity of the Somali people.’ The Foreign Affairs ministry said President Mohamed Farmaajo and his host the crown prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed discussed a range of bilateral issues among them security, counter-terrorism, economy and migration.It is not clear if the President raised the naval base issue with the UAE authorities but in his visit to Saudi Arabia last month, Farmaajo was reported to have sought support from the Kingdom to talk down the Emirati government to drop the deal.
Back home, lawmakers have insisted the government must come clean on the matter which is now a subject of online debate among Somalis. Somalis on twitter have been pushing for a word from the government while calling on the UAE to abandon the naval base deal in Somaliland. Outspoken MP Dahir Amin Jeeso told Goobjoog News the lawmakers are still determined to bring the motion on the naval base deal for debate before the house goes for recess later this month.“The House is still busy with the formation of business committees but hopefully in the next few days we should have the motion on the order paper before we go on recess. We stand by our motion and maintain the same position,” said Jeeso. The House will be closing business for recess on April 27.In a motion distributed last week but not listed on the order paper, 20 MPs demanded to know what the government knows about the deal warning the building of a military base in Somali soil was not only tantamount to security risks but also a violation of the country’s sovereignty.
Somali National Army Celebrates 57th Anniversary
12 April – Source : SONNA – 164 Words
Somali National Army is celebrated its 57th anniversary since its formation in the capital Mogadishu and rest of the country today on Wednesday, SONNA reported. A very colorful occasion on this day is took place at Ministry Defense in Mogadishu, in attendance with President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, H.E. Mohamed Abdulahi Farmajo, government ministers and Army Chiefs. SNA together with the African Union Peacekeeping Troops is fighting with the terrorist militant group of Al-Shabaab in many front lines in the south and central Somalia.
Main roads in the capital are closed to ensure the security during this great event and people were informed to this through SONNA News Alert. Somali National Army was established on 12th April in 1960 and they are remembered for their historic actions in the past and present according to SONNA. The occasion happens as a week after Somali President declared a state of war against Al-Shabaab and so many deadly attacks in Mogadishu.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somali President Vows to Eradicate Militants As He Offers Peace Talks
12 April- Source:VOA News-663 Words
Somali’s president vowed Wednesday that his administration will eradicate the terrorist militant group al-Shabab across Somalia within two years, and he offered its leaders peace talks.Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, better known as Farmajo, was speaking at a ceremony marking the 57th anniversary of the foundation of the Somali National Army, which was held at the compound of the Ministry of Defense in Mogadishu.”We confirm to the Somali people that we are prepared and within two years‘ period we will eradicate al-Shabab from all areas they are present in Somalia,” the president said.
He said that, after more than a decade of the insurgency, al-Shabab still is not capable of overthrowing the Somali government. Mohamed says his government, therefore, is calling on al-Shabab leaders to engage in peace talks before they are forcibly dislodged from their hideouts across the country.”We are ready to talk to al-Shabab, including its leaders. We say to the leadership of al-Shabab that you have been fighting for more than 10 years and still you cannot overthrow the government, which has international support and military power. We tell you if you do not accept peace, we will come to you at your hideouts,” Mohamed said. “You cannot destroy the government, but you have been destroying the hope of the Somali people.”
Mohamed’s remarks come a week after he declared that the country is at war with al-Shabab, and he gave the group 60 days to surrender in return for education and jobs. He also replaced the country’s military and intelligence chiefs, while instructing the army to prepare a new offensive against al-Shabab extremists.In response to the president’s declaration of war with al-Shabab, the militants have increased their attacks in Mogadishu, the country’s capital.In one of the attacks on Sunday, the new Commander of the Somali National Army (SNA), Gen. Mohamed Ahmed Jimale, escaped a car bomb explosion close to the Defense Ministry where Wednesday’s army anniversary commemoration was held.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“In 2016, for the second year in a row, Somalia came out on top of the Global Impunity Index, which is compiled by the Committee to Protect Journalists and which highlights countries where journalists are slain and their killers go free,”
A Place Called Home
11 April – Source: AFP – 1727 Words
The morning of January 25 started out as any other. Like the rest of the residents of my hometown, I woke up not knowing whether I would make it to see the sunset. Such is life in Mogadishu — every morning when you get up, you can expect that something bad will likely to happen to you or someone you know.Mogadishu, like the rest of Somalia, has been wracked by one kind of conflict or another since 1991, when civil war first broke out in the east African country. Eventually a central government backed by the international community was formed in 2012. But the violence hasn’t stopped. Over the past several years, the people of Mogadishu have been enduring bombings and attacks by Al-Shabaab jihadists. There have been so many that people now just expect them.
On the morning of January 25, I did what I usually do. I took my cup of tea and sat down in front of my computer, to check local websites to see what was going on. That’s what all journalists like me do in the mornings in Mogadishu. I love being a journalist, it has been in my blood since I was a kid in primary school. After graduating from high school I worked for a few radio stations, and for the past six years, I have been working for AFP as a video journalist. I also work as a photographer for the European Pressphoto Agency and for All Headline News, a US based news website.
As I read the news that day, I heard a familiar sound — a loud explosion outside. I and the rest of Mogadishu residents know them well — a deep thud. This one wasn’t too deep, meaning that the explosion took place not too far from my house. I immediately ran outside to see what was going on.
I saw black smoke rising from the city. Then I heard gunfire. So there wasn’t just a bombing, there were also gunmen involved. I rushed back into the house to grab my camera and set off for the smoke. It wasn’t too far away — about a kilometer — so I went on foot, sometimes running, sometimes jogging, sometimes walking fast.
The people along the way were shocked by the explosion. That’s the peculiar thing about living in a place like Mogadishu, where attacks take place on a regular basis — you get used to them happening, but you don’t become immune to them. Every time one happens, there is shock, and fear, and pain. So on that day, I passed people standing outside their houses, looking at the black smoke rising toward the sky, people like me rushing closer to the site to see if any of their loved ones were killed or hurt, God forbid.It didn’t take me long to get to the scene, the Dayah Hotel. Along the way, I ran into a checkpoint manned by government soldiers. ‘Where are you going?’ barked a soldier. ‘I am a journalist, I need to go cover the bombing!’ They let me go. I ran into several other such checkpoints, at each one losing precious minutes that I could be filming. I cursed the delays then. Today I thank God for them.