December 12, 2017 | Morning Headlines
Car Bomb Kills Journalist In Somalia Capital, Says Witness
11 December – Source: ABC News – 172 Words
A Somali journalist has been killed by a car bomb in the capital late Monday, says a fellow journalist. Mohamed Ibrahim, a news presenter for Kalsan TV, died at a hospital after being injured by a bomb concealed in his car in Mogadishu’s Wadajir district, said Ahmed Mohamed, who works for the same broadcaster.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast. Somalia is one of the most dangerous countries for media workers. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 59 journalists have been killed since 1992, soon after a civil war began in this Horn of Africa nation. The deadliest year was 2012 when 18 journalists were killed.
It is believed that over the years several different groups have killed the journalists, including the Islamic extremist rebels of Al-Shabaab, Somali warlords, criminals and possibly government agents. Somali journalists frequently receive threats. But police rarely investigate the threats or murders or adequately protect reporters. Only one person has been convicted of killing a journalist and he was executed last year.
Key Headlines
- Car Bomb Kills Journalist In Somalia Capital Says Witness (ABC news)
- Gunmen Shot Dead Female Soldier in Mogadishu (Somali Update)
- Somalia Works On Resuscitating Tourism Industry (Hiiraan Online)
- Somali Security Forces Foil Car Bomb In Mogadishu (Radio Shabelle)
- Somalia Holds Health Conference On Public Health Sector Development (Reliefweb)
- Recurrent Droughts Cost Somalia Up To $3b In Losses And Damages Report (Goobjoog News)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Gunmen Shot Dead Female Soldier in Mogadishu
11 December – Source: Somali Update – 97 Words
Unidentified gunmen have shot and killed a female soldier in Mogadishu in the latest string of assassinations against civilians and government officials. Ms. Siraad Salaad was killed after men armed with pistols approached her and opened fire on her near Sey Piano suburb of Hodan District.
According to witnesses, the attackers immediately escaped the scene following the attack. Security forces in area have launched operation to pursue the attackers but no arrest was made. No group has yet claimed the responsibility for the attack but Al-Shabaab terror group has carried similar attacks in the past.
Somalia Works On Resuscitating Tourism Industry
11 December – Source: Hiiraan Online – 289 Words
The Somali government said it plans to revive its tourism industry which shattered decades ago following the collapse of civil authority in 1991. The country’s information, Culture and tourism minister, Abdirahman Omar Yariisow is attending UNWTO/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism & Culture in Muscat, the Sultanate of Oman.
The conference which will run on 11th and 12th December 2017 will be exploring ways to build and strengthen partnerships between the Tourism and Culture sectors and enhancing their role in the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Minister who held talks with the Secretary General of World Tourism Organization, Talib Rufai on Monday pointed out that tourism in Somalia is intrinsically linked to peace and security.
“Somalia is strategically located in the Horn of Africa and its people are born natural hospitable. Somalis are resilient and entrepreneurs which are all assets that can quickly revive the tourism industry in the country. There are over 150 travel agencies in Somalia as well as a number of locally owned airliners that attract a number of travellers each day as the country is getting peace and stability. International flights and regional carriers flights regularly travel to Somalia such as Turkish Airline, Fly Dubai, Al-Arabia, Air Djibouti and Ethiopian Airline.
He concluded that Somalia was attending the conferences to learn from other countries on how to best revive Somalia’s tourism sector. “Somalia has a number attractive tourism places throughout the country and the weather of Somalia is perfect for tourists throughout the year. We are here to share our plans and strategies to revive tourism in Somalia as well as learn from other countries on how they overcome the challenges that we face in Somalia.”
Somali Security Forces Foil Car Bomb In Mogadishu
11 December – Source: Radio Shabelle – 102
Somali security forces have on Monday seized a car suspected to be filled with explosives in Mogadishu, according to witness. The troops sealed off the car that was left along the main road near Ex-control Afgoye after a tip-off from the members of the public on spotting a suspicious vehicle.
The movement of the people and public transport were blocked from accessing the area as bomb squads were on site to dismantle the IEDs in the car. It’s yet unclear who parked the explosives-laden vehicle at the security checkpoint but, police say they believe Al-Shabaab was responsible the failed attack in Mogadishu.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somalia Holds Health Conference On Public Health Sector Development
11 December – Source: Reliefweb – 394 Words
A health conference on public health sector development was launched today by the Federal Government of Somalia’s Ministry of Health with support from The World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation. The conference presented the findings of the WHO Service Availability and Readiness Assessment (SARA) finalized recently this year.
The findings will provide planners and decision-makers with the necessary information on key gaps in health service availability and readiness to meet the increasing needs of the population, and help in the formulation of evidence-based decisions. The conference also focused on key health system issues like regulations for health providers, the accreditation of teaching and health facilities, and the capacities of regional and local health management bodies.
The findings of the health facilities and infrastructure assessment show that the number of doctors, paramedics and midwives in Somalia remains around 4 per 10 000 population, which is far below the minimum threshold of 23 per 10 000 population. The assessment also found that health facility density in the country is less than 0.74 per 10 000 population in contrast to the global target of two facilities per 10 000 population.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“The study launched in October brought together international technical experts with the mandate of identify the drivers and impact of recurrent drought, and outlining long-term solutions that can prevent famine as a result of drought.”
Recurrent Droughts Cost Somalia Up To $3b In Losses And Damages, Report
11 December – Source: Goobjoog News – 448 Words
Somalia will need close to $2b dollars in three to five years’ time to recover from recurrent droughts which have plunged the country into losses and damages of upwards of $3b and build resilience to future droughts, a government-led study has revealed. The Drought Impact Needs Assessment (DINA) conducted by the Federal Government with the support of the World Bank, the UN and the EU also estimates recurrent droughts in Somalia have occasioned the country damages amounting to $1.02 billion and a further $2.23 billion on losses.
To reverse these trends and avert future droughts, the report notes, an investment of $1.77 billion must be injected into the economy between now and 2022. The study launched in October brought together international technical experts with the mandate of identify the drivers and impact of recurrent drought, and outlining long-term solutions that can prevent famine as a result of drought.
Damages refer to the total or partial destruction of physical assets in an affected areas and occur during and immediately after a disaster. The monetary value of damages is expressed as the replacement costs, according to prices prevailing just before the disaster. Losses on the other hand refer to changes in economic flows arising from a disaster and occur until full economic recovery and reconstruction is realized and may last for several years.
This may include decline in productive sectors such as agriculture, livestock of fisheries. However the drafters of the DINA report which to be officially launched early next year projects losses up to January 2018. The Federal Government presented the findings during the Somalia Partnership Forum in Mogadishu on 5th December.
The DINA findings will inform the development of a Recovery and Resilience Framework (RRF)) that will recommend long-term recovery and resilience interventions, to be delivered in complementarity with life saving humanitarian response and in line with the priorities of the National Development Plan.
Planning minister Gamal Hassan hailed the report as instrumental in developing long term solutions to averting future droughts and famines. “With this initiative, we aim to tackle the devastating and unsustainable cycle of recurrent drought and famine risk. These findings lay the foundations for the pathway to resilience and sustainable development in Somalia,” he said.