March 22, 2018 | Daily Monitoring Report
Heads Of Al-Shabaab Fighters In Bay And Gedo Regions Defect To Somali Government
22 March – Source: Halbeeg News – 193 Words
Senior Al-Shabaab leader in Bay region has surrendered to Somali forces, State owned media reported on Thursday. Mr. Moalim Gedow Abukar who was the head of the group in the region reportedly defected to the government. Somali News Agency quoting the leader said, he denounced the violence and accepted to put down his firearm. It was not reported the date of the defection and his current whereabouts.
According to SONNA, his fall out with the group came after he disagreed with the group’s top leaders, over the attacks against the civilians. Mr. Abukar will be the second high ranking Al-Shabaab member to join the government from Bay region in less than a year. Late last year, Mr. Sheikh Mukhtar Robow who was deputy leader and spokesman for Al-Shabaab defected to the government. Mr. Robow hails from Bay region, where he currently leads forces against his former organization. Local media also reports the defection of another
Al-Shabaab leader in country’s southern region. Mr. Abdirahman Fiilow, who was said to be the group’s head of Gedo region, surrendered to the government forces. Somali government has not officially commented on the defect of these two leaders. Al-Shabaab fighters and their top leaders are on run from their hideouts, after Somali government and international partners have intensified military operations against the group.
Key Headlines
- Heads Of Al-Shabaab Fighters In Bay And Gedo Regions Defect To Somali Government (Halbeeg News)
- Senate Seeks Farmaajo & Khaire To Order Withdrawal Of Military Police Before Jawari Motion (Radio Dalsan)
- Somalia Appends Signature To The Continental Trade Bloc AfCFTA (Goobjoog News)
- AU Stresses Intelligence Sharing To Foil Attacks In Somalia (Xinhuanet)
- Somalia: Flowing Water Brings Livestock Herders Together (ICRC.com)
- My Libyan Trip: A Journey Into A New Reality (Hiiraan Online)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Senate Seeks Farmaajo And Khaire To Order Withdrawal Of Military Police Before Jawari Motion
21 March – Source: Radio Dalsan – 277 Words
The Senate committee established to mediate the current political crisis between the Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire, and Speaker Mohamed Osman Jawari on Wednesday and, tabled its recommendations to the Upper House. Senator Mohamud Mohamed Ahmed “Mashruu”, one of the seven-member committee told the Senators that, they met with Speaker Jawari, Deputy Speaker Abdiweli Sheikh Ibrahim Mudey, and Prime Minister Khaire.
“The Speaker of the parliament promised the committee that he will accept the legality of the motion that led to the crisis, and that he is ready for solving the issue according to the parliamentary standing orders, and the constitution of the country. The Speaker of the parliament requested from the committee to restore the security of the parliament building, to the way it was before the conflict”, said Senator Ahmed.
The committee recommended the withdrawal of the new military police deployed at the Parliament. “Mr. Mudey should work on holding the parliamentary committee’s meeting in order to organize the motion against the Speaker of the parliament, in accordance with Clause 4 of Article 9, that states it should be held within 10 days” , Senator Ahmed told the Senate House. According to the Senate Committee Mudey, pledged to work on implementing those two points, while seeking the help of the concerned parties.
The committee met with PM Khaire on Monday. “The Prime Minister promised that he will work on how to restore the previous security guards of the parliament building, and that he will contact the Police Commissioner on the issue” Senator Ahmed said. The seven-member Senate committee was appointed last Sunday to mediate the current political crisis that has sharply divided the Parliament and the Executive.
Somalia Appends Signature To The Continental Trade Bloc AfCFTA
22 March – Source: Goobjoog New – 324 Words
Somalia has appended its signature to the free movement protocol joining 29 other African countries, in actualizing a key legal instrument of the newly established African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Foreign Minister Ahmed Awad, also signed the AfCFTA Consolidated Text, and Kigali Declaration on behalf of Somalia as various countries expressed varying opinions. In the region, Ethiopia did not sign the free movement protocol, while Tanzania which has remained protective within the East African Community, only signed the declaration. Kenya on its part signed all the three instruments.
A total of 40 countries signed the AfCFTA Consolidated Text, while 47 countries appended their signatures to the Kigali Declaration. In his address in Kigali, Awad said the agreement was instrumental in boosting trade in the continent noting Somalia was committed to ratification and implementation of the agreement. “Somalia adds its voice in support of this historical Agreement and increasing inter-African trade, in reforming our continental economy by exploring new ways to expand commerce and investment among us,” said Awad. “Somalia pledges to work alongside with the African Union to ensure the ratification and implementation of this agreement, so that our people could enjoy the benefits of today’s milestone decision for generations to come.”
The signing of the protocol paved way for the coming of AfCFTA, which African leaders have described as a major steps towards integrating economies, and reaping from the resultant intra-trade. According to the framers of AfCFTA, its actualization will boost trade among African countries from the current 16% to 52.3%.
Currently Africa trades far less with itself, than it does with the rest of the world. Intra-Africa trade stands at about 16%, compared with 19% intra-regional trade in Latin America, 51% in Asia, 54% in North America and 70% in Europe. “The United Nations Economic for Africa estimates that the AfCFTA has the potential to boost intra-Africa trade by 53% by eliminating import duties and non-tariff barriers. It could create an African market of over 1.2 billion people with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $2.5 trillion,” the AU said.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
AU Stresses Intelligence Sharing To Foil Attacks In Somalia
22 March – Source: Xinhunet – 218 Words
Intelligence officers from African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and local security forces wrapped up a three-day meeting in Mogadishu on Wednesday by rooting for stronger intelligence gathering and information sharing. Participants at the third intelligence and information sharing conference agreed that such information was crucial in averting future terror attacks in Somalia.
Mohamed Sheikh Madobe, Director of Operations of the Somali National Army, who closed the forum, called for coordinate approach to effectively gather intelligence. He said the conference was aimed at improving the mechanisms and coordination of information sharing among diverse groups, with emphasis on intelligence sharing, which has been vital in preventing terror attacks in the Horn of African country in the past.
A statement issued after the meeting said participants explored access to non-traditional information sources, discussed enhancement of intelligence sharing and dissemination, and emerging threats from terror group Al-Shabaab, even as the militants find themselves weakened from the onslaught from the government, AU and partner forces.
Charles Tai Gituai, AMISOM Deputy Force Commander on Monday called for more efficient intelligence sharing modalities among actors. “Intelligence must be collected and used in a way that ensures operational efficiency without threatening the legitimacy and impartiality necessary for the peace mission to carry out its work effectively,” he said when he opened the forum on Monday.
Somalia: Flowing Water Brings Livestock Herders Together
22 March – Source: ICRC.com – 259 Words
Sounds of bleating goats and sheep, camel bells ringing and running water signals the onset of a busy morning in Qodqod village, located in Galgaduud region. Herders fill their jerry cans with water as goats, sheep and camels jostle for room along the water troughs. At the centre of all this activity is a borehole. The borehole was drilled by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in the middle of the village, in September 2017, to support communities affected by drought. Now it not only serves the residents of Qodqod village, but also livestock herders in the surrounding area.
“We receive not less than 500 camels, goats and sheep from herders living in neighbouring areas who visit the borehole almost every day,” said Abdulahi Abdi, a herder living in Qodqod. “I walk for 25 km just to reach this well,” said Mohamed Bule, a herder from the neighbouring Matabaan village, for whom who the trip is a regular commute. “Once a week for the camels but every two days for the goats and sheep.”
The borehole system is operated at night and during the day the flowing is used by everyone in the village, including the livestock. Water has been a scarce resource in the country exacerbated by years of conflict, neglect of infrastructure and climatic shocks. In 2017, over 700,000 people living in Somalia benefited from clean water through drilling and rehabilitation of emergency elevated tanks, wells and boreholes. The ICRC has also distributed aquatabs and promoted better hygiene and sanitation practices amongst herding communities.
OPINION, ANALYSIS & CULTURE
‘Many youth have fallen prey to the extremist group who is taking advantage of the disaffection and disillusionment of their future. Others put their lives at risk as they go on a land and boat journey in search of a better life, like those in Libya. Unfortunately, our youth are so desperate that they risk to be slaves in the midst of a very dangerous journey to Europe.”
My Libyan Trip: A Journey Into A New Reality
21 March – Source: Hiiraan Online – 1718
At the margins of the 5th, AU/EU summit, which was held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast on November 29-30, 2017, President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo has asked me to work on a plan, to evacuate our nationals stranded in Libya, following on the grim report by the CNN, that young Africans were sold as slaves in Libya. Not knowing exactly what to do, and where to start, I decided to give a call to a good friend of mine, Ms. Maryan Yassin; that call has led to further discussions, meetings in Brussels, with EU institutions and connections with IOM Somalia and Libya.
Maryan and I, then agreed to schedule our first visit to Tripoli from Tunis on January 18, 2018, to assess the situation. Unfortunately, due to a fierce fighting around the Airport in Tripoli, the trip had to be cancelled as the airport remained closed for 5 Days. Nevertheless, on February 12, 2018, with Mr. Ahmed Dahir joining the team, we have decisively embarked into a journey to Libya for the first time, a journey into the unknown, and full of adventures.
Upon arrival in Libya, we rushed to our Embassy in Tripoli, and were warmly received by the Charge d’affair, and other staff of the Embassy. We then, met with young migrants who were at the Embassy waiting for our arrival. As I listened their stories, I felt I was watching horror movies; not knowing exactly how to comfort them; the only thing I could do was to tell them what they’ve been through was indeed horrific, and the Somali government is here to help them.
They were eager to speak and share their stories; their narratives were all common namely suffering from hunger, thirsty, abuses, torture, rape, force labor, and diseases (such as scabies, tuberculosis, etc.). On the second day of our trip, two Somali migrants from Ethiopia were brought to the Embassy, with the help of other Somali migrants after being released by a smuggler/broker. They looked thin and seriously sick. Both of them were admitted to a hospital and two days later, sadly one of them passed away.
On the last day of our 3 day trip in Tripoli, as the painful realities began unfolding, I made a conscious decision and opted to stay longer, while the rest of the team have to escort the first 13 migrants from Tripoli back to Mogadishu, Somalia. Based on the realities in the ground and with unexpected vast number of parents, siblings, relatives and family friends contacting me to trace their loved ones in Libya, it became immediately clear that the expectation was too high to just cut the trip short.
TOP TWEETS
@Goobjoognews: #BREAKING: Explosion goes off in#Mogadishu
@DalsanFM: Puntland To Declare Position On UAE DP World Bossaaso Port Deal After Somalia Ban –http://radiodalsan.com/en/
@Goobjoognews: EDITORIAL: Address the root cause of conflict between security forces –
@DalsanFM: #Somalia Foreign Affairs Minister Amb. Ahmed Issa Awad signed both the African Continental Free Trade Area, the Kigali Declaration & Protocol on Free Movement of Persons on behalf of President @M_Farmaajo to usher in a new era of cooperation in Africa #AfCFTA
@horseed: How #Somalia’s charcoal trade is fuelling the Acacia’s demise
@DalsanFM: Politician @AAbdishakur asks the Executive and Legislature to embrace Senate Mediation Committee reccomandations on the ongoing political stalemate or risk “foreign intervention”.
@Goobjoognews: SENATE COMMITTEE seeks withdrawal of new security team in L. House ahead of motion –
@DalsanFM: #Somalia: SNA says it has captured a Kenyan#Alshabaab commander and recovered 14 AK47 rifles and ammunition 35km from Bardheere in Gedo region.
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Somali PM, Hassan Ali Khaire meets the Italian Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, Ambassador Luciano Pezzotti.
PHOTO: @SomaliPM