May 1, 2018 | Daily Monitoring Report
Somali President Congratulates The Newly Elected Speaker.
01 May – Source: Dhacdo.com – 124 Words
Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo has sent his congratulatory message to the newly elected Speaker of the Lower House. Mohamed Mursal Abdirahman. The President also praised the deputy Speaker, who has briefly held the Speaker’s position in an interim capacity before the polls, and the electoral commision for executing their constitutional mandate diligently. He said the event signalled development of the country’s democratization process. “I congratulate the new Parliament Speaker, we also congratulate parliamentarians and the Somali people at large. May Allah make your assigned work easier” said President Farmajo.
The President also lauded the other candidates who contested for the Speakership and said that the election was an indication “that our country adheres to the principles of democracy and transparency”. About 147 MPs elected Mursal, who has served in various capacities in government, as the new Speaker.
Key Headlines
- Somali President Congratulates The Newly Elected Speaker (Dhacdo.com )
- Somali PM To Jet Off To Belgium For Summit ?(Shabelle Media)
- Young Ocean Stars Receive Heroic Welcome On Returning From Burundi (Halbeeg News)
- AMISOM And Somali National Security Forces Evacuate Flood Victims In Belet Weyne (AMISOM)
- ‘Al-Shabaab Downgraded But Remains A Menace’ (New Vision)
- Harboring Ambitions: Gulf States Scramble For Somalia (Reuters)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Somali PM To Jet Off To Belgium For Summit
01 May – Source: Shabelle Media – 111 Words
Somalia’s Prime Minister, Hassan Ali Khaire is expected to leave Mogadishu for Brussels, the capital of Belgium on Tuesday, sources at his office confirmed to Radio Shabelle. PM Khaire accompanied by members of his cabinet and other government officials are expected to attend an International conference on Somalia set to open in Brussels.
Sources say the security of the country and AMISOM’s troop withdrawal will dominate the upcoming summit, which is set to be attended by donors and International partners. The African Union Mission in Somalia, known as [AMISOM] began pulling out its soldiers from the Horn of Africa country, as part of a gradual withdrawal arrangement which started this year.
Young Ocean Stars Receive Heroic Welcome On Returning From Burundi
01 May – Source: Halbeeg News – 244 Words
Somali junior national team arrived to a heroic welcome on Tuesday from Burundi where they attended the CECAFA under-17 tournament. Despite an aggressive attack and lack of goal opportunity, fate stood against the Somali side as their opponents, Tanzania, were crowned U-17 CECAFA Champions. Somali Prime Minister, Hassan Ali Kheire received the team and their instructor at Adan Adde International Airport. Kheire lauded the Young Ocean Stars for their unforgettable symbolic record they set during the CECAFA under-17 Championship in Burundi.
President, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo earlier pledged his government would usher the team with a cheerful welcome. “Come home while holding heads high, congratulation boys, we are proud of you and we will make sure we welcome you in a prestigious way,” said Farmajo after the conclusion of the game.
Meanwhile, the rejuvenated Ocean Star team has received a host of congratulatory messages including from FIFA’s Secretary General, Fatma Samaura, who described their match with Tanzania as symbolic and significant. “In line with our overall vision to promote and grow the game, FIFA aims to give tailored support to member associations and make a real impact in driving football development around the globe. As FIFA Secretary General, I would like to extend my congratulations to the teams from Somalia and Tanzania on making it the final and their success in developing a new generation of players, as well as to Burundi for hosting such a successful CECAFA Under-17 Championship,” Samaura said in a statement.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
AMISOM And Somali National Security Forces Evacuate Flood Victims In Belet Weyne
01 May – Source: AMISOM – 424 Words
A team comprising African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) troops and Somali national security forces has evacuated more than 10,000 people marooned by the raging floods in Belet Weyne, HirShabelle state. The rescue mission was led by the Col Abdourahman Rayale Hareed, the Commander of Djibouti’s Hiil 5 Battalion, who appealed for food and medical supplies to help the flood victims. “We are taking part in the evacuation of Somali people so as to rescue them from flooded areas and take them to a place near Eel Jaale far from floods,” said Col Hareed. “As you can see there is need for transport, we have used vehicles that we could get to evacuate these people. They need urgent assistance with items such as food and water,” Col. Hareed, who was accompanied by Somali national security forces, added.
According to the Federal Government of Somalia, more than 175,000 have been displaced and over 400,000 affected by the floods in different parts of the country, following heavy rains which have been pounding parts of the country since May. Residents of Belet Weyne are among the worst hit, after river Shabelle, which originates in Ethiopian Highlands, burst its banks leaving many homeless and without a source of livelihood. The evacuated residents were moved to higher ground.
The Commander of Belet Weyne Police Station, Mohamed Maow Halane, thanked the joint AMISOM and Somali forces rescue team for evacuating the affected residents. “Forces from the military, police and AMISOM, especially Djiboutian troops have given us valuable assistance; as you can see from the transport support, said Mr. Halane. “The military and police vehicles together have helped rescue people from the flooded villages. Only the AMISOM trucks could access the villages yesterday and the day before,” he added.
‘Al-Shabaab Downgraded But Remains A Menace’
01 May – Source: New Vision – 428 Words
Al-Shabaab is downgraded but still remains a menace to general security in Somalia, the AMISOM spokesperson, Lt. Col. Richard Nyabuti Omwega, has said. He said the militant group is using improvised explosive devices and abrupt attacks. Omwega told journalists at Leaf Camp Hotel in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Monday that the Al-Shabaab militants are still a big challenge since they are embedded within the local population and difficult to deal with.
He, however, said AMISOM had achieved a lot since it took over the mandate to restore peace in the war-torn country, including reinstating a government base in Mogadishu and maintaining security in regional federal governments with sitting presidents. After the press briefing, Omwega embarked on a tour of several areas where UPDF have bases.
Working with partners like European Union, African Union, UNSOM, UNMAS and others, AMISOM has opened up key road networks to facilitate movements to regional states, enabled schools, churches, health centres and other institutions to open up and give services. Omwega explained that the AMISOM mandate is coming to a conclusion in 2021 as per the UN security council resolution 2372 to draw down forces. He said that in December last year, AMISOM reduced its force by 1,000 and is expected to cut the same number by October this year.
OPINION, ANALYSIS & CULTURE
“The Gulf crisis has already deepened rifts in Somalia. The central government has stayed neutral, to the annoyance of the UAE and Saudi Arabia, which Puntland and Somaliland have backed against Qatar.”
Harboring Ambitions: Gulf States Scramble For Somalia
01 May – Source: Reuters – 1041 Words
A battle for access to seaports is underway in one of the world’s unlikeliest places: Somalia, now caught up in a regional struggle between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on one side, with Qatar backed by Turkey on the other. At stake: not just the busy waters off the Somali coast but the future stability of the country itself. Somalia has been at war for decades and until the last few years it has struggled to attract foreign investment. But rivalries in the nearby Arabian peninsula are resulting in serious inflows into Somalia.
A year ago, a company owned by the United Arab Emirates government signed a $336 million contract to expand the port of Bosaso, north of Mogadishu in the semi-autonomous Somali region of Puntland. Less than a year before that, another UAE-owned firm took control of the Berbera port in the breakaway northern region of Somaliland and pledged up to $440 million to develop it. In March, Ethiopia took a stake in the port for an undisclosed sum.
At the same time, Turkey, an ally of UAE rival Qatar, is ramping up a multi-billion dollar investment push in Somalia. A Turkish company has run the Mogadishu port since 2014, while other Turkish firms have built roads, schools, and hospitals. The rivalries have intensified since June, when the most powerful Arab states, led by Saudi Arabia and including the UAE, cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting Iran and Islamist militants.
That Middle Eastern feud is driving the desire to control the Horn of Africa and its waters, according to diplomats, businessmen, scholars and Somali officials. Somalia is close to vital oil routes and its ports could also serve landlocked Ethiopia, which has a population of 100 million. Gulf nations have had trade and religious ties with Somalia for centuries, but those relationships are now up in the air as new rivalries emerge. “Somalia has been caught in the middle of this effort to try to expand influence, commercial and military, along the coast,” said Rob Malley, president of the International Crisis Group, a think-tank.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE increasingly view the Somali coastline – and Djibouti and Eritrea to the north – as their “western security flank”, according to a senior western diplomat in the Horn of Africa region. Qatar and Turkey, whose investments are almost all in Mogadishu, are focused on supporting President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed. He and his chief of staff are widely viewed in Somalia and by western diplomats as loyal to Doha after receiving funds for their 2017 election campaign.
A Qatari official told Reuters Doha had provided $385 million in infrastructure, education and humanitarian assistance to the central Somali government. The official said making deals directly with regional governments in Somalia, as the UAE has done, undermined the central government. Somali finance minister Abdirahman Duale Beileh agreed. “The Gulf region has a lot of money and if they want to invest in Somalia we welcome them with open arms,” he told Reuters. “But it’s a question of going through the right doors.” The federal government in Mogadishu has long been at odds with the semi-autonomous regions of Puntland and Somaliland. The latter operates virtually as an independent state and has for years sought to secede from Somalia, but has not won international recognition.
TOP TWEETS
@HarunMaruf: BREAKING: The Somali government declared the situation in flood affected areas in Hirshabelle as a national disaster. Somali leaders have appealed for assistance. Hundreds of thousands of people fled their homes amid fear of possible outbreak of diseases.
@Cidilibaax: #Somalia : Government Instituitions, Security &#GulfCrisis are widespread rift in different camps over Succession Politics in 2020. In the coming months or years there will be some changes in the Govent Ministries & also NIEC#Mogadishu #Puntland @UKinSomalia @US2SOMALIA
@alihwarsame: President’s visit to Beletwein/Hiiran draws attention of #Somalia & international partners to catastrophe of flooding & blight of people in region. It also paves the way to think strategically & plan sustainable alternatives. Let all support him when he does right & be optimistic
@HarunMaruf: A new Horn of Africa/Somalia Security think tank releases its first paper – “The evolution of Al-Shabab” – by Hiraal Institute. To get their updates and reports you can follow them on @HiraalInstitute https://hiraalinstitute.org/
@AU_PSD: Abdisaid Ali, Federal Gov’t of #Somali, updates Council on the significance of the Transition Plan; The Gov’t of Somalia pays tribute to the bravery & sacrifice of@amisomsomalia‘s #TCCs ; their presence remains critical as Somalia moves into the next chapter of security owner/p
@Cantoobo: Hero’s welcome expected for Somalia’s under 17 National Football Team after reaching the final of East&Central African Football Championship, the team will be showing off ther Silver Medal for fans on the streets of Mogadishu
@Mohamed isse: #MogadishuAirport PM of Somalia, Deputy Somali PM, Banadir Governor, Security Minister,@MinisterMOFA and many other are ready to welcome our U-17 Year Players #WELCOMEBACK
@ShabelleMedia: Kenya says KDF troops rescue 13 Al Shabaab recruits in Somalia http://radioshabelle.com/
IMAGE OF THE DAY
President, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo with Hirshabelle regional state President, Mohamed Abdi Waare address the media following his visit to Beledweyne to assess the damage caused by days of heavy rainfall.
Photo: @TheVillaSomalia