May 8, 2018 | Daily Monitoring Report
UN Moves To Curb Al-Shabaab Cash Points
08 May – Source: Daily Monitor – 379 Words
United Nations agencies operating in Somalia have teamed up to curb what they have called “unsustainable trade, production and use of charcoal in Somalia.” Charcoal trade is one of the main cash-streams for the Al-shabaab militants. The agencies have opened a two-day conference in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, in the wake of a recent resurgence in charcoal trade, which had dropped in 2015 and 2016. The Al-Shabaab have been partly blamed for facilitating illegal charcoal trade and they export it to some gulf countries via the Jubbaland state.
The Conference which is supported by the UN Development Programme, the UN Environment agency and the UN Food and Agricultural Organization also brings together environmentalists, diplomats and academics as well as officials from the Federal Government of Somalia. They are meeting to discuss ways of curbing the charcoal trade and its impact on Somalia’s fragile environment. Somalia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Mahdi Mohamed Guled, has thanked the international community for helping the country against the vice.
Mr Guled noted that the Somali government had lobbied the United Nations to impose a ban on the charcoal trade in 2012 to preserve the environment and also eliminate a vital source of funding for armed groups. “The Federal Government of Somalia is committed to reducing the charcoal consumption by identifying sustainable sources of energy to reverse the impending threat against Somalia’s fragile eco-systems,” Mr. Guled said.
Key Headlines
- UN Moves To Curb Al-Shabaab Cash Points (Daily Monitor)
- Somali Troops Put On Standby To Protect Mogadishu From Attacks (Shabelle News)
- Suspected US Fighter Jets Hit Al-Shabaab Training Base In Hiiraan Region (Halbeeg News)
- AMISOM Trains Somali Police Officers On Communication Skills (AMISOM)
- Somalis Not Ready For Own Security – UPDF (Daily Monitor)
- Now This Boy Is so Depressed And Desperate To Leave Again (Wardheer News)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Suspected US Fighter Jets Hit Al-Shabaab Training Base In Hiraan Region
08 May – Source: Halbeeg News – 172 Words
A suspected US air strike against Al-Shabaab in central Somalia has destroyed a training camp, Somali military officials have confirmed. The government of U.S has intensified its military attacks against Al-Shabaab and ISIS in recent months after Somali government called for intensive operations against the groups.
Officials who spoke to Halbeeg News have confirmed the attacks which took place on Monday at a village near El-Ali town: “Last night, warplanes hit a training base of Al-Shabaab located at Jiljilay village, which lies 4km South of El-Ali town of Hiraan region,” said one of the officials who sought anonymity as he was not authorized to talk to the media.
The officer pointed out the attack caused damage and casualties to the militants: “A number of the fighters have been killed and several others injured in the raid. Technical vehicles and other assortment were reduced to ash,” he affirmed. Neither Somali government nor US government confirmed the latest attack against Al-Shabaab fighters. Al-Shabaab has not yet commented on the attack on their base.
Somali Troops Put On Standby To Protect Mogadishu From Attacks
08 May – Source: Shabelle News – 124 Words
Somalia’s Federal Government has placed hundreds of special forces on standby to protect Mogadishu from Al-Shabaab attacks during the holy month of Ramadan. Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire has lauded the new security measure unveiled on Monday afternoon by the country’s security chiefs ahead of Ramadan. Khaire has encouraged the forces to work hard to enforce security in the capital and to double their fight against the Al Qaeda-linked militants trying to destabilize the city.
The joint troops, who are were drawn from Police, Intelligence and custodial corps will patrol in city centres, set up checkpoints and cordon off areas where an alert is reported. The new security plan comes amid fears that Al Shabaab could step up its attacks in Mogadishu during Ramadan.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
AMISOM Trains Somali Police Officers On Communication Skills
08 May – Source: AMISOM – 476 Words
A one-week training to enhance communication skills of Somali Police officers opened in the capital, Mogadishu, yesterday. The training, organized by the police component of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), is being attended by officers drawn from Mogadishu and the five federal member states. It also aims to strengthen relations between security officers and the public and help Somali Police establish communication departments, within the force, in all the federal member states.
Speaking during the opening of the training, Deputy Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (DSRCC) for Somalia, Simon Mulongo, described the training as timely, adding that the skills learned will help improve cooperation between officers and the public on security matters. “As part of your work as a police force in this country, you need to have skills, knowledge and capabilities to make people know what the police force in Somalia stands for and you can do this by speaking out,” the DSRCC said.
Mr. Mulongo noted that the training was part of the transition plan, which requires AMISOM to prepare Somali national security institutions to take over the country’s security once AMISOM’s mandate comes to an end. “One of the major responsibilities in terms of transition planning and implementation is to empower the local forces in capacities such as this, so that when we go away, you are capable of standing on your own and can communicate effectively not only to the Somali people but to the whole world,” Mr. Mulongo observed.
Somalis Not Ready For Own Security – UPDF
08 May – Source: Daily Monitor – 287 Words
The Ugandan contingent in Somalia under the African Union Peace-keeping Mission in Somalia (Amisom) has reiterated the country’s call on the UN to go slow on troop reduction in the country. The call by the UPDF contingent commander, Brig Paul L’Okech, last Thursday came in the wake of divisions among troop-contributing countries, Somali officials and the international community , on the timetable to withdraw foreign forces.
Donors and Mogadishu want the foreign troops out to enable Somali security forces take control of the Horn of African country. Some Somali government officials told a summit of troop contributing countries in Kampala early this year that they feel their security forces are now capable to run the country’s security. Uganda’s Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa, according to one senior government official who attended the February summit at Commonwealth Resort Munyonyo, quipped: “I did not know that we are no longer wanted [in Somalia].”
Uganda was the first country to deploy in Somalia in March 2007 and the UPDF, with 5,700 troops on the ground, constitute the largest contingent under the 22,000 Amisom. In a briefing last week to Ugandan journalists, Brig L’Okech insisted said their offensive against the al-Shabaab is a noble cause to pacify a stricken Africa country and prevent the conflict effects to spill over to Uganda. He said the main concern for insisting on staying on in Somalia for now, is to ensure the Somali National Army builds capacity to sustain current gains in the anti-al-Shabaab fight. “Yes, they (Somalia National Army) are being prepared, but they have not reached the level where they can take on some responsibility. In some areas, they still need to be trained…and it is a process,” ,” Brig L’okech said.
OPINION, ANALYSIS & CULTURE
“The other day he had returned to his favourite hangout corner on the street. But this time he was alone. The only memory survived after his friends had all gone, was the graffiti that still stains the outer side of the walled buildings in the neighbourhood. Each of the bizarre looking, complicated combinations of letters and symbols distinctly identify one of his friends.”
Now This Boy Is so Depressed And Desperate To Leave Again
07 May – Source: Wardheer News – 727 Words
Before he was deported back to this dust filled and filthy neighbourhood corner of the town, the boy had been able to complete one trip of perilous tahriib (migration journey) successfully to Europe via Libya and all the way to the English Channel. His parents are blissfully happy. They can only be grateful to the Almighty God that has returned their son in one piece. Many adolescents like him were neither lucky to have been successfully smuggled into Europe nor to have been deported back into their villages. They perished in the seas.
His mom and dad are also grateful for the country that has deported their son back. Now, the parents feel blessed. Depressed, however, is the boy who when he is asleep murmurs some strange names of European villages and towns along the routes where migrants are known to pass through when making the journey. He must be thinking to try again.
Before that tahriib trip to France, King Zubeer, aka Xiddigga Xaafadda (star of the neighbourhood), had been the hotshot and most stylish boy in a corner of this town. He had all the cool stuff that filled his upbeat style: a mullet haircut, a big watch, a blue pair of jeans, and a T-shirt with five big letters that read “STYLE” – fixed wide at his chest. And most importantly, the right pocket of his fading trousers would bulge with one of the best, but bulky, smartphone commonly used by his age group.
He would be called Dhanxiir (hipster) by a certain xerow who, few times when on the way to the mosque, saw him leaning against a wall, earphones stuck in his ears. Girls in the neighbourhood (ama Xaliimoyinka xaafadda, as he better calls them), used to follow him online through all his social media accounts. He sometimes used to extend a brief but casual caweys (meetups) – only to a lucky few ones, one at a time.
TOP TWEETS
@HarunMaruf: Somali regional leader Ahmed Madobe lashes out at federal govt’s foreign policy saying it’s in “alliance” w/ Qatar. Madobe, meanwhile, says when it comes to the 2 sides his region is w/ UAE. He also hinted he is in talks / Ethiopia over possible release of ONLF Cmdr, Qalbi Dhagah
@UKinSomalia: The #UK is supporting access to sustainable electricity by investing in solar energy to help boost economic growth & delivery of services in #Somaliland. Through International Climate Fund initiative, @DFID_UK funded construction of 6 hybrid mini-grids benefiting over 260K people
@IOM_Somalia: Two-year-old Sumaya waits in queue at one of@IOM_Somalia’s #health centres in the Digaale #IDPSettlement, in #Hargesia, #Somaliland. Essential #healthservices are provided to the community with support from@JapanGov.
@i_dossier: The 4th episode of @i_dossier “Galka Baarista” airs today at 4PM Mogadishu time. Catch up on it if you can onhttp://voasomali.com and voasomali/Facebook. For any tips and feedback send to: hmaruf@voanews.com
@HarunMaruf: BREAKING: Illegal Somali charcoal trade is an environmental and security threat to the country; 8m+ trees were cut down b/w 2011-2017; Gulf countries and Iran are the biggest destination of charcoal from Somalia, according to officials attending a 2-day conference in Mogadishu.
@Eye_on_Somalia: Toyota returns to Somalia nearly 30 yearshttp://dlvr.it/QS72GN
@Eye_on_Somalia: Australia’s refugee deal ‘a farce’ after US rejects all Iranian and Somali asylum seekershttp://dlvr.it/QS79CZ
@sntvnews1: AMISOM is expected to deploy a Formed Police Unit to Hiiraan region in south-central Somalia to be stationed in Beledweyne. @amisomsomalia had sent a recce team to evaluate the readiness of the outpost before the deployment of the police unit.
@abshirolow: Jubaland President: “Current Somali Federal Government should strive to leave behind a better legacy than spewing propaganda on the social media”. #Somalia #Jubaland#Kismayo
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Members of the Somali Police Force pose for a group photo with AMISOM senior officials at a training workshop on Media and Public Relations in Mogadishu.
Photo: AMISOM