June 12, 2018 | Morning Headlines
Somalia And World Bank Sign Deal To Support Inclusive Governance Of Petroleum Sector
11 June – Source: Halbeeg News – 255 Words
Somali government on Monday inked an agreement on petroleum sector with delegates from the World Bank. The country is in final preparations to replace the worn out Somali Shilling for the first time, since the fall of the central government led by late Mohamed Siad Barre in the 1990s. Minister for Finance, Abdirahman Duale Baileh and the officials from the World Bank appended their signatures to the deal, which will help the Somali government to overcome the challenges in the petroleum sector. Minister Baileh termed the agreement as crucial one saying it will help an governance of petrol. “Happy to have signed with the World Bank an agreement to support the inclusive governance of the petroleum sector, for the benefit of all Somalis,” said Minister Beileh.
The international financial institution also helps to get new currency with a security feature, to replace remaining manipulated notes. On Saturday, the government released the possible design of the soon to be printed banknotes. The samples displayed were 5,000 and 10,000 which are among the denomination in the new currency.
The government is struggling to secure 41 million USD to print the money. Last year, the Central Bank Governor Bashir Isse Ali said that the Bank, and its affiliate agencies were in the process of coming up with the notes which would make it difficult for criminals to reproduce. “The Central Bank and related agencies are now in the process of coming up with the notes with security features which will not be vulnerable to counterfeit,” Ali said in mid last year.
Key Headlines
- Somalia And World Sign Deal To Support Inclusive Governance Of Petroleum Sector (Halbeeg News)
- Joint Forces Carry Out Security Operation In Galkayo Town
- Puntland Appoints New Governor For Sool Region Amid High Tension In Tukaraq Village (Halbeeg News)
- AU Mission Intensities Somali Operations After Army Base Attack (Xinhua)
- KDF Troops Offer Free Medical Services In Efforts To Rebuild Somalia (The Star)
- Making Sense Of Somali History Volume II Dr. Abdurahman Abdullahi Baadiyow (Wardheer News)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Joint Forces Carry Out Security Operation In Galkayo Town
11 June – Source: Shabelle Media – 129 Words
The newly formed joint security forces in Galkayo are reported to have carried out an operation in the divided city amid reports of possible Al-Shabaab attacks. Radio Shabelle’s reporter in the city says the troops began the search operation after receiving an intelligence report about a significant threat to the security of the city.
Local authorities confirmed that the soldiers from Puntland and Galmudug states are ready to thwart any attack against the peace and stability of the central town. Galkayo which straddles the border between Puntland and Galmudug has been relatively calm over the past few months due to the routine operations by the joint task forces. Al-Shabaab militants have in the past carried out numerous attacks in the city, including assassinations targeting security force members and parliamentarians.
Puntland Appoints New Governor For Sool Region Amid High Tension In Tukaraq Village
11 June – Source: Halbeeg News – 199 Words
The President of Puntland State, Abdiweli Ali Gaas on Monday appointed a new governor for Sool region in northern Somalia. Both Puntland and Somaliland have been in a contest over Sool and Sanaag regions, with each side claiming ownership. In a presidential decree, President Gaas replaced the former governor with Abukar Ali Guelleh. According to the statement issued by the presidency, the president has appointed the governor through the recommendation of the Puntland interior ministry and consultations with the local people in the area.
The appointment comes amid high tension over the control of the region that led to fierce fighting between forces loyal to Puntland and Somaliland States. The fighting between Somaliland and Puntland erupted outside the village of Tukaraq.It lies between the main towns of Las Anod in the breakaway Somaliland state and self-declared republic – and Garowe in Puntland state. Territorial disputes in the region go back to the colonial era, when Britain colonized Somaliland and Italy colonized the rest of Somalia. The people in Sool region are represented in both the Somaliland and Puntland administrations. Somaliland announced it seceded from the rest of Somalia in 1991, but has not been recognized as an independent state.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
AU Mission Intensities Somali Operations After Army Base Attack
11 June – Source: Xinhua – 203 Words
The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) said it has enhanced security operations in the restive Somali capital and its environs to flush out al-Shabab militants as the holy month of Ramadan ends later this week. The AU mission said Monday the security operations are being carried out in places including Hawahabid, Lafoole, Afgoye, Albao and Lantabur in south of Mogadishu to degrade the militants who have engaged the Somali and allied forces in nearly daily attacks. The operations came after the extremist group launched an ambush at a military base under the Somalia National Army (SNA) in Siinka Dheer in the outskirts of Mogadishu on Sundaynight.
The police did not confirm the number of casualties on both sides but independent sources said at least two soldiers were killed and some injured in the fighting. “There was heavy gunfight between al-Shabab and SNA soldiers on Sunday night but the soldiers overpowered them,” said a local security officer who sought anonymity.
Both the Somali Army and al-Shabab have did not comment on the latest assault that targeted the SNA military base. The latest attack came after one U.S. special forces soldier was killed in an al-Shabab attack in southwest Somalia on Friday.
KDF Troops Offer Free Medical Services In Efforts To Rebuild Somalia
11 June – Source: The Star – 125 Words
KDF troops on Monday offered free medical services to residents of Somalia’s Hoosingo village and its environs. The medical camp was put up at the town’s health centre amid fears of risks of water-borne diseases after heavy rains. The residents, who turned up in masses, received treatment while some showed up for routine check-ups. The area was hit by a cholera scare prompting the KDF troops to move in swiftly to mitigate the situation. During the medical camp, three cases of cholera were confirmed. “The troops have put necessary measures to avoid further spread,” KDF said in a statement.
Ahmed Abdullahi, a father of three, was in tears as his three-year-old received treatment. The diabetic narrated how his wife died during an al Shabaab attack. He also received treatment at the camp. He lauded the security personnel for providing moral support through counselling and the follow-up treatment sessions.
As part of building back the community that has been affected by al Shabaab attacks in the past, KDF said the troops will continue to engage with residents to ensure that normalcy returns to the area. In the spirit of Ramadan, the troops also donated assorted food items to the locals. In appreciation, area councilman Sheikh Noor Mohammed invited the troops to join the villagers during Iftar.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“Hence, Abdullahi assesses the state of Somalia in the fallout of the 1991 civil war and details the development of a civil society in the face of repressive warlords and a destructive and corrupt regime. Additionally, the introductory section includes an examination of the definitions, constructs, and notable figures in Somali civil society.”
Making Sense Of Somali History, Volume II Dr. Abdurahman Abdullahi Baadiyow
11 June – Source: Wardheer News – 888 Words
The collapse of the postcolonial Somali state in 1991 and the consequent outbreak of civil war drastically transformed the socio-political landscape in Somalia. Somalis reverted to the pre-colonial state of affairs and sought refuge in their clan attachments. Local authorities were contested by the warlords, traditional elders, Islamist organizations and modern civil society. Indeed, it was non-state actors that played incredible role in sustaining the livelihood of the stateless people. During this period, the role of women in socio-political affairs grew exponentially and Somalis’ national identity became reconfigured profoundly.
This Volume 2 of a two-volume thematic history of Somalia focuses on four themes: the history of Somali civil society, the history of Somali traditional authorities, the history of the political ascendancy of Somali women and the historical evolution of Somali national identity. Volume 1 had explored the history of the people of Somali peninsula since ancient times, the advent of Islam and colonialism, the rise and fall of Somali nationalism and the various perspectives on the collapse of the Somali state.
These eight chapters constitute comprehensive perspectives on Somali history designed as a history course for Somali university students as well as for general readers elsewhere. We look at the numerous attempts and failures to rebuild the shattered nation in the aftermath of the 1991 civil war. As the author states, “my objective is to capture the Somali perspective through an emphasis on human agency and its interaction with incurred ideas, institutions, and material production.” Hence, Abdullahi assesses the state of Somalia in the fallout of the 1991 civil war and details the development of a civil society in the face of repressive warlords and a destructive and corrupt regime. Additionally, the introductory section includes an examination of the definitions, constructs, and notable figures in Somali civil society.
Through Abdullahi’s research, we gain significant insight into the role of Somali women in civil society. With many women left as the breadwinners of their families in the aftermath of the civil war, we look at their increased societal responsibilities and ascendancy into the political spectrum by focusing on a number of noteworthy figures. In addition, the author explores the differences between the roles present in traditional society, such as the relationships between clans, the position of clan-elders, and the fundamental differences between traditional tribal governance and state governance in a post-colonial Somalia.