July 18, 2018 | Daily Monitoring Report
Hundreds Of Locals Flee Their Homes In Middle Shabelle After Al-Shabaab Starts Massive Child Recruitment
18 July – Source: Halbeeg News – 240 Words
Hundreds of local residents started fleeing from their homes in Middle Shabelle region after Al-Shabab accelerated its child recruitment drive. Heavily armed Al-Shabab fighters have been engaging in gun battle with the locals in recent weeks after locals turned down the group’s order to recruit their children in Adale District. Al-Shabaab reportedly ordered elders, parents and other community members in rural areas, to provide hundreds of children for recruitment. The development sparked off clashes between Al-Shabaab militias and the locals in Gullane and Kadere villages.
A local resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Al-Shabaab had displaced hundreds of locals who refused to surrender their children to fight for the group: “Many people fled from their homes after Al-Shabaab started the aggressive child recruitment campaign. We call on the government to intervene in the situation,” he said. “Hundreds of parents and children have fled homes to escape forced recruitment.”
The move comes months after a Human Rights Watch report accused the group of targeting children in its listing of members: “Al-Shabaab’s ruthless recruitment campaign is taking rural children from their parents so they can serve this militant armed group,” Laetitia Bader, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch, said in a report released in January. “To escape that cruel fate, many children have fled school or their homes,” she added. Over the past decade, Al-Shabaab has recruited thousands of children, who have been indoctrinated and deployed to various battles.
Key Headlines
- Hundreds Of Locals Flee Their Homes In Middle Shabelle After Al-Shabaab Starts Massive Child Recruitment (Halbeeg News)
- Several Countries Pledge To Invest In Somalia (Goobjoog News)
- Southwest Authorities Caution Politicians Critical Of The Administration And President (Radio Dalsan)
- Somalia Is Opening A ‘New Chapter Of Its History’ Declares UN Political Affairs Chief As Forum Ends With Renewed Commitments (UN News)
- Ambassador Al-Budaiwi: Kuwait To Host Donor’s Conference To Promote Education In Somalia (Kuwait)
- Are Somaliland Puntland Ready For War Over Land? (The East African)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Several Countries Pledge To Invest In Somalia
18 July – Source: Goobjoog News – 106 Words
The Somalia Partnership Forum meeting in Brussels concluded yesterday on a successful note, according to the Federal Government of Somalia’s Minister for Commerce, Mohamed Abdi Hayir Maareeye. Members of the Somali business community, senior Federal Government officials and development partners attended the two-day event.
Speaking to the media, Mr. Maareeye pointed out that several international banking institutions and foreign countries expressed interest in investing in the country: “The conference was attended by world financial institutions and stakeholders from Somalia. Many governments pledged to invest in Somalia,” said minister. The Brussels conference which ended yesterday discussed several issues, including security, trade and women among other key issues.
Southwest Authorities Caution Politicians Critical Of The Administration And President
18 July – Source: Radio Dalsan.com – 127 Words
Authorities of Southwest regional state have for the first time, issued a warning against dissident politicians based in the region. The warning was made by the Southwest Minister of Security Hassan Hussein Mohammed (Eelaay), who stressed that the administration would never allow politicians to mislead the public. He said anyone who creates confusion will have stern action taken against them. He ordered that anyone who makes unfounded criticism with the government be penalised accordingly.
Authorities in Bay and Bakool regions asked the public to report wrongdoers in their respective areas. The statement of the Security Minister comes in the wake of pronouncements by a section of politicians, who have been critical of Southwest President, Sharif Sheikh Aadan. The said politicians have been conducting political meetings in Baidao.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somalia Is Opening A ‘New Chapter Of Its History’ Declares UN Political Affairs Chief As Forum Ends With Renewed Commitments
17 July – Source: UN News – 408 Words
Officials from 58 countries and six international organisations were present for the adoption of the so-called Mutual Accountability Framework of the New Partnership for Somalia (MAF) at the Somalia Partnership Forum, to be implemented over the next six months. The MAF details the joint commitments of Somalia and its international partners in the areas of political reforms, security, economic development, and recovery and humanitarian assistance, as the country rebuilds after decades of armed conflict and climate-related shocks. “Somalia opens a new chapter of its history, with the potential to fundamentally transform its future,” the UN Political Affairs chief, Rosemary DiCarlo, said in a session ahead of the MAF’s adoption.
The Under-Secretary-General added that the country’s security transition plan – which allows for Somalia to gradually assume responsibility for security across the country, including progressively transferring tasks from the African Union Mission in Somalia, AMISOM – represents remarkable progress in Somalia’s state building process Ms. DiCarlo praised Somalia’s political leaders, many of whom were present at the forum, while noting that the implementation of the MAF’s commitments would not be possible without the allocation of adequate financial resources.
The MAF provides for Somalia and its international partners to agree on and take stock of progress in jointly achieving key objectives to strengthen the country’s state-building and peacebuilding processes. It is considered a bedrock of partnership for the country’s development. “The United Nations is fully committed to Somalia’s future, and will support implementation of the plan,” Ms. DiCarlo said, also stressing that the world body will work closely with the African Union and all other partners.
Ambassador Al-Budaiwi: Kuwait To Host Donor’s Conference To Promote Education In Somalia
18 July – Source: Kuwait News Agency – 423 Words
Ambassador of Kuwait to the European Union, NATO, Belgium and Luxembourg, Jasem Al- Budaiwi, has announced that Kuwait is to host a Donors Conference in Support of Education in Somalia. ”We, in Kuwait, firmly believe that education is one of the most important, if not the most important tool, in combating extremism, terrorism, and poverty,” he said speaking in a Forum on Somalia Tuesday evening. “This conference in Kuwait, will serve as a cornerstone to secure the future generations of Somalia, and we call upon the international community, to join our efforts and actively participate in it. Once you educate a child, you educate a generation,” said Kuwait’s top diplomat in Brussels.
Al-Budaiwi noted that this Forum is an “excellent opportunity for the international community to renew its commitment to supporting Somalia’s stability and development.” “Together, my friends, we will continue the efforts of the United Nations in supporting Somalia’s transitional phase in every aspect. We have a responsibility towards the Somali people and they need to feel our commitment on the social and economic levels, and in their day to day life,” he stressed. He pointed out that in 2017 only, the State of Kuwait provided USD 50 million in response to international calls to support the humanitarian situation in Somalia.
Furthermore, Kuwait has provided USD 1.5 million in agricultural technical assistance, as well as grants worth USD 28 million allocated to airport development. In addition, the Kuwait Fund recently decided to ease the debt burden of Somalia. ”Now is the time to switch from crisis mode to investment mode in Somalia,” he added.
OPINION, ANALYSIS & CULTURE
“War is still avoidable, but to forestall it both sides need to take a step back, dial down their rhetoric and allow for mediation led by the UN.”
Are Somaliland, Puntland Ready For War Over Land?
16 July – Source: The East African – 403 Words
Somaliland and Puntland’s dispute over land stretching from the Gulf of Aden to the Ethiopian border risks escalating into open war. The self-declared republic of Somaliland and autonomous Puntland are locked in a standoff over Sool and Sanaag areas, leading to deadly clashes since the start of 2018 after both sides massed soldiers in the contested areas.
The International Crisis Group said the military standoff could escalate as troops are moved close to Tukaraq, a town that straddles a highway and trade corridor linking Sool and Sanaag to eastern Ethiopia. The ICG, which researches conflict, said the dispute risks creating space for Al Shabaab insurgents and an Islamic State branch in Puntland.
Somaliland and Puntland have since 1998 vied for control of the neck of land stretching from the Gulf of Aden to Ethiopia’s border. The contest boiled in January 2018 with 20 skirmishes recorded. A battle on January 8 saw Somaliland overrun Tukaraq, leaving soldiers dead on both sides. The neighbours enjoyed relative peace and stability for about three decades as war plagued the rest of Somalia. Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but is yet to get global acceptance. Puntland is a semi-autonomous state of Somalia. A confrontation could be disastrous for northern Somalia and risks contributing to instability across the country by playing into the hands of Al Shabaab insurgency or even the small ISIS branch in Puntland.
The ICG said that even though African and Western leaders have seemingly been caught off guard by the confrontation, they should take steps to head it off while the UN mission in Somalia renews mediation efforts between the two. “War is still avoidable, but to forestall it both sides need to take a step back, dial down their rhetoric and allow for mediation led by the UN,” said the think tank in a briefing titled Averting War in Northern Somalia. Recommendations include the UN renewing mediation with Ethiopia and Somalia governments.
The scope covers initiating peace in the disputed areas and has to involve clerics and local clan leaders, to bridge divisions and curb violence. Priorities are brokering a ceasefire, ensuring both sides commit to withdraw troops in the contested regions, allowing in humanitarian aid, reducing inflammatory rhetoric and conducting future talks to resolve the dispute. Ethiopia is arguably one of the countries with real leverage over both Puntland and Somaliland. Addis Ababa’s past interventions were instrumental in brokering temporary truces.
TOP TWEETS
@i_dossier: The Somali parliament has ended the least productive session with just 11 meetings and the passage of 3 legislations out of 11. Meanwhile, lawmakers quietly received $1.6m+ from the federal Govt despite the fact hundreds of thousands are dependent on aid.
@HarunMaruf: Somalia is opening a ‘new chapter of its history’: UN political affairs chief
@MoPIED_Somalia: #MoPIED had a preparatory meeting with#GIZ to discuss the TVET program that #EU and #GIZ funded. It aims to rehabilitate TVET projects, supply qualified staff to do the job market and increase participation and labor market attachment among targeted beneficiaries.
@taakulosom: Project Funded by @DM_AID has provided Hareed farmers with Water Pumps for their farms.This has resulted to a positive impact throughout the farms and farmers have since experienced a significant increase in Yields since mechanization enables both efficiency & Water regulation.
@mpfsomalia: We’re at SomaliREN’s Higher Education & Research Connectivity launch in #Mogadishu, supported by@mpfsomalia. In 2018 and beyond, connectivity is everything
@DConcar: @DFID_UK’s Lindy Cameron speaking at the #SPF: “real progress & action on security will transform Somalia’s prospects, ensuring that the strides forward now being made to settle the constitution & lay foundations for future prosperity are locked in for future generations”
@MikaelLindvall: Great turnout for this morning’s breakfast mtg on Women, Peace & Security at the Somalia Partnership Forum! Opening remarks by @margotwallstrom and a great panel, including Minister @DeqaYasin, USG DiCarlo, @eu_eeas DSG Serrano & Halima Godane.
@GaroweBookFair: Finally Second Day has come to an end after having different lecturers, debates and panel discussion from our respective guest speakers @GaroweBookFair . Thanks to our biggest Sponsors #Somtel, #EASTAFRICAUNIV, as well our social media team who really worked so hard. #GIBF2018
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Bakarole, a small village just north of Mogadishu. In one of the aerial photos, AMISOM troops can be seen interacting with villagers.
Photo: @HarunMaruf