August 9, 2018 | Daily Monitoring Report
Somali Government Defends Stance On Saudi-Canada Row Amid Public Criticism
09 August – Source: Goobjoog News – 234 Words
Foreign Affairs Minister Ahmed Awad has defended Somalia’s stance on the Saudi-Canadian diplomatic row, but noted the statement on Wednesday issued by his ministry did not allude to taking sides in the dispute. In an interview with BBC Somali Wednesday, Awad said the government’s stance was informed by the call to respect sovereignty and internal decisions of Saudi Arabia.
“It is true that we have supported the decision by the Saudi government that its internal affairs were interfered with,” the Minister said. “We would also have supported the Canadian government against any intervention.” The minister’s remarks come amid criticism from Somalis against the government’s decision to appear to be siding with Saudi Arabia, questioning Saudi’s move to deport Somalis, while Canada welcomes Somalis with open hands.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday it was supporting Saudi Arabia, over the dispute with Canada, while calling for amicable resolution. “The Federal Republic of Somalia makes it clear that it supports its brotherly Saudi Arabia’s decision against foreign interference in its internal affairs,” the statement read in part.
Responding to concerns that Mogadishu could have been under pressure from Riyadh, Awad said the government made its own decision devoid of influence. At the moment, the Somali government can make its decisions far beyond any pressure, and the decision to support the Saudi government, was addressed by the leaders and the government of Somalia.
Key Headlines
- Somali Government Defends Stance On Saudi-Canada Row Amid Public Criticism (Goobjoog News)
- Permanent Secretary Of Somalia’s humanitarian Affairs Ministry Resigns (Halbeeg News)
- Saudi Arabia Sends Back Livestock Exported From Bosaso (Dhacdo.com)
- AMISOM Urges Allied Troops To Intensify Operations Against Al-Shabab (Xinhua)
- IOM Appeals For $45M Aid For Horn Of Africa Migrants (Voice of America)
- The Ethiopian Reform The Horn Of Africa And The Orphan Somalia (Somali Star)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Permanent Secretary Of Somalia’s Humanitarian Affairs Ministry Resigns
09 August – Source: Halbeeg News – 172 Words
The Permanent Secretary of Somalia’s Humanitarian Affairs Ministry on Thursday resigned, citing lack of cooperation in the ministry. Mr. Mohamed Omar Moalim who has been in office for the last two years, announced his resignation in a twitter post saying that he could no longer work as Permanent Secretary of the ministry, over what he termed as a lack of cooperation.
Mr. Moalim did not specify the circumstances that caused the apparent rift between his office and the minister. The ministry did not comment on concerns of Mr. Moalim as well. Last year, Dr. Maryam Qasim who was leading the ministry left the office, citing lack of coordination within the government.
Dr. Qasim said she could not put up with the level of “confusion and disorderly manner in which the government operates”, but noted she was not in any way opposed to the government. “I am good at working in a professional way in any department or ministry, but one gets confused when the work is done in an undisciplined manner,” said Dr. Qasim.
Saudi Arabia Sends Back Livestock Exported From Bosaso
09 August – Source: Dhacdo.com – 101 Words
Saudi Arabia government has sent back thousands of livestock that was exported from the seaport of Bosaso in Somalia. A ship carrying 27,000 livestock that was owned by Somali traders was returned, back to Bosaso due to unknown reasons. The Saudi government is yet to disclose the reasons for sending back the shipload of livestocks.
The move comes days ahead of the Hajj season and Eid Al-Adha, when livestock demand is high in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia is one of the biggest markets for Somali livestock, which has recently removed a suspension on Somali livestock giving a greenlight for importing.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
AMISOM Urges Allied Troops To Intensify Operations Against Al-Shabab
09 August – Source: Xinhua – 292 Words
The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has called on the African Union (AU) and the Somali National Army (SNA) troops to intensify joint security operations to flush out al-Shabab militants in the Horn of Africa nation.
Jim Beesigye Owoyesigire, AMISOM Force Commander, tasked his forces in Hirshabelle region to enhance coordination with SNA for improved peace and security. “The Force Commander tasked the forces to intensify the training and mentorship of their SNA counterparts through joint planning, coordination and execution of operations in line with the AMISOM transition plan,” the AU mission said in a statement issued in Mogadishu on Thursday.
Owoyesigire was speaking during a visit to Johwar as part of the ongoing security assessment across all areas of AMISOM responsibility in Somalia. The AMISOM commander urged the troops to strengthen relations with the local community through cooperation with the regional administration and undertaking of quick impact projects to address pertaining social infrastructural challenges.
Owoyesigire who met with the Sector five commander Leonidas Niyungeko, lauded the effort and commitment of the AMISOM troops in Hirshabelle region. “Discussions focused on the security situation in the region, the need to secure the Mogadishu-Johwar supply route and the necessary stabilization efforts,” the mission said.
Aid agencies say the poor state of main supply routes in south-central Somalia had provided conditions for al-Shabab to continue laying ambushes and use explosive devices against AMISOM convoys and Somali national security forces. Niyungeko said operations would be undertaken to improve the general security of the area, enhance free movement of the local population and enable an environment for trade to thrive. The AMISOM commander has undertaken similar visits to Baidoa, Beletweyne and Baledogle as part of the ongoing assessment of the AMISOM forces and their operational environment.
IOM Appeals For $45M Aid For Horn Of Africa Migrants
08 August – Source: Voice of America – 280 Words
The International Organization for Migration and partners are appealing for $45 million to provide humanitarian and developmental aid over a three year period for 81,000 vulnerable migrants moving to and from the Horn of Africa and Yemen.
Yemen may be the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. But that has not deterred thousands of impoverished, conflict-ridden migrants and refugees mainly from Ethiopia and Somalia from crossing the Gulf of Aden into Yemen with the support of smugglers. Most of the migrants, who arrive in Yemen move on to the Gulf States in search of work. IOM spokesman, Joel Millman says this irregular migration from the Horn of Africa has been steadily increasing during the past few years.
He says about 100,000 people made this perilous journey in 2017 and he expects that number to be matched this year. “It is also important to note that about 200,000 migrants, that is about twice that number, are migrants and refugees who will return from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Yemen to the Horn of Africa during the same period. Those are divided, the 200,000, is about 150,000 returning to Ethiopia and 50,000 to Somalia,” he said.
The three-year migration plan aims to help more than 80,000 of the most vulnerable migrants. They include women, unaccompanied children and the elderly, victims of violence and human trafficking, as well as people with disabilities. The plan will provide basic humanitarian assistance, psycho-social counseling for abuse and violence survivors, and economic support to help the migrants reintegrate into their communities. It also envisions longer term developmental measures to support communities of origin in the hopes of keeping the migrants home.
OPINION, ANALYSIS & CULTURE
“The decent thing would have been for Farmajo and Prime Minister Khaire to play a statesmen-like role and press the Eritrean President, Isaias Afwerki, to accept Somalia to mediate the conflict between Djibouti and Eritrea.”
The Ethiopian Reform, The Horn Of Africa And The Orphan Somalia
07 August – Source: Somali Star – 1423 Words
Ethiopia’s deep and enduring authoritarian political culture dates back to premodern times when the country’s area was limited to a northern fraction of the current territory. For the past 200 years, several authoritarian regimes dominated the country as contemporary Ethiopia consolidated its present form. These regimes were highly centralized and conquered by certain ethnic groups. The vast majority of the Ethiopian people was either serfs or politically subjugated by an Amhara and Tigray elite.
Such suffocating political order has come unstuck as the democratic movement of the largest ethnic and marginalized group, the Oromo, has put up non-violent and stiff resistance to their subjugation over the past three years. People from Amhara region followed suite and progressively the old political order began to falter.
Former Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn declared a state of emergency, but it failed to restore political calm. This led to his sudden resignation and two months of behind the scenes political negotiation within the ruling coalition, the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF.
It soon became clear that the old guard in Tigray People Liberation Front, or TPLF, was attempting to stage a comeback, but in an astonishing move, the majority of the ruling party lawmakers voted for a senior member of Oromo People’s democratic Organization, or OPDO, as the leader of the coalition, paving the way for Dr. Abiy Ahmed to become the first Oromo and Muslim political leader in modern Ethiopian history.
Dr. Ahmed has embarked on historic political reform unlike any other leader in Ethiopia’s long history. He rescinded the state of emergency, freed political prisoners, allowed opposition members in exile to come home, removed internet blocks and initiated a seemingly radical reconciliation with neighboring states of Eritrea and Somalia.
This essay assesses three issues that are central to the reform process and its possible ramification for the Horn of Africa. The core challenges are: Domestic economic and political reform, relations with Eritrea, and engagement with Somalia. How these are reconstructed will have far reaching implications for the entire Horn of Africa.
TOP TWEETS
@DrBeileh: Today we had further discussions on the EU budgetary support with colleagues from @EU_in_Somalia in@MofSomalia offices. EU is a valuable partner in #Somalia & we are committed to working with all partners to advance our reform agenda for the benefit of the people & country.
@HarunMaruf: The first book for both myself and my co-author@djoseph771: “Inside Al-Shabaab: The secret history of Al-Qaeda’s most powerful ally” – will be released on October 1, 2018. This is the product of three years’ research and writing. Here is how to pre-order.
@DalsanFM: The Irony Of Somalia With 7 Ministers , 9 MPs and 9 Senators With Canadian Citizenship Backing Saudi Arabia https://www.radiodalsan.com/
@Goobjoognews: The Federal Republic of #Somalia makes clear that it supports its brotherly #Saudi_Arabia’s decision against Foreign interference in its internal affairs
@engyarisow: #Mogadishu Municipality continues to the campaign on cleaning the capital city and request citizens to take part the campaign to reclaim the glory of the city.
@SahraCabdi: #Somali foreign Minister Ahmed Awad,@MinisterMOFA who issued the #Somaligov‘s decision to side with #SaudiArabia, has Canadian citizenship. Also, with him In this photo is Ahmed Hussein, @HonAhmedHussen the Canadian Immigration, Refugee and citizenship minister, from #Somalia.
@AaminAmbulance: @AaminAmbulance met with @engyarisowMayor and Governor of Mogadishu to explore possible areas of collaboration for the provision of MOG emergency service delivery. @MunicipalityMog @SomaliPM @TC_Mogadishu@USAIDOTI @IOM_Somalia @gconway_UNDP@SRSGKeating @Moadow @AbdiAddow1
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Mayor of Mogadishu, Abdirahman Osman Omar met with the Aamin Ambulance team to discuss Mogadishu emergency delivery service on Wednesday.
Photo: @AaminAmbulance