August 31, 2018 | Morning Headlines
Somali President Arrives In Beijing For China-Africa Forum
30 August – Source: Shabelle Media – 159 Words
President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo arrived in Beijing on Thursday for the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). The President and his entourage were received by China officials at the airport. Abdinur Mohamed, the President’s spokesman, confirmed the arrival of the Somali leader and his entourage in Beijing. The 7th summit of FOCAC is scheduled to take place in the Chinese capital on 3rd and 4th September, 2018.
The summit brings together China and the 53 African countries with which it shares diplomatic relations, as well as the African Union. Based on previous summits, China will probably pledge even higher contributions to African countries this year. These have already increased massively from US$5 billion in 2006 to US$60 billion 2015 spread into various funds and contributions. During the FOCAC summit, China will make official pledges of financial and technical assistance to the manufacturing sector. China may also announce manufacturing investment deals, especially at the bilateral level, on the sides.
Key Headlines
- Somali President Arrives In Beijing For China-Africa Forum (Shabelle Media)
- Normalcy Returns To Marka Town After Al-Shabaab Attack (Halbeeg News)
- Former Speaker Jawari Comments On Upcoming Southwest Elections (Jowhar.com )
- Theresa May Commits To New Funding For Combating Terrorism (Talk Radio)
- 500 Somalis ‘Graduate’ From UK Military Training Centre (Middle East Monitor)
- Just A Great Somali Food Spot Near San Diego State University (Roads & Kingdoms)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Normalcy Returns To Marka Town After Al-Shabaab Attack
30 August – Source: Halbeeg News – 125 Words
Relative calm has returned to Somalia’s southwestern town of Marka after an attack on the town by Al-Shabaab. According to a local official, three fighters of the militant group were killed following the attack.
Marka District Commissioner, Hassan Moalim Omar, said on Thursday the security situation was generally calm with isolated incidents of insecurity “following last night’s heavily armed Al-Shabaab fighters raid of the town from different directions”. He said Somali forces however foiled the Al-Shabaab attack.
Mr. Omar pointed out that the military was vigilant and had prior information about the attack by Al-Shabaab. Meanwhile, the militant group claimed to have killed several soldiers in the Marka attack. Al-Shabaab fighters previously launched attacks on military bases manned by Somali military and troops from AMISOM.
Former Speaker Jawari Comments On Upcoming Southwest Elections
30 August – Source: Jowhar.com – 125 Words
Former Speaker of the House of the People Mohamed Sheikh Osman Jawari commented on the upcoming elections in Southwest that are scheduled to take place on 17th of November 2018. Jawari, who is also one of the Members of Parliament from the region called on members of the regional assembly to elect a capable leader.
He said the region needs a leader that is competent enough to address the challenges facing the region such as security and justice. He also sent a message to the area intellectuals urging them to help the region elect a competent and worthy leader. So far several candidates have announced their interest for the top seat with sources indicating the former Al-Shabaab leader Sheikh Mukhtar Robow might join the race.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Theresa May Commits To New Funding For Combating Terrorism
30 August – Source: Talk Radio – 357 Words
British Prime Minister Theresa May has said she will authorise a new funding deal to support Kenyan soldiers fighting in Somalia and to help combat terrorism. As part of efforts to combat terrorism in the region, Mrs May said she would announce a new funding deal for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) troops in Somalia as to support Kenya in the fight against terrorism.
Mrs May said: “The UK continues to support the commitment of brave Kenyan soldiers fighting in Somalia against the Al-Shabaab and I’ll announce a new package of funding to support the AMISOM.” She added: “We also want a transition to stronger Somali security forces. As we work towards this, we’re leading international efforts to ensure that AMISOM has the funding it needs to support its vital battle against terror.”
Mrs May also committed to keeping the existing duty-free and quota-free arrangement for Kenyan imports the UK after leaving the European Union in March next year, during the press conference with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta. She said the UK was keen on a smooth transition post-Brexit that will ensure stability for both countries.
500 Somalis ‘Graduate’ From UK Military Training Centre
30 August – Source: Middle East Monitor – 450 Words
Some 500 Somalis have graduated from a British Security Training Centre located in southern Somalia Baidoa, Forces Network reported yesterday. British forces have been providing training to the Somali National Army (SNA) since January 2017, focusing on delivering medical, leadership development, logistics and human rights training.
“The training we have provided will help build a more stable and prosperous Somalia,” Mark Lancaster, British armed forces minister, said: “The Somali National Army have been motivated, keen to learn and professional and we remain committed to their country’s development.”
According to the United Kingdom, the long term aim of the programme is for commanding officers of the SNA to become “self-sufficient” in training their own troops. The British government has deployed a special regiment of 85 military personnel to train and work with the African Union Mission in Somalia. British Prime Minister Theresa May today confirmed support for the African Union Mission in Somalia, announcing a new funding package to combat Al-Shabaab.
Al-Shabaab seeks to dislodge the Somali government and implement a strict version of Islamic law across the country. In 2012, the group pledged allegiance to Al-Qaeda, which attracted counterterrorism use of force. Two British nationals who had their citizenship revoked, Bilal Al-Berjawi and Mohamed Sakr, were killed in separate American strikes in Somalia in 2012.
It is unclear if the UK government provided any location intelligence to the US, as Al-Berjawi was killed after making a phone call to his wife in London to congratulate her on the birth of their first son. The cases, along with the UK’s drone policy in Somalia are shrouded in secrecy without a clear framework on targeting beyond war zones.
Last year in October, Al-Shabaab launched a suicide bomb attack in the capital Mogadishu killing over 500 people, and leaving many injured. The uptick in political violence has led the United Nations to delay the withdrawal of African Union Mission troops from Somalia. The UN said the recent attacks in Somalia underscored the “deficiencies” in the capacity of the SNA in dealing with security threats.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“Post-class conversations among students, whose parents survived the civil war, sometimes lead to a jovial sharing of where we eat Somali food around town”
Just A Great Somali Food Spot Near San Diego State University
29 August – Source: Roads & Kingdoms – 470 Words
Mandazi is Swahili for a fry bread that is eaten as a snack along the Swahili coast. While usually eaten later in the day, it is not unheard of for breakfast. At a nondescript San Diego Somali café, hidden in the back of a tiny market-slash-seamstress stall-slash-food joint, they often make mandazi from scratch when you place your order.
My wife and I stopped by on a recent outing, thinking that cups of spicy Somali-style coffee, perked up with a heavy dose of ginger, and their version of spiced chai would be a nice break when paired with mandazi, or as the menu says: Somali doughnut.
More than a decade ago, we worked with Somali refugees in Ethiopia to address cooking challenges in the camps, and indoor air pollution associated with cooking. We picked up an appreciation for Somali food culture along the way.
Now, living and teaching university classes in San Diego, students whose parents survived the civil war, as well as living in those camps, sit at desks in front of us. Post-class conversations sometimes lead to a jovial sharing of where we eat Somali food around town. That is how I found out about African Spices café, down on University Avenue, not far from the San Diego State University campus.
“You would not expect it to be a place to eat and you will probably drive right by it,” Abdi told me earlier this spring. He was correct on both counts when I went there the first time. With ample time to wander around the little storefront and consider buying a few spices and a tea kettle, we went back to our seats, only a few more minutes passing before the puffy ball of doughy air was ready to eat. I quickly removed the lids from the tea and coffee cups, letting them cool down a bit.
Somewhat, kind of like a lightly sweet doughnut, but traditionally shaped like a triangle and usually more dense, the mandazi, nevertheless, satiated us. It was a treat on an otherwise regular day.After a few sips of coffee and tea and a couple of bites, we were off, ducking back outside into the bright light.