September 14, 2018 | Daily Monitoring Report
UN Envoy: Somali Leaders’ Lack Of Trust Stymies Progress
14 September – Source: Voice of America – 745 Words
United Nations Envoy to Somalia Michael Keating says lack of trust among Somali leaders is complicating progress on the political and security fronts, and says the country’s federal and regional leaders need to compromise. Keating, who is leaving the office October 1, says there has been progress on the technical level in terms of agreeing on national security structure, transition plan and approach to security but says there is a “political problem” that is not allowing things to move forward. “Where I think there remains a problem is building political trust in the country’s leadership at a time when elections are approaching,” he told VOA Somali.
He called for compromise and warns that lack of it will worry the international community and Somali partners. “If they can reach compromises on certain things then that will bring benefits for all Somalis and the investment that the international community is prepared to make in Somalia,” he said. “But the best way to worry international actors who want to invest in Somalia’s future is to show that politicians cannot reach basic agreements and therefore make them worry about whether this technical agenda, which is a good one, can actually be implemented.”
Keating says last week’s decision by five Somali regional leaders to suspend ties with the federal government is “unfortunate.” He says the decision “reflects some of the structural problems that underpin Somali politics.” He says power-sharing and the relations between the federal member states and the federal government and allocation of resources is the key sticking point at a time when the provisional federal constitutional that could have separated powers and responsibilities for the stakeholders is under review process.
Key Headlines
- UN Envoy: Somali Leaders’ Lack Of Trust Stymies Progress (Voice of America)
- Prime Minister Khaire Imposes Restriction On International Agreements (Radio Dalsan)
- Two Sisters Bled To Death In Somalia After A Female Genital Mutilation Procedure (Time)
- Terrorism Remains Kenya’s Top Security Threat (Daily Nation)
- Wrangles Between The Federal Government Of Somalia And The Federal Member States Is Detrimental To Progress In Somalia (Hiiraan Online)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Prime Minister Khaire Imposes Restriction On International Agreements
14 September – Source: Radio Dalsan – 167 Words
Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire has warned Cabinet ministers against entering into or signing international agreements without informing his office or that of the Attorney General. The new measure was discussed and adopted at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting. The new restrictions come in the wake of reports that the Federal Government was facing heavy financial obligations from previous international commitments entered into by the Cabinet, particularly during the previous government of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
Following long deliberations on the way forward, the Premier imposed the new restriction, which requires that all agreements be checked by the Attorney General and the Office of the Prime Minister before being signed. This is to guard against future misunderstandings.
This new measures were officially communicated by the State Minister for the Office of the Prime Minister, Abdullahi Hamud. Somali government ministers have previously entered into international agreements, some of which have been unknown to senior government officials. Some of the agreements have reportedly had a negative financial impact on the current administration.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Two Sisters Bled To Death In Somalia After A Female Genital Mutilation Procedure
14 September – Source: Time – 329 Words
Two sisters bled to death in Somalia after they were forced to undergo female genital mutilation earlier this week, the latest tragic death in a country where most women and girls are subjected to the procedure, CNN reports. Aasiyo Abdi Warsame, 10 and her sister, Khadijo, 11, were cut in a remote village in Puntland State in the northeast on Sept. 11.They continued to bleed 24 hours after the procedure, according Aden Mohamed, director of the Somalia’s women’s rights group Galkayo Education Center for Peace and Development.
As their mother tried to take them to a health center, both girls died: “Unfortunately, they never made it to the hospital,” Aden Mohamed said.In Somalia, 98% of women and girls between the ages of 15 and 49 have been cut, the highest rate anywhere in the world, according to the UN Children’s Fund. For most girls in Somalia, a severe form of the circumcision is performed when they are between the ages of four and eleven.
The operation is often done by untrained midwives using knives, razors or glass. Around 200 million women and girls around the world are survivors of female genital mutilation (FGM), which can cause lifelong health problems, including dangerous complications in childbirth. Most countries recognize FGM as a violation of women’s rights, yet it continues to be widely practiced.The girls’ deaths this week come as Somalia pursues its first FGM-related prosecution. The case was prompted by the death of 10-year-old girl two months ago.
Terrorism Remains Kenya’s Top Security Threat
14 September – Source: Daily Nation – 337 Words
While Kenya went through a period of intense electioneering, amid rising ethnic and political tensions in 2017, the country remained largely stable. However, the everyday threats to Kenya’s national security and development remain alive. During an induction workshop for newly-elected Members of Parliament, National Intelligence Service (NIS) Deputy Assistant Director Alexander Muteshi noted that terrorism poses the greatest threat to the country: “What makes the threats dangerous is that they target churches, malls, schools and other public places. But the success against this is the multi-agency approach we have adopted to deal with them.” .
The threats, he said, are carried out by terrorist organisations like Al-Shabaab, which has cells in neighbouring Somalia, and the Islamic State, which operates in Puntland, Libya, Syria and Iraq. While the country has gone through a relatively quiet period since the May Mandera quarry attacks targeting the non-locals, Al-Shabaab remains an existential threat and has lately been focusing its activities at the Coast and in the northern frontier districts.
Therefore, even as President Uhuru Kenyatta launched the transformation path for the National Police Service, the threat of terrorism, among other security challenges, was alive in the minds of the officials gathered at the Kenya School of Government, where the 2018 National Security Conference is taking place. “You will agree with me (that) security underpins any nation’s ability to achieve sustained social and economic development,” President Kenyatta said as he launched the conference on Thursday. Security analyst George Musamali says that besides Al-Shabaab, “which has been with us for quite some time now”, the other challenges — the country’s porous borders and banditry.
OPINION, ANALYSIS & CULTURE
“There is no doubt if not handled well, these wrangles will spiral out of control and will jeopardize efforts made to have Somalia reclaim its place amongst the community of nations.”
Wrangles Between The Federal Government Of Somalia And The Federal Member States Is Detrimental To Progress In Somalia
14 September – Source: Hiiraan Online – 786 Words
It has been a fateful week in Somali politics, one that could shape the Presidency of Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo. Last weekend, the leaders of Somalia’s Federal Member States (FMS) suspended ties with the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) in what is seen by many as a significant blow to the already weak relationships between the two. The Upper House boycotted the joint opening session of Parliament which was presided over by President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo.
There are also talks of pending vote of no confidence motions against the President and the Prime Minister. The motive of this motion which is yet to be received by the leadership of Parliament is not yet known, but pundits say this could be efforts by the Presidents of the Federal Member States to turn the heat on Villa Somalia.
The latest row between the leadership of the Federal Member States and the Federal Government of Somalia is a classic example of a power tussle between two layers of government that should be working seamlessly for a population that continues to suffer the excesses of the two. In Somalia, citizens hardly have access to basic services and the promise of the promulgation of the provisional constitution in 2012 seems to have evaporated.
In a strongly worded communique issued after a week-long deliberation in Kismayo, the interim seat of the Jubbaland State, the leaders of the Federal Member States accused Villa Somalia of interfering with the internal matter of the regional states, and for failing to honour past agreements it had signed with the Federal Member States. In a quick rejoinder, the Villa Somalia called for an urgent meeting of the National Security Council in Mogadishu to discuss among other things the security situation.
In what has angered them even more, President Farmaajo even failed to mention the standoff with the regional states during his speech to MPs this week, at the opening ceremony of parliament. In his speech, the President looked defiant and his call for a National Security Council meeting is seen by many as an effort to stamp his authority.
TOP TWEETS
@UNSomalia: ‘There is now a sense of the possible – not just the impossible,’ UN envoy @SRSGKeating tells @UN Security Council meeting on #Somalia – for more, check out: https://bit.ly/2MzpII8
@AbdirahmanCumar: Wrangles between the Federal Government of Somalia and the Federal Member States is detrimental to progress in Somalia @AbdilatifMaalim @TheVillaSomalia #Somalia https://hiiraan.com/op4/2018/
@haille60: Reports from Mogadishu say the Federal government of #Somalia may get its wish again with regard to Hirshabelle president, supporting the speaker to topple the president who critically spoke about it. Mudulood clan MPs appear to be supporting him in exchange of large sum of money
@WHOKenya: Health Ministers #Kenya #Somalia #Ethiopia#SouthSudan launch major cross-border #poliocampaign in#Garissa today > 2.8 million kids will be vaccinated in next few days against polio in Kenya alone #ENDPolioKE @EndPolioNow@WHO @WHOAFRO @SicilyKariuki @UNICEFKenya@HonAliKorane
@issafrica: Despite the challenges, women’s groups in #Somaliaare demanding their fair share of seats in parliament. ISS Todayhttps://issafrica.org/iss-
@cobbo3: Despite its fragility, Somalia has one of the most active mobile money markets in the world. About 155 million transactions, worth $2.7Bn, are recorded every month. Mobile money has superseded the use of cash in Somalia, says World Bank
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Prime Minister, Hassan Ali Khaire chairs Cabinet meeting in his office yesterday. Among issues discussed included new restrictions on signing of agreements with international bodies and governments.
Photo: @SomaliPM