September 18, 2018 | Daily Monitoring Report

State governments have urged the Federal Government to stop what they have termed “meddling in the affairs” of Galmudug state . This follows political run-ins over the past week leading to passage of no-confidence motions aimed at removing the regional President and assembly Speaker.

In a statement to newsrooms on Tuesday, the regional leaders operating under the umbrella of the Council of Inter-State Cooperation (CIC), accused President Mohamed Farmaajo’s administration of fueling political discord in the embattled Galmudug government, which has seen the state President, Ahmed Haaf, ‘impeached’ twice within a year.

“The political crisis in Galmudug confirms our fears that the Federal Government is involved in the interference of Galmudug affairs,” the statement read in part. Referring to Farmaajo’s statements during the opening of the fourth session of the Lower House last week, the leaders claimed the President was out to use the Federal Government Parliament Speaker to destabilize state governments. “The unprecedented political movements are in line with the President’s confession in Parliamentthat he would ‘work  with the speakers of HirShabelle and Galmudug for common interest.”

Key Headlines

• Stop Meddling In Galmudug Affairs, Regional Leaders Tell Farmaajo (Goobjoog News)
• Somali Forces Kill 11 Al-Shabaab Militants In Gedo region (Hiiraan Online )
• President To Host Prominent Foreigners And Ardent Somaliland Recognition Campaigners (Somaliland Sun)
• Somali PM Rejects Foreign Mediation In Internal Affairs (Monitor Uganda)
• Somalia Is Becoming A Pawn In A UAE-Qatar Proxy War For Influence (Albawaba)

NATIONAL NEWS

Somali Forces Kill 11 Al-Shabaab Militants In Gedo region

18 September – Source : Hiiraan Online – 137 Words

A combined joint task force comprised of the Somali National Army (SNA) and Jubaland security forces killed 11 Al-Shabaab fighters on Monday during an afternoon raid on a suspected Al-Shabaab base in southern Somalia. Jubaland Darawish commander, General Jamal Hassan Farey announced that the SNA/Jubaland troops now occupy the base. The forces conducted the assault on what they believe was a new base for the militant insurgency group in a village 50km from Beled Hawo.

According to Jubaland security forces, the heavy gun battle that lasted several hours and left 11 militants dead, two tactical vehicles with mounted machine guns destroyed, and several light machine guns seized by the army. General Farey added the militants were planning to use the base to conduct ambushes and attacks against the SNA and Jubaland.

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President To Host Prominent Foreigners And Ardent Somaliland Recognition Campaigners

18 September – Source : Somaliland Sun – 160 Words

A major Somaliland recognition brainstorming meeting is expected to be held in Hargeisa. According to Geeska Afrika sources President Muse Bihi Abdi has extended an invitation to prominent foreigners known to be ardent campaigners for the international recognition of Somaliland.

Though no official statement has been issued on this issue, our source indicate that the objective of the meeting is to initially reassemble the prominent foreigners and other campaigners for the recorgnition of Somaliland, who have worked diligently with the former administration’s of Presidents Egal and Rayale.

“Once the links with these foreign diplomats, politicians and intellectuals are reestablished, President Bihi is intent on pursuing new avenues for the the country’s recognition, 27 years on,” said our source. The meeting, scheduled for Hargeisa next month, shall certainly have on board Dr Greg Mills and his South African countryman Prof Iqbal Jhazbhay, who is former South African Ambassador to Eritrea.

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Somali PM Rejects Foreign Mediation In Internal Affairs

18 September – Source : Monitor Uganda – 110 Words

Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire has said that his government would not accept foreign mediation between the member states and the federal government. Prime Minister Khaire was reacting to suggestions from the leaders of the federal states that a third party be invited to any talks between them and the Mogadishu-based Somali government. The Premier made the declaration on Sunday at a ceremony held in Mogadishu to re-launch a self-help programme called Isxilqaan.

The leaders of the five member states of the federal government, namely Puntland, Jubaland, Southwest, Hirshabelle and Galmudug on September 8 issued a communiqué withdrawing cooperation with the central government.

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OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE

“”The problem is that the Somali federal system, and the country’s complex colonial history, means that there is only so much will for unity anyway. States regularly pursue their own agendas, and greater autonomy.””

Somalia Is Becoming A Pawn In A UAE-Qatar Proxy War For Influence

18 September – Source : Albawaba – 424 Words

It’s been a breathless few weeks for the Horn of Africa in general, and for Somalia in particular. A historic agreement was signed between Somalia, Eritrea and Ethiopia to end all hostilities between them. Straight afterwards, Eritrea reconciled with Djibouti. For the first time in decades, it seems that the regional capitals are sincerely ready to make peace, and to build on it. But though this is no doubt good news, it will not solve Somalia’s internal strife. This week, Somalia’s future is looking extremely uncertain. And that is – at least partly – because it has become embroiled in the Gulf crisis that has pitted Qatar against its neighbours. Somalia is meant to be getting ready to take charge of its own security.

The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) was coined as a “peace support” mission in 2007, to help Somali forces oust the Al-Qaeda linked Al Shabaab insurgent group from the capital Mogadishu. But its six-month mandate kept being expanded, and a decade later it is still there. It is now comprised of over 21,000 troops from six contributing African nations. Whilst it has been indispensable in pushing back Al Shabaab and in providing some fragile security, it can’t by any standards be thought of as a “support” mission anymore.

AMISOM effectively replaced the Somali National Army (SNA) in combatting Al Shabaab. But now, it is talking about winding back its presence in the country. AMISOM wants to withdraw a thousand troops by February 2019, and aims to be handing back all security responsibilities to the SNA and leaving Somalia by 2020 to 2021. There are no guarantees that this will go ahead as planned. Abdullahi Boru, a Somalia analyst, told Al Bawaba: “While Amisom has indicated its withdrawal, the situation in the Horn of Africa has seen sea change over the last few months, that, that decision could be reversed.

I am not suggesting anything has been agreed as of yet, but having Ethiopia, Somalia and Eritrea (which has been accused of supporting Al Shabaab) on side will have a significant impact on the security situation on the ground. At the practical level, withdrawal of troops when the security situation on the ground has not changed will increase the number of attacks by Al Shabaab, and other opportunistic criminal outfits.” But however AMISOM’s departure eventually pans out, the SNA is still a very long way from ready to assume its duties.

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TOP TWEETS

@BringtheFlag: Somalia under renewed scrutiny over FGM after two more young girls die.

@alijira: #Somalia is Becoming a Pawn in a UAE-Qatar Proxy War for Influence | Al Bawaba https://www.albawaba.com/news/somalia-falling-apart-seams-1186144 … @FartaagConsult @Abanur @Siad_A @abdisalamisma1 @OsmanAbaar

@Mfuataukweli: Jubbaland Forces Kill 11 Al-Shabaab Fighters, Destroy their Vehicles in Gedo, Southern Somalia. S.I. SITREP https://intelligencebriefs.com/jubbaland-forces-kill-11-al-shabaab-fighters-destroy-their-vehicles-in-gedo-southern-somalia/ …

@STNSomali: #Somalia: Members of lower chamber of federal parliament held a debate on the security situation in #Mogadishu on Monday after a parliamentarian is wounded in a car bomb attack in the city.

@omabha: Jubaland security forces take over Al-Shabaab base http://dlvr.it/QkXrBS #Somalia

@MediaWatchF: Save the Children calls on Somali leaders to end FGM – https://bit.ly/2xvrHaE #Somalia #HarmfulPractices #LegalProtection #HumanRights

@sntvnews1: The African Union Mission in Somalia @amisomsomalia will enhance its use of modern technology during the transition period to ensure gains made in securing the country are not eroded.

@HarunMaruf: Somali could send troops to South Sudan to help implement recent signed peace agreement by the rival parties, according to this statement by IGAD https://igad.int/communique/1949-communique-of-the-33rd-extra-ordinary-summit-of-igad-assembly-of-heads-of-state-and-government …

IMAGE OF THE DAY

Puntland President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali “Gaas” welcomes Somali Upper House senators, who have been dispatched from Mogadishu to mediate between the Federal Government and Federal Members States across the nation.
Photo : @AqalkaSare