November 29, 2018 | Morning Headlines
AU Peace And Security Council Delegation Concludes Working Visit To Somalia
28 November – Source: AMISOM – 652 Words
The African Union Peace and Security Council delegation which has been on a three-day working visit to Somalia, to assess the security and political situation in the country, has concluded their mission.
The delegation led by Mr. Mohamed Idriss, the Djibouti Ambassador to Ethiopia and the African Union, returned to Addis Ababa this afternoon, after holding successful deliberations with senior Federal Government officials, leaders of the Federal Member States, AMISOM, the UN and representatives of the civil society, among them youth, media and minority groups.
“The AU Peace and Security Council takes the issue (of Somalia) seriously and will in the coming days examine the situation in Somalia,” said Mr. Idriss, shortly before the delegation’s departure from the country. He said findings from their visit will be shared with relevant bodies, including with leaders from the Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) to AMISOM.
“The military chiefs from the Troop Contributing Countries will meet on 30 November 2018. We hope that the outcome of this meeting will inform the adoption of the new Concept of Operations, which is the framework for AMISOM’s exit strategy,” he stated, noting that the AU Peace and Security Council will be seeking to validate resolutions from the Military Operations Coordination Committee (MOCC) meeting, which brings together all military chiefs from the TCCs, key partners and AMISOM leadership.
While in the country, the delegation held talks with Prime Minister H.E Hassan Ali Khaire and other senior Federal Government officials. “10 years ago, Somalia was a country forgotten, with little hope for prosperity. Today we are re-emerging in the eyes of the international community and being a pride of the continent, as a functioning developing state and no longer a failed state,” Khaire told the delegation, during their meeting at the presidential palace (Villa Somalia), in the capital Mogadishu.
The Prime Minister highlighted his government’s key priorities, which include defeating terrorism. While affirming the government’s commitment to defend the gains hard-fought by AMISOM and the Somali security forces, Khaire appealed to the African Union to remain a voice and advocate for Somalia’s cause at international fora.
The delegation, keen to ensure the successful implementation of the Transition Plan, within the framework of the country’s National Security Architecture, also sought to know the progress made in the transitioning of national security responsibilities from AMISOM to the Somali National Security Forces as per the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2372 of 2017 and 2431 of 2018, as well as the Communique of the 782nd meeting of the AU Peace and Security Council.
“By coming here, they now have a much better perception and understanding of the issues at stake in Somalia. And they are better informed on the decisions they are going to take and what action needs to be taken,” said the AU Special Representative for Somalia and Head of AMISOM, Ambassador Francisco Caetano Madeira.
The visit coincided with preparations for elections in the Federal Member States. The team visited Baidoa, the administrative capital of the South West State, where presidential elections are due in December, and held separate closed door meetings with the acting President of the state Mr. Abdikadir Sharif Shekuna and five candidates who are vying for the presidency: “We called on everybody to ensure the conduct of a peaceful and fair election,” Ambassador Idriss stated. “We cannot return to the past because this will not only affect Somalia, but the entire continent of Africa,” he added.
Key Headlines
- AU Peace And Security Council Delegation Concludes Working Visit To Somalia (AMISOM)
- Council Of Inter-state Cooperation Hails The Senate Report On Political Standoff (Halbeeg News)
- Somali Parliament Dissolves Finance Committee (Radio Shabelle)
- New US Airstrike In Somalia Kills 3 Al-Shabaab Extremists (Daily Mail)
- Al-Shabab Frees Two Kenyans After 5 Days In Captivity (Xinhua News)
- An Al-Shabaab Defector Is Pushing The Limits Of Somalia’s Democracy (TNT World)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Council Of Inter-state Cooperation Hails The Senate Report On Political Standoff
28 November – Source: Halbeeg News – 236 Words
The Council of Inter-state Cooperation (CIC) on Wednesday welcomed the Senate report on the dispute between the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and the Federal Member States (FMS). The council hailed the efforts of the Upper House in trying get a lasting solutions to the country’s political crisis.
“While appreciating efforts of the Upper House in executing its constitutional mandate of assessing the root cause of the current standoff between the FGS and FMS, the council welcomes the findings of the Senate and stands by the senators’ proposals aimed at ensuring regional states get good representation” the statement reads in a part.
The council said it will readily support the hard work of the Upper House aimed at resolving the current political impasse in Somalia: “The council is ready to work hand in hand with the Senate on ways of getting a lasting solution to the current differences between the FGS and FMS, while considering the general interest of the Somali people”
The Senate on Tuesday released its report on its findings over the differences between the two levels of government. The report, is based on a fact-finding mission by a select committee of the Upper House, who toured all regions last September. Some of the grievances raised by the regional states include the need to form and build of national army, completion of constitutional review process and the formation of a constitutional court among others.
Somali Parliament Dissolves Finance Committee
28 November – Source: Radio Shabelle – 212 Words
Deputy Speaker of the Lower House, Abdiweli Sheikh Mudey, has dissolved the House Finance, Budget and Planning Committee on Wednesday. A letter from the office of the First Deputy Speaker and seen by Radio Shabelle, said the decision was reached following “huge division” among members, which has marred operations of the significant House committee.
The letter from Mudey, is copied to the Speaker, 2nd deputy Speaker and Members of Parliament, also said the committee violated standing orders the Lower House by submitting a report linking the Finance Ministry to financial mismanagement. The deputy Speaker added that the house will urgently reconstitute the committee.
Members of the dissolved committee, who spoke to the media, dismissed deputy Speaker’s letter saying he had no constitutional power to dissolve a House committee. Mr. Abdullahi Mohamed Nour, who is also the secretary of the committee, claimed the government was behind the move.
He added that Prime Minister Hassan Khaire’s office was responsible for the plot. The Finance and Budget House Committee last week released a report incriminating the Finance Ministry of financial misappropriation. Finance Minister Dr. Abdirahman Beyle was accordingly compelled to appear before the House to explain the alleged disappearance of USD 42 Million from the 2019 budget, which is yet to be approved by Parliament.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
New US Airstrike In Somalia Kills 3 Al-Shabaab Extremists
28 November – Source: Daily Mail – 130 Words
The U.S. military says it has killed three al-Shabab extremists with an airstrike in central Somalia as it continues to attack a new base of operations for the al-Qaida-linked fighters. The U.S. Africa Command statement says Tuesday’s airstrike was carried out “in the vicinity of Quy Cad near Debatscile” in the Mudug region.
The U.S. last week reported several airstrikes in Mudug killed 50 al-Shabab extremists. The group recently relocated to the region as a key training and planning base after the U.S. and allies increased pressure and surveillance further south. The U.S. military has carried out at least 36 airstrikes this year against al-Shabab, one of Africa’s deadliest Islamic extremist groups, which continues to stage deadly attacks in the capital, Mogadishu, and other cities.
Al-Shabab Frees Two Kenyans After 5 Days In Captivity
28 November – Source: Xinhua – 274 Words
Somali militant group, al-Shabab on Wednesday released two Kenyans whom they had kidnapped last week from a village in Wajir County in the northeast region. Mohamed Birik, Northeastern regional commissioner confirmed the release of the two camel herders following successful negotiations between two clans in Somalia. The two were abducted on Nov. 22.
Birik said the herders arrived safely in Khorof Kharar, noting that the government has stepped up security in border towns to avert cross-border incursions by al-Shabab militants. “We have deployed more security personnel on the border areas to prevent a similar incident. Patrols have been enhanced at large,” said the government administrator.
Residents said the herders were abducted after they resisted to pay zakat (Islamic tax or offering) to the militant group that had come to Konton town in the area. According to the residents, the militants had been roaming in the area for at least two days before kidnapping the herders and crossing with them into Somalia.
The unknown number of militants, who accused the herders of grazing animals at the Somali border, also took away six camels belonging to the herders. According to local officials, the incident prompted elders from Degodia-Fai that reside in Wajir to visit the Marehan elders in Somalia to negotiate for the release of the two who were abducted along the Kenyan border while grazing their animals.
The elders managed to secure the release of the victims after five days of negotiations but did no secure the release of their camels. Birik called on the residents to be vigilant and always share information with security agencies to help flush out the al-Qaeda allied terrorist group.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“The onus is on Somalia’s politicians to provide responsive leadership that can instil hope and earn trust, to get them, especially the disgruntled leaders of Al Shabab, interested in what life has to offer after they defect.”
An Al-Shabaab Defector Is Pushing The Limits Of Somalia’s Democracy
28 November – Source: TNT World – 772 Words
A high-ranking former Al Shabab Deputy Leader, Abu Mansoor Robow, is running for regional office in Somalia and it is raising questions about the future of Somali democracy, and how inclusive it should be. An announcement by the former deputy leader of Al Shabab (Sheikh Mukhtar Robow aka Abu Mansoor), to run for the presidency of South West State in Somalia, prompted the Somali Federal Government to object to his candidacy. But the newly formed regional Electoral Commision cleared him to run and announced that the former deputy leader of Al Shabab would be on the ballot.
Abu Mansoor Robow is the highest ranking member to defect from Al Shabab. He was one of the key founders of the Al Shabab movement as well as one of the few remaining veterans who was trained with Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and returned to Somalia. It is obvious now that there is no law or precedence guiding the criteria to ban or allow former defectors to run for political office. One could argue that the absence of an alternative political space for high-ranking defectors might mean there is little option for those who have lost faith in groups like Al Shabab.
But while considering this one must remember that some Somalis are still haunted by memories of Abu Mansoor Robow while he was part of Al Shabab and all the killings that took place under his command. The radical Al Shabab movement has attempted to present itself as grounded in a coherent ideology, that wants to offer the population justice and security. But, its leadership seems to be confused about developing locally or enforcing a global agenda.
One of the most concerning aspects in recent years is that Al Shabab may have taken root outside Somalia and into the extended region as well as in the Somali diaspora. In the beginning, western fighters were present alongside Al Shabab, but over the last few years, there seems to be more East Africans and other African volunteers as well as members of the Somali Diaspora.
Thus the development of movements in countries such as Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, as well as in the Somali diaspora living in some western countries, should be feared. The radicalisation of youth in Somalia and neighbouring countries is a big challenge group as Al Shabab understands that its future depends on its ability to find recruits.
Countering radicalisation requires countering extremist propaganda, reducing youth vulnerability, changing youth perceptions, creating opportunities for youth and reducing socio-political uncertainties. More importantly, is to win the hearts and minds of the Somali people by articulating the argument that radicalisation is largely driven by a unique set of beliefs that are alien to Somalis. More has to be done to refocus the movement and diminish the perception—shared by many Somalis and foreigners—that the conflict with Al Shabab is a part of a larger global phenomenon.