December 10, 2018 | Daily Monitoring Report
President Farmaajo Faces Parliament Impeachment On 8 Counts
10 December – Source: Som Tribune – 294 Words
President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo is facing possible impeachment by federal parliament, following a serious motion submitted by 92 Member of Parliaments on Sunday. The MPs accused the president for violating over a dozen articles of the constitution, as well as other national laws relating to the country’s penal code and bylaws.
The MPs stated that President Farmaajo’s actions were not only premeditated but always self-serving, in order to shore up an undemocratic and dictator-like grip on power. Thereby, totally disregarding proper democratic procedures as expected of the highest office in Somalia. The violation of which the president is accused of are; procedure and process of extradition and exchange of prisoners, the State Penal code, limits and scope of executive powers, abrogation of Somalia’s federalism by actively fighting against the federal states and contravention of security by-laws.
The MPs specifically underlined eight critical areas off infringements detailing specific articles and laws that the president breached. The MPs were also displeased with President Farmaajo for handing over 4 harbors on the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea in June 2018, following ‘economic, political and security cooperation’ agreement between the leaders of Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea signed in Asmara in September and Bahr Dar in November 2018. They also highlighted how the president handed over Ex-colonel Abdikarim Muse Qalbi-dhagah to Ethiopia and the removed of General Abdalla Abdalla from NISA – among other serious transgressions by the president.
Villa Somalia’s open interference in federal-states ‘elections’, notably that of Puntland and Southwest, appear to have underscored a growing resentment against the president and prime minister. Critics accuses that Villa Somalia wishes to install puppet administrations that cannot show to have an independent mind of their own – a situation which precipitated the formation of the Inter-State Cooperation Council.
Key Headlines
- President Farmaajo Faces Parliament Impeachment On 8 Counts (Som Tribune)
- Radio Director Escapes Assassination Attempt In Puntland (Garowe Online)
- Albayrak Group Launch New Equipment To Modernise Mogadishu Port (Halbeeg News)
- EUCAP Somalia: Mission Extended Budget Agreed (EUCAP)
- Somalia Signs UN-backed Plan To Tackle Corruption (Xinhua)
- Somalia’s Government Lays Out Next Steps To Tackle Corruption And Strengthen Accountability With International Community (UNSOM)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Radio Director Escapes Assassination Attempt In Puntland
10 December – Source: Garowe Online – 190 Words
Director General of Daljir Radio station, Ahmed Sheikh Mohamed escaped an assassination on Sunday in Bosaso city. A police officer opened fire on Mr. Mohamed at close range, shortly after he walked out of the Daljir radio’s office building and escaped the shooting. “The policeman deliberately shot a hail of bullets at me from a very close range, in a what seemed to be an assassination attempt on my life,” said Mr. Mohamed.
Police officer Deeq Muse Isse failed attempted assassination of Daljir Director on behest of candidate Asad Osman,” said the station in a statement posted on its Twitter handle. The attack follows after the station broadcasted series of programs critical of Puntland Security Forces (PSF) Director, Mr. Asad Osman Abdullahi who recently announced his bid to run for the presidential election next month.
Mr. Abdullahi became PSF’s boss following the death of his father however did not officially announce his resignation but sources say, that he handed the power over to his brother, Mohamud Osman Abdullahi. Journalists are always targeted in a vicious cycle of attacks in Puntland State, and local security agencies seldom investigate or protect them.
Albayrak Group Launch New Equipment To Modernise Mogadishu Port
09 December – Source: Halbeeg News – 240 Words
Somali Minister of Ports together with other senior government officials attended an event held at Mogadishu port on Saturday. Albayrak, the Turkish firm that manages and maintains the port, displayed new tugboat, to enhance the port operations. The forty-two tons tugboat model, is a powerful small boat that will shepherd the bigger ship and guide them to the dock.
Minister Maryan Aweis, thanked the company for the new development, stating that the modernisation of the facility is crucial for the growth of economy. “The upgrading of the Mogadishu port is significant for our country’s economic growth,” she said.
The director of Albayrak who spoke during the media event said the tugboat would improve the operations of the port. “The machine will help us anchor bigger vessels easily, act as a fire extinguisher and withstand other threats,” Mr. Samil Erol said. He added that the company would continue to enhance the operations of Somalia’s central economic hub as agreed with the government.
Somali parliament awarded Albayrak group to develop and manage the port of Mogadishu for 20 years back in 2014. Under the agreement signed Albayrak holding will receive 45 per cent of the revenue, that it obtains from the port, which has great strategic significance in eastern Africa and gives the remaining 55 per cent to the Somalia government. The port which was among facilities affected by the civil war for the past three decades now operates 24 hours.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
EUCAP Somalia: Mission Extended, Budget Agreed
10 December – Source: EUCAP – 251 Words
The Council extended the mandate of the EU capacity building mission in Somalia, EUCAP Somalia until 31 December 2020. The Council also agreed on a budget of €66.1 million for the period 1 January 2019 until 31 December 2020.
The mission mandate is to enhance Somalia’s maritime civilian law enforcement capacity, through supporting Somali authorities in developing the necessary legislation, strengthening the criminal justice chain in the maritime domain, and providing training and equipment. The mission also provides advice on policy to the Somalia ministry of internal security and the police, in support of initiatives from the EU and international partners.
EUCAP Nestor (now EUCAP Somalia) was launched in July 2012. In December 2016, it was decided that the mission will focus on Somalia to support authorities in strengthening their maritime security capacity in order to enable them to enforce maritime law more effectively, including to counter piracy. EUCAP Somalia is based in Mogadishu and the Head of Mission is Maria-Cristina Stepanescu (of Romania).
EUCAP Somalia is part of the EU’s comprehensive approach to Somalia, which comprises diplomatic efforts, development support, humanitarian aid as well as engagement in the field of rule of law and law enforcement. It includes two complementary missions under the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy: EUNAVFOR Operation ATALANTA contributing to fighting piracy off the Somali coast and EUTM Somalia providing political and strategic level military advice to the Somali authorities and contributing to the development of the Somali National Army (SNA)’s own training capacity.
Somalia Signs UN-backed Plan To Tackle Corruption
10 December – Source: Xinhua – 300 Words
Somalia joined the world on Sunday in marking the International Anti-Corruption Day with the signing of the United Nations-backed plan aimed at tackling the vice in the country. Somalia’s Ministry of Justice and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) inked the Project Initiation Plan (PIP) which aims at strengthening government institutions to fight corruption and promote accountability. “We are on our way to establish an Anti-Corruption Commission; they need a secretariat, they need training, they need help in all aspects,” said minister of justice Hassan Hussein Haji in a statement issued by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM).
The minister who spoke at the United Nations-backed event in Mogadishu announced series of steps to strengthen government’s commitment to combat corruption and reinforce transparency in order to build more accountable institutions. He said the project would particularly enhance accountability in some of the country’s key institutions, such as the Office of the Auditor General, among others, and that it would be followed by more at the end of the PIP. “So, I think this Project Initiation Plan will lead us to develop this institution that will make it easier for us to sign and ratify the UN Convention against Corruption,” Haji said.
George Conway, UNDP Country Director for Somalia, said the newly-signed PIP allows the government to tackle corruption in a comprehensive way. “The PIP builds on significant engagement we have had with the government at federal and state-level for many years, to address issues of good governance, accountability, transparency, support to public financial management and the broader application of the rule of law,” Conway said after the signing ceremony. The PIP will be implemented over a six-month period, after which UNDP will roll out a full multi-year program to support the government of Somalia in its anti-corruption efforts.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“We encourage all branches of Government and the Federal Member States to take measures to protect and expand the integrity and accountability of the management of public finances and resources, as well as to advance the legal and institutional frameworks against corruption, through robust enforcement and punitive measures,”
Somalia’s Government Lays Out Next Steps To Tackle Corruption And Strengthen Accountability With International Community
09 December – Source: UNSOM – 478 Words
As the world marked International Anti-Corruption Day, the Federal Government of Somalia announced today a series of steps to strengthen its commitment to combat corruption and reinforce transparency in order to build more accountable institutions. At a United Nations-backed event in the capital, Mogadishu, to mark the Day, and attended by senior government officials and international development partners, as well as representatives of youth and women’s groups, Somalia’s Federal Minister of Justice and Judiciary Affairs, Hassan Hussein Haji, expressed his government’s commitment to promoting accountability and tackling corruption frontally within its rank and file.
The minister signed a so-called Project Initiation Plan (PIP) between his ministry and the UN Development Programme (UNDP), which aims at strengthening government institutions to fight corruption and promote accountability. “We are on our way to establish an Anti-Corruption Commission; they need a secretariat, they need training, they need help in all aspects. So, I think this Project Initiation Plan will lead us to develop this institution that will make it easier for us to sign and ratify the UN Convention Against Corruption,” Minister Hussein said.
He added that this project would particularly enhance accountability in some of the country’s key institutions, such as the Auditor General’s Office, among others, and that it would be followed by more at the end of the PIP. Speaking on behalf of the United Nations at the gathering today, the UN Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative for Somalia, Peter de Clercq, commended the Federal Government for its efforts to improve transparency, accountability and fight against corruption in public offices.
The UN official also urged it to make progress with the UN Convention against Corruption, the world’s only legally-binding universal anti-corruption instrument, and which has so far 186 signatory countries. “We encourage all branches of Government and the Federal Member States to take measures to protect and expand the integrity and accountability of the management of public finances and resources, as well as to advance the legal and institutional frameworks against corruption, through robust enforcement and punitive measures,” Mr. de Clercq said.
Following the signing ceremony, the UNDP Country Director for Somalia, George Conway, explained that the newly-signed PIP allows the Federal Government to tackle corruption in a comprehensive way. “The PIP builds on significant engagement we have had with the Government at federal and state-level for many years, to address issues of good governance, accountability, transparency, support to public financial management and the broader application of the rule of law,” Mr. Conway said after the signing ceremony.
The Project Initiation Plan will be implemented over a six-month period, after which UNDP will roll out a full multi-year programme to support the government of Somalia in its anti-corruption efforts. Around the globe, 9 December is observed as International Anti-Corruption Day with the aim of raising awareness of corruption and of the role of the Convention in combating and preventing it.
TOP TWEETS
@AhmedKosar1: BREAKING: Somali MP Khalif Abdi Omar claims Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Mursal Abdirahman has been placed under house arrest by #Mogadishu administration; alleges authorities barred some MPs to visit the speaker at his residence. #Somalia
@sntvnews1: The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, HE @M_Farmaajo , welcomed the new Norwegian ambassador to #Somalia, Elin Bargithe Rogneen. @NorwayInSomalia @MofaSomalia @TheVillaSomalia.
@TheVillaSomalia: H.E President @M_Farmaajo today receives credentials from the newly appointed Norwegian Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Somalia, Elin Bergithe Rognlie.
@AbdilatifMaalim: Under the leadership of @M_Farmaajo , Somalia has made progress and will continue to do do so in the face of enormous challenges. It is time the leadership of the House drops the motion.
@taakulosom: The humanitarian agencies are supporting the government where we can’t reach and deliver the services@Awale11 @NGOConsortium @shf_somalia @DM_AID@CISUdk @DanishMFA @coopi @DutchRelief.
@SahraCabdi: Among the MPS who said we r not part of motion against @M_Farmaajo & our names are fabricated r Idiris dhaqtar, Shekh Shaacir, & Huda Axmed.
IMAGE OF THE DAY
President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo received the credentials papers from Norwegian Ambassador to Somalia Ms. Elin Bergithe Rognlie
Photo: @TheVillaSomalia