NATIONAL MEDIA
2 July – Source: Halbeeg – 213 Words
Somali President, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo hosted foreign diplomats serving their nations’ interest in the country on Monday. The ambassadors of countries with diplomatic missions in the country and international bodies, such as the African Union envoy were present at a dinner hosted by the Villa Somalia to mark the 59th anniversary of the Somali Independence.
The head of state told the representatives that, despite decades of security challenges, the country is on the right path to recovery. The President appreciated the unwavering support received from the members of the international community towards his government in its quest to stability and development in the horn of the African nation. Somali leader said the Federal government is committed to strengthening bilateral relations with its international community partners.
1 July – Source: Radio Ergo – 423 Words
An acute water shortage in a village in central Somalia’s Mudug region is affecting more than 1,000 families, some of whom have left their homes in search of water. Hirsi Omar Hassan, the chief of Tulo-Barwaqo, said the borehole pump broke down two weeks ago and could not be repaired. They tried to raise money locally but the price for a new pump was out of reach at $40,000. Hirsi said the villagers survive, mostly pastoralists, had the option of buying water trucked in from Galdogob town, 34 km away, or moving away. “When the pump was in operation we had water free of charge but people have been forced to contribute money to pay for the tanker. Water is very scarce,” the chief said. The village borehole normally supplies several other villages in the area as well. Water is selling at $7 for 200 litres.
Farhiya Ahmed Mohamud, who is seven months pregnant, walked all day and night with her 10 children to reach Hero-Jalle village, the nearest source of free water. “Life in our village was miserable. You could hardly get water to drink, let alone washing and bathing. Although water is supplied by tankers you have to pay cash, they won’t give credit. I had no cash so I decided to move,” said Farhiya.
Only 10 of her family’s herd of 200 animals survived the 2016-17 drought. She said about 80 families had made the same move to find water but they were not running short of food. “Though we get adequate water, life is hard. For the last six days, I have been surviving on the little food I had with me but it is about to get finished and all the other families are the same,” she told Radio Ergo.
Abdi Jama’a Yussuf is still in Tulo-Barwaqo with his nine-member family but is preparing to move. “I have just $75 which I saved from the Care International cash distribution I had for six months. The cash programme stopped in May,” he said. “I know if I spend the little money I have I will not get water from the tankers on credit so I have to move with the livestock and the children,” said Abdi, who has 150 goats and two bull camels he uses for transport.
1 July – Source: Goobjoog – 136 Words
Michael Richard Pompeo, the United States Secretary of State has congratulated the Federal Government of Somalia for its 59th Independence Anniversary on July 1.
“On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I send my best wishes to the people of Somalia as you celebrate your national day on July 1,” said Michael Richard in a statement.
The statement further added: “On this day especially, we congratulate all Somalis on your resilience and determination to rebuild your country into a peaceful and prosperous nation.” The U.S. government said it is proud to support these efforts, including collaborating on economic development, promoting democracy and good governance, and building capable security forces to combat terrorism. The statement further noted that the U.S. looks forward to deepening enduring partnership to advance these shared goals.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
PRESS STATEMENT
2 July – Source: US Mission in Somalia – 128 Words
The United States will partially resume the provision of security assistance to non-mentored units of the Somali National Army (SNA). This resumption will be implemented on a pilot basis with a unit taking part in critical transition operations in Lower Shabelle.
On the basis of internal reforms made by the Federal Government of Somalia and an inspection of the recipient unit, the United States assesses that the Federal Government of Somalia and the SNA have undertaken significant efforts to improve accountability over donor resources.
The United States, in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, paused assistance to non-mentored units of the Somali National Army in December 2017. This resumption of assistance demonstrates our confidence that the FGS and SNA will continue to improve accountability and fight corruption.
2 July – Source: African News – 117 Words
Qatar Airways’ first flight from Doha to Mogadishu landed at Aden Abdulle International Airport in the Somali capital on Monday. The company has joined the growing list of foreign airlines operating flights in Somalia.
“I am truly honoured to be here today to inaugurate our new road. We have responded to the growing demand from customers for services to Somalia and from today we will fly three times a week between Mogadishu and Doha,” Vice President of Middle East, Africa and Pakistan of Qatar Airways, Ehab Amin said.
For many, this new investment is a gesture of Qatar’s commitment to the African continent. The airline operates 127 flights a week to 22 destinations in five African countries.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
1 July – Source: Aquila Style – 957 Words
Over the last 20 years, Somalia has been home to some of the worst humanitarian crises the modern world has ever witnessed. These days, hard-line militants continue to spread fear throughout the country. In the midst of the lawlessness, one incredible woman stared into the eyes of the warlords and bravely stood up to their violent attacks.
She is Dr Hawa Abdi Diblaawe, Somalia’s first female obstetrician/gynaecologist (OB/GYN) and longstanding saint of her country. Born in 1947 in Mogadishu, Dr. Hawa is the eldest of five female siblings. At the age of 12, she witnessed her mother’s death during childbirth. This forced her to grow up fast to take care of her sisters and inspired her to become a doctor to save other mothers. She was very fortunate to have an educated father who made sure that she pursued her dream. In the 1960s, at only 17, Dr Hawa won a Soviet scholarship to study medicine in Kyiv, Ukraine and became an OB/GYN at a young age. After completing a law degree at the Somali National University, she opened a one-room clinic in 1983 on her family’s ancestral farmland near the town of Afgooye, 25km west of Mogadishu.
When civil war broke out in 1991, Somalia eventually collapsed to become an ungoverned, famine-stricken land. But Dr Hawa’s spirit remained intact. She began to house people on her 1,300 acres of farmland as it was a ‘safe zone’, and the nearest place from Mogadishu to get drinking water. Dr Hawa fed and cared for the injured, sick and malnourished. She then did the same for their friends, followed by the friends of their friends. The land quickly became a haven for thousands of people in the middle of the gruelling war. Twenty years later, the farmland is a refugee camp that shelters approximately 90,000 people, mostly women and children of all tribes, while the clinic has now grown into the free-of-charge Hawa Abdi Hospital. The two-story building has 400 beds, operating theatres, and several other doctors to assist Dr Hawa. Two of the most important are her daughters, Dr Amina Mohamed Abdi, and Dr Deqa Mohamed Abdi, who is also an OB/GYN.
But the riveting story that turned the world’s eyes on her was the story of Dr Hawa’s fearless confrontation with a ruthless hard-line militia. On the morning of May 5, 2010, she heard gunshots and saw that hundreds of gunmen had surrounded her land. The Hizbul Islam, or Islamic Party (since merged with al-Shabaab), had decided to ban women from running anything significant. Dr Hawa, who had become a leader to so many in her compound, infuriated them. The thugs seized the hospital by force and chaos ensued. Accounts of the attack describe bullets tearing through the walls, causing panicked mothers to rip intravenous tubes from their babies to flee the hospital, regardless of their medical conditions. One woman was spotted crawling away in the middle of giving birth, while another burst her Caesarian stitches as she ran. Two dozen malnourished children reportedly died in the bush after their families fled. Dr Hawa herself was detained by five militia leaders in a room inside her camp. |
