NATIONAL MEDIA
22 July – Source: Radio Shabelle – 110 Words
Somali armed forces captured three suspected Al-Shabaab members during a military operation carried out in the country’s southern Lower Juba region on Monday. Speaking to the state-run media, the commander of SNA’s 11 brigade, Mohamed Hassan Badal said the suspects have been trying to sneak into Kismayo by traveling on a bus.A tip-off has led to the arrest of the three alleged militants who have been handed over to the security agencies in Kismayo town, he said. This came more than a week after Al-Shabaab attack at a hotel in Kismayo, a coastal city which serves as interim Jubaland state that left 26 people dead, including an American citizen.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
22 July – Source: European Union – 322 Words
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, and the EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Neven Mimica, today announced the signing of an agreement through which the EU commits a further €800 million to support the African Union in its efforts to promote peace, security and stability in Africa within the context of the continued implementation of the African Peace and Security Architecture. “This is a commendable milestone in a long history of EU support to Africa, and is in line with the African Peace and Security Architecture and African-led efforts to silence the guns,” said Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat. “I also commend the African contributions to the recently revitalized Peace Fund, which demonstrates the commitment to African ownership of peace and security operations on the continent.”
Commissioner Neven Mimica said: “Europe remains Africa’s first partner in the area of peace and security. Since 2004, the African Peace Facility has provided €2.7 billion to support African solutions to African problems. Most of the additional €800 million announced today will go to peace support operations led by our African partners.”
Under this phase of the African Peace Facility, the EU will support (i) the strengthening of conflict prevention, management and resolution structures and mechanisms of the African Peace and Security Architecture; (ii) AU efforts to establish a continental Human Rights and international humanitarian law compliance framework; (iii) an Early Response Mechanism which will provide the African Union with quick funding for preventive diplomacy initiatives, mediation, fact-finding missions, and the first stages of peace support operations; (iv) the financing of African-led peace support operations, such as the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against Boko Haram, the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) or the G5 Sahel Joint Force specifically, with regard to capacity building, troop allowances, non-lethal equipment. It will also support efforts of the AU to promote gender and human rights principles and practices in peace support operations.
22 July – Source: UN Assistance Mission in Somalia and UN Office of the SRSG on Sexual Violence in Conflict – 416 Words
United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Mrs. Pramila Patten, conducted a five-day visit to Somalia from 14 to 18 July 2019 at the invitation of the Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia. The purpose of her visit was to take stock of ongoing efforts; gain first-hand knowledge of persistent challenges and engage with national authorities on how best to support their efforts in addressing conflict-related sexual violence and ensure effective implementation of the Joint Communiqué signed between the Government and the United Nations in 2013.
Accompanied by Her Excellency, Deqa Yasin, Minister of Women and Human Rights Development, Special Representative Patten visited Baidoa where she met with the President of South West State, several members of his Cabinet as well as representatives of civil society organizations. She also met with social workers who are working on an innovative Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration pilot project, supported by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), aimed at providing much needed support to women and girls formerly associated with Al Shabab.
In Mogadishu, Special Representative Patten held constructive meetings with the Deputy Prime Minister, National Security Advisor, Speakers of Parliament, including the Upper House, and the Human Rights Committees of both Houses of Parliament as well as the Attorney-General. Although she was not able to meet with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence due to severe security constraints, her engagement with civil society organizations, including women’s grassroots organizations and service providers in both Baidoa and Mogadishu provided ample insight into the immense protection challenges faced by survivors, particularly in displacement settings.
The visit concluded with an express commitment by the Government to work with the United Nations, and the Office of the Special Representative to develop a new National Action Plan to End Sexual Violence in Conflict for the implementation of the Joint Communiqué. Special Representative Patten stressed the importance of the engagement of justice and security sector actors, as well as civil society, religious and traditional leaders in the development of the new National Action Plan, which should incorporate essential elements of Security Council resolution 2106 (2013) which outlines the nexus between terrorism and conflict-related sexual violence, and 2467 (2019) which calls for a holistic survivor-centered approach.
“My dialogue with the national authorities was frank and constructive; they did not deny or downplay the gravity of the crimes of sexual violence. Such acknowledgement is critical as no problem in human history has ever been resolved through silence and denial” stated Special Representative Patten.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“Bank Group President Akinwumi Adesina believes the grants would help improve quality of life, inclusiveness and engender resilience in the communities, especially in Kismayo and Baidoa, where an estimated 65 percent of the population lives below the poverty line and 70 percent is younger than 30 years and unemployed. “…We should look at the whole issue of fragility and transition states in a more comprehensive way. We need to do a lot more engagement; we need to work aggressively to help these countries,” Adesina told Board members during the approval process.”
23 July – Source: devdiscourse – 560 Words
The African Development Bank Group’s Board of Directors on 19 July 2019 approved grants of $28.86 million for water and sanitation and roads projects designed to improve livelihoods in Somalia and boost the East African country’s resilience. The grants, consisting of $11.99 million from the Bank’s Transition States Facility (TSF) for an urban water and sanitation project for the Kismayo and Baidoa towns, and $16.86 million for the rehabilitation of roads, underscore sustained efforts by the Bank Group, especially the African Development Fund (ADF), to tackle fragility in the Horn of Africa. Of the total $28.86 million, the Italian Cooperation contributed $5.22 million through the TSF, split into $1.57 million for the water and sanitation project and $3.66 million for the roads project.
The Kismayo-Baidoa water supply and sanitation project will boost access to potable water, improved sanitation and strengthen capacity for related delivery services in Jubbaland and southwest states of Somalia. The Road Infrastructure Project is expected to enhance connectivity through rehabilitation of some 247 km of roads, in addition to the construction of a new 100 km feeder road. The European Commission is also providing a grant of $47.11 million for the road infrastructure project, giving a total of $63.97 million that will be invested under this program.
Bank Group President Akinwumi Adesina believes the grants would help improve quality of life, inclusiveness and engender resilience in the communities, especially in Kismayo and Baidoa, where an estimated 65 percent of the population lives below the poverty line and 70 percent is younger than 30 years and unemployed. “…We should look at the whole issue of fragility and transition states in a more comprehensive way. We need to do a lot more engagement; we need to work aggressively to help these countries,” Adesina told Board members during the approval process. He commended the role of the African Development Bank, through the utilization of the ADF resources, in fragile environments, saying it showed the commitment of the Bank to impact livelihoods in line with the Bank’s High 5 priorities. “It’s important we do what we are doing in order to build their resilience,” he added.
Poverty levels in Somalia are extremely high, with about 50 percent of the population living below the poverty line. It is aggravated by widespread insecurity and natural disasters, like floods and droughts. The Bank Group has over the years played a key role in supporting infrastructure development and promoting regional integration in the Horn of Africa and in its Regional Member Countries. Currently, it has 12 ongoing projects in Somalia with a total commitment of $109.13 million in agriculture, water and sanitation, multi- and social sectors.
Bank Deputy Regional Director-General, East Africa, Nnenna Nwabufo said the water and sanitation project will propel Somalia towards Sustainable Development Goals on universal access to water and sanitation. It will benefit around 200,000 urban and peri-urban people living in Kismayo and Baidoa, which are experiencing a high influx of internally displaced persons, resulting in high youth unemployment, leading to increased fragility. Despite decades of war and conflict that have affected its economy, the country has taken decisive steps to rebuild itself. “Somalia is showing promising signs of increased stabilization through the formation of recognized state institutions, fostering a country-owned and led approach to transition from fragility,” she said. |
