April 29, 2013 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Public consultation on Human Rights issues begins in Mogadishu

28 Apr – Source: Radio Kulmiye/RBC Radio – 124 words

The first public consultation on Somalia’s Human Rights issues began in Mogadishu on Sunday. It was called for by a parliamentarian sub-committee on Human rights and Humanitarian affairs. The public consultation was officially opened by the deputy speaker of the Somali Federal Parliament Jeylani Nur Ikar who emphasized the need for the parliament to improve the human rights issues in Somalia. MP Abdirahman Hoosh Jibril, member of the parliamentary committee on Human Rights said that the public consultation aimed to hear views and comments from different segments of the society.

Key Headlines

President Hassan visits Puntland ahead of London Conference (Office of the Somali President)
Somali and Kenyan Presidents in bilateral meeting ahead of London Conference (Office of the Somali President)
President Hassan receives warm welcome in first visit to Puntland (Garowe Online)
Public consultation on human rights issues begins in Mogadishu ( Radio Kulmiye)
A special meeting addressing peace in Somalia held in Mogadishu (Shabelle)
Former TFG prime minister calls on Jubbaland presidential candidates to compromise (Raxanreeb)
President Silanyo meets with High Level State Department officials (Somaliland Press)
Stability in Somalia key to peace in Kenya says President (KBC )

PRESS STATEMENT

President Hassan visits Puntland ahead of London Conference

28 Apr – Source: Office of the Somali President – 186 words

H.E. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of the Republic of Somalia, was warmly welcomed in Garowe today by the President of Puntland, H.E. Dr Abdirahman Sheikh Mahamud Farole, and his Ministers, as he began a short working visit.

President Hassan is visiting Puntland ahead of the London Conference to discuss a wide range of issues and brief President Farole on the deliverables of the Conference. The visit is part of a tour of all the regions of Somalia.

The President said: “I am committed to continue the dialogue and political outreach to all communities in Somalia as we continue to achieve our goal of a federal Somalia at peace with itself and our neighbours. “I congratulate Puntland on the process underway to deliver the first democratic multi party local elections in June.

“The London Conference on 7th May will be focused on our plans for national unity, security sector reform, judicial development and the establishment of effective public finance management systems, and how the wider international community can support us. “The London Conference is for all of Somalia and all Somalis will benefit from its outcomes.”

Somali and Kenyan Presidents in bilateral meeting ahead of London Conference

27 Apr – Source: Office of the Somali President – 200 words

The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia H.E. Hassan Sh. Mohamud had a short working visit to Mombasa to meet with his counterpart H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta, the President of Kenya.

The President was accompanied by the Deputy Prime Minister/Minister for Foreign Affairs H.E. Fowzia Haji Yusuf Adam and Minister for the State-House H.E. Farah Sh, Abdulkadir.

The President said, “We have had a very good bilateral discussion today concerning a wide range of issues of mutual interest. We have many shared interests and a determination to see the region continue to progress towards peace and prosperity.

“We have talked about the need to stand firmly together against the global problem of extremism and terrorism, and we are committed to removing the scourge of Al Shabaab, to defeating them and preventing any spread of their malignant ideology.

“I have also taken the opportunity to brief President Kenyatta on the aims and objectives of the London Conference coming up next week.” At the end President Hassan stated, “We have talked about the need for Somali refugees in Kenya to return to Somalia as soon as the time is right and preparations have been properly made.”

SOMALI MEDIA

President Hassan receives warm welcome in first visit to Puntland

28 Apr – Source Garowe Online/Hiiraan Online/Radio Kulmiye – 146 words

Somali President Hassan Sheikh arrived in the administrative capital of Garowe on his first trip to Puntland and met with Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole on Sunday, Garowe Online reports. SFG President Hassan leading a delegation which included Minister State Minister for the Presidential Palace Farah Sheikh Abdiqadir arrived at Garowe International Airport on Sunday where they were welcomed by President Farole, Vice President Abdisamad Ali Shire, Commander of the Puntland Defense Forces Gen. Saeed Mohamed Hersi, Ministers, MPs and a crowd of citizens.

Former TFG prime minister calls on Jubbaland presidential candidates to compromise

28 Ap – Source: Raxanreeb – 105 words

The former Prime Minister of Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, Omar Abdurrahid Sharmarke who is currently a member of the Jubbaland conference-organizing committee has called on Jubbaland presidential candidates to compromise for each other. Speaking in a press conference he held in Kismayo Mr. Abdurrashid stated that if the candidates did not concede, it will cause the whole process to collapse and will lead to the federal government to assume the conference.

Public consultation on Human Rights issues begins in Mogadishu

28 Apr – Source: Radio Kulmiye/RBC Radio – 124 words

A special meeting addressing peace in Somalia held in Mogadishu

26 Apr – Source: Shabelle – 98 words

A meeting attended by foreign leaders of AMISOM’s troop-contributing countries was held in Aden Adde airport in Mogadishu. The meeting was also attended by leaders of Somalia, top officials from Turkey and United Kingdom. A closed indoor meeting which lasted an hour was held inside the airport following which the UK’s special advisor on security and his counterpart from Somalia addressed the media.

General Galal urges change in strategy to fight al Shabaab

26 Apr – Source: Radio Shabelle – 101 words

General Mohamed Nur Galal whas said that the strategy to fight al Shabaab needs to be reviewed. The General said that al Shabaab adopted a new way of fighting referring to as guerilla warfare. He added that it will be hard to eliminate al Shabaab in the country if this strategy is not changed. He requested the federal government to make changes in its strategy and adopt a new style of fighting the militia group.

President Silanyo meets with High Level State Department officials

27 Apr – Source: Somaliland Press – 118 words

The Under Secretary for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman and Acting Assistant Secretary Donald Yamamoto in charge of the Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs, the division in the Department focused on the development and management of U.S. policy concerning the continent met with Somaliland President Ahmed Mohamed Mahmoud (Silanyo) in the state department, Washington DC.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Stability in Somalia key to peace in Kenya, says President

28 Apr – Source: KBC – 157 words

President Uhuru Kenyatta has Thursday reiterated that Kenya’s only interest in Somalia is to bring peace and stability in the country. President Kenyatta said that peace and Stability in Somalia is in the interest not only of the people of Somalia but the entire horn of Africa region. Speaking at State House Nairobi during a meeting with the chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, the President said that the Kenyan forces are operating under the umbrella of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to restore normalcy.

EU condemns assassination of Somalia”s Deputy Chief Prosecutor

28 Apr – Source: Kuwait News Agency – 89 words

EU High Representative Catherine Ashton Saturday expressed her “deep sadness” to hear of the reported shooting and death of Somalia’s Deputy Chief Prosecutor, Ahmed Malim Sheikh Nur. “The High Representative utterly condemns such attacks, which in no way should diminish the remarkable progress in the country,” noted Michael Mann, spokesman for Ashton, in a written statement. The EU is fully committed to working closely with the government and the wider international community in supporting the development of security and the rule of law in Somalia, added the brief statement.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Kenya reaffirms commitment to support Somalia

28 Apr – Source: Global Times/Xinhua – 137 words

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday reaffirmed the country’s willingness to support Somalia in the reconstruction process. Speaking in Mombasa on Saturday when he held talks with visiting Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Kenyatta noted that a lot of progress has been achieved to stabilize and pacify the Horn of Africa nation under the leadership of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. He said they shared on the need to include all sectors of the State of Somalia in the establishment of governance and other important programs to stabilize the Horn of Africa country.

Mail services could soon resume in Somalia

27 Apr – Source: Universal Postal Union – 133 words

Under a memorandum of understanding, the parties committed to negotiating the details of an agreement that would see Dubai act as a hub for handling mail destined for Somalia in future. Abdullahi E. Hersi, Somali minister of information, posts, telecommunication and transports, and Emirates Post president, Fahad al Hosani, signed the memorandum on April 22 with the UPU director general, Bishar A. Hussein, present.

Uganda on alert over Somali Islamist threat

26 Apr – Source: AFP – 150 words

Ugandan police said Friday they had received credible information that Somalia’s Al Qaeda-linked Shebab group was planning an attack in Uganda. “We have received information that Shabab terrorists… plan to carry out attacks within the eastern Africa region and in particular Uganda,” police spokesperson Judith Nabakooba said at a press conference. “Together with other security agencies, we are verifying this information that we take to be credible,” she said, adding that Uganda’s services were “activating measures to avert the evil plans of these dangerous criminals.”

Militants kill Somali prosecutor, threaten more

26 Apr – Source: Reuters – 137 words

Islamist militants killed Somalia’s deputy chief prosecutor and will target more judiciary staff while the government tries to reform the courts, a militant spokesman said on Friday. The al Shabaab rebel group, which is linked to al Qaeda, has fought for six years to impose its strict interpretation of Islamic law, or sharia, on Somalia. The shooting of Ahmed Sheikh Nur Maalin, Somalia’s deputy national prosecutor, on Thursday followed a wave of suicide bombings and shootings earlier this month in which 30 people were killed.

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS

“The time span Somalia will graduate from the failed/fragile situation will depend on the determination of the Somali people for unity, cooperation and common agenda for the ultimate purpose of national economic prosperity.”

Somalia’s priority: national integration for economic recovery

27 Apr – Source: Hiiraan Online – 1700 Words

After years of overlooking the real needs of the Somali people, it is significant change longed-for that Somalia’s statebuilding featured in the strategic agenda of the key actors of the International Community (IC), namely the G8 powers[1]in their ministerial meeting held in London on April 11, 2013, under the UK Chairmanship. The Ministerial decisions will be ratified by the 39th Summit of G8 heads of government planned for June 17-18, 2013 in Lough Erne, UK. This political commitment marks the definitive shift on the part of the IC from the exclusive regional and international security concerns to the broad goal of rebuilding Somalia. To not miss this special opportunity for their common future, Somalis must accelerate their national integration for sustainable economic recovery and development.

“In the midst of violence and now a fragile peace, Somaliland’s people have protected — and will continue to advance — our cause of freedom and security because we know their true value. In partnership with our neighbors and with the support of the international community, we can ensure that the entirety of the Horn of Africa will experience the peace and stability that we have in Somaliland.”

The Safe Haven Next Door

27 Apr- Source: Foreign Policy-786 Words

The Horn of Africa has endured decades of violent repression, civil war, terrorism, and piracy. But after a period of neglect, the international community has taken preliminary steps to restore political stability in the region.

This new approach is evident in Somalia, where a new government, with support from the United States and others, is making a concerted effort to move forward. There are signs of progress. Expatriate technocrats are returning to help rebuild. Piracy off the coast of Somalia has diminished, with attacks falling from 239 in 2010 to 46 in 2012. The British Embassy recently reopened its long-shuttered doors. Yet the country’s stability remains fragile, as witnessed just days ago when al-Shabab terrorists bombed Mogadishu’s judicial complex, taking the lives of 29 innocent people and injuring more than 40 others.