December 19, 2013 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

UN Envoy to Somalia condemns killing of doctors

18 Dec- Source: UNSOM- 159 words

The Special Representative for the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for Somalia, Nicholas Kay, has strongly condemned the killing of six people outside Mogadishu earlier today.

Reports indicate that a convoy carrying medical personnel to a health facility west of the capital came under attack by unknown gunmen who killed four doctors – one Somali and three Syrians – and a Somali driver and guard. At least two other passengers were seriously wounded.

“Somalia, still struggling to build up its health services, relies on the goodwill of NGOs and medical personnel who work in incredibly difficult conditions to save Somali lives,” SRSG Kay said. “I condemn this attack and those who continue to seek to halt the country’s progress; I urge the Federal Government of Somalia to thoroughly investigate this heinous crime and bring those responsible to justice.”

SRSG Kay sends his sincere condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives, and wishes those injured a speedy recovery.

Key Headlines

Gen. Gutti hands over AMISOM command (New Vision)
Somali politician and peace activist receives international award (Radio Bar-kulan)
Prominent elder shot dead in Galkayo town (Radio Dalsan)
First ever Royal Navy drone launched in £30million mission to stop Somali pirates (Express)
Al-Shabab in long-running battle with Twitter ()Aljazeera)
Somaliland exiled members of Awdal State welcomed in Borama (Somaliland Press)

PRESS STATEMENT

UN Envoy to Somalia condemns killing of doctors

18 Dec- Source: UNSOM- 159 words

The Special Representative for the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for Somalia, Nicholas Kay, has strongly condemned the killing of six people outside Mogadishu earlier today.

SRSG Kay sends his sincere condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives, and wishes those injured a speedy recovery.

SOMALI MEDIA

Somali politician and peace activist receives international award

18 Dec- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 132 words

Somali politician and peace activist, Asha Haji Elmi has on Tuesday received an international accolade in Malawi for her contribution towards empowering women in Somalia. She was among four distinguished African women recognized for their outstanding achievements towards ensuring that women claim their rightful places in the society. Elmi, a member of the federal parliament and wife of former Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon received the award from President Joyce Band of Malawi in Lilongwe. President Band praised Asha Haji Elmi for her commitment towards improving the lives of the Somali women in the war-torn Horn of African nation. Elmi has previously won international awards for her role in the society. The other three are Folorunsho Alakija of Nigeria, Mrs. Litha Ogana from Kenya and Anastanzia Msosa, the Chief Justice of Malawi.

Prominent elder shot dead in Galkayo town

18 Dec- Source: Radio Dalsan- 101 words

A well known Somali elder was shot and killed in Galkayo by unidentified gunmen who immediately escaped. Eyewitnesses in Galkacyo confirmed that gunmen shot and killed the elder Abdi Farah Ahmed near his home as they immediately escaped from the scene. A woman who was near to the place was also killed in the attack. The assassination took place in Garsor village, a northern side of the town of Galkayo. It was not immediately known what the motive of the attack.

Somaliland exiled members of Awdal State welcomed in Borama

18 Dec- Source: Somaliland Informer/Somaliland Press- 104 words

Former exiled members of Awdal state accompanied by Somaliland government officials have arrived in Borama, the regional capital city of Awdal on Wednesday. The members have returned to Somaliland after it reached an agreement following they abandoned the idea of achieving state within Somaliland by the name of Awdal State. The deal struck by the members of exiled Awdal State and Somaliland government was brokered by the regional governor of Borama which ended the members to return to their home. The delegation that arrived in the city was headed by Rashid Aw Nour who was the head of the exiled members of Awdal state.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Al-Shabaab in long-running battle with Twitter

18 Dec- Source: Aljazeera- 895 words

More than two months after their last account on Twitter was suspended, al-Shabab – the Somali rebel group fighting the UN-backed government in Mogadishu – opened a new account on Monday, their seventh since September. But their latest handle was shut down just six hours later. It appears Twitter and al-Shabaab have resumed their virtual fight. The group’s last account was suspended after it claimed responsibility for the Nairobi Westgate mall attack that left more than 60 people dead. As people across the world were glued to their TV screens in search of updates about Nairobi’s Westgate Mall, which was under siege by gunmen from al-Shabab in September, another intense battle was taking place away from their silver screens.

Gen. Gutti hands over AMISOM command

18 Dec- Source: New Vision- 339 words

Lieutenant General Andrew Gutti has handed over as the overall force commander of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to Burundian Lieutenant General Silas Ntigurirwa. Lt. Gen. Ntingurirwa from Burundi National Defense Forces (BNDF) on Monday took over command of the military component of AMISOM. The handover was presided over by the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for Somalia, Ambassador Mahamat Saleh Annadif, took place in Mogadishu, according to an AU press statement.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

First ever Royal Navy drone launched in £30million mission to stop Somali pirates

18 Dec- Source:Express 734 words
The Scaneagle unmanned aerial system (UAS) was launched from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Cardigan Bay in the Gulf and flew to a height of up to 19,500ft. The UAS was then brought back by a pilot on the ship using remote controls after it had acted as an eye in the sky over the horizon. The Scaneagle is one of two in a £30million deal with Boeing and each UAS will fly up to 300 hours a month. The UAS is catapulted off the back of ships and then recovered by flying them back to be caught by a wire extended over the side. It is expected to be used shortly to spot pirates threatening shipping in the Indian Ocean.

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“I hope you will represent a transformational leadership, a leadership which can adapt change. Transformational leadership is the key to success and it can help the Somali nation to survive and thrive.”

An open letter to Prime Minister Abdiweli Sh. Ahmed

17 Dec- Source: Wardheer News- 694 words

Dear Mr. Prime Minister,
Mr. Prime Minister, are you ready for the challenge?

I have no doubt about your qualifications and abilities in being a good prime minister. I congratulate you for the new job.

In the real sense, since late 1980, we did not have a ‘functioning’ Somali state. There cannot be a ‘government’ (the soul) without a state (the body). As you are trying to represent the soul (government), you need a body (the state) to fit.

You need to start a process which can help transform the Somali ‘non-functioning stateliness’ into a functioning state. The scheme of the process should advocate a process and not just one event (not only for your term). The process should define a means to an end and not an end in itself. It requires a vision which considers the rehabilitation of social fabrics so to lay down the rehabilitation of the state.