February 15, 2017 | Morning Headlines
Galmudug Forces Engage In Deadly Gunfight With Al-Shabaab In Central Somalia
14 February – Source: Garowe Online – 185 Words
Galmudug state forces have engaged in a deadly gunfight with the Al Qaida-linked Al-Shabaab militants near Amara town in Mudug region on Tuesday, Garowe Online reports.Sources confirmed that at least seven people were killed, and a dozen others wounded in Tuesday’s clashes which erupted in Adaley locality, located about 5 kilometers away from Amara district.The battle broke out after Galmudug forces moved from Amara area, and were heading to the rebel-held coastal town of Harardere, but came under ambush attack by armed Al-Shabaab fighters, according to local residents.
A resident who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Garowe Online over the phone that Galmudug troops retreated to Amare town after deadly fighting against Al Shabaab militants who showed stiff resistance.The latest reports reaching Garowe Online from the battle area indicated that US drones are hovering over areas held by Al-Shabaab in Mudug region, and no air strike was so far reported.Galmudug Security Minister, Osman Isse Nur Tardhuled said their troops are slowly advancing to rebel positions in Mudug region, including Harardere, which has been under Al-Shabaab control in the past eight years.
Key Headlines
- Galmudug Forces Engage In Deadly Gunfight With Al-Shabaab In Central Somalia (Garowe Online)
- Somalia Dismisses Somaliland-UAE Military Base Deal (Goobjoog News)
- Late former Puntland President Honoured With State Funeral In Bosaso (Garowe Online)
- Global Charity Group Warns Of Famine In Somalia (Xinhua)
- UNHCR Repatriates 4753 Somali Refugees In 2 Weeks (China.org)
- Will New Reformer Somali President Overcome The Huge Challenges? (The East African)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Somalia Dismisses Somaliland-UAE Military Base Deal
14 February – Source:Goobjoog News – 260 Words
Somalia’s Auditor General Nuur Farah Jim’aale has rubbished the pact between Somaliland and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to set up a military base in the port of Berbera.Somaliland Parliament on Sunday voted in favour of the agreement which allows the UAE to use the base located in the port and airport for 25 years.Jim’aale said the controversial agreement was an affront to diplomatic relations between Somalia and the UAE.“We call on the government of UAE to stop interference of Somali affairs and the division of Somali territory,” said Jim’aale.
He accused the UAE government of signing two deals with the breakaway Somaliland administration without consent of Somali federal government.“This is the second time the Emirati government is inking a deal with the administration of Somaliland inside hotels in its country,” said the auditor.
He warned that the agreement would cause challenges to the region including insecurity and socio-economic problems.“The area will be a military zone, the residents who are living and working there would face difficulties and will be restricted,” said Jim’aale.
The UAE embassy in Mogadishu has not issued a statement on the matter but told Goobjoog News the Ambassador will respond when he returns to the country.The plan for the military base follows a multi million dollar 30-year contract for the UAE ports operator DP World to manage Berbera port, Somaliland’s largest last year.The former British protectorate declared independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991 and has succeeded in establishing peace and stability but it has no international recognition.
Late former Puntland President Honoured With State Funeral In Bosaso
14 February – Source:Garowe Online -168 Words
A plane carrying the body of the late former Puntland state President, Mahmoud Muse Hiris, who died at 80 years in UAE, has arrived to Bosaso city on Tuesday, whereas top Puntland state and Somali government officials were present to attend the state funeral, Garowe Online reports.
Puntland President, Abdiwali Mohamed Ali “Gaas”, outgoing Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, State Parliament leadership, state ministers and prominent clan elders have taken part in the state funeral.During the funeral officials have expressed condolence to the family and Somali people for losing a leader who dedicated his life to serve his country and fellow citizens.
Hirsi was born in Mogadishu and joined the military service and later was promoted to higher ranks during the past military regime of Siyad Bare. In 2005, he was elected as the second President of semi-autonomous region of Puntland, and held the office for 4 years till 2009.The new President of Federal Government of Somalia,Mohamed Abdulahi Farmajo has extended his condolence to Puntland and Somali people.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Global Charity Group Warns Of Famine In Somalia
14 February – Source: Xinhua – 258 Words
An international charity on Tuesday warned of a potential famine in parts of Somalia without funding to support millions of food insecure people.CARE International said consecutive droughts over the last two years, exacerbated by one of the strongest El Nino events ever recorded, have completely depleted people’s food supplies and killed their livestock.”We are observing the same warning signs that preceded the famine in Somalia six years ago,” CARE’s Country Director in Somalia Raheel Nazir Chaudhary warned in a statement
Despite repeated early warnings in 2011, the response to that crisis was too slow, and more than 260,000 people have died, according to the statement.The charity said prices for livestock, families’ main income, have plunged by 70-85 percent, while prices for water and food have skyrocketed.In some areas, the price for a barrel of water has risen from 2 U.S. dollars before the drought to 10 dollars today.”A threefold increase in water costs means it is out of reach for a vast majority of households. We are already seeing people spending half their income on water and many families are forced to migrate in search for food and pasture,” Chaudhary said.
According to CARE’s latest assessments in Somalia, families have to sell goats for 15 dollars whereas they could earn 70 dollars before the drought.”The forecasts are bleak. If it won’t rain in the coming months, famine will become a possibility in Somalia. We need funding now to prevent families from tipping over the edge into severe hunger,” Chaudhary said.
UNHCR Repatriates 4,753 Somali Refugees In 2 Weeks
14 February – Source: China.org – 369 Words
The UN refugee agency said on Tuesday that it has repatriated some 4,753 Somali refugees in Kenya by road between Jan. 16-31 before a court suspended the closure of the world’s largest refugee camp in northeast Kenya.The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in its bi-weekly Update that in total as of Jan. 31, 44, 365 Somali refugees had returned home since December 8, 2014 when the UN agency started supporting voluntary return of refugees in Kenya.”During the reporting period, 4,753 refugees were supported to voluntarily return to Somalia by road. Road convoys are organized from Dadaab to Dhobley on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays,” it said.
According to UNHCR, flight transporting returnees to Mogadishu remained temporarily suspended during the month of January owing to the security situation in Mogadishu during the current presidential election process in Somalia.During the period under review, the UNHCR said it the Voluntary Repatriation Cross Border Meeting was held on Jan. 31 to deliberate on security situation in the 12 areas of return, the impact of drought on repatriation and reintegration process, cross-border peace building projects and enhancing provision of country of origin information as well as monitoring and management of cases of returnees with specific needs.
The UN refugee agency also said ten flights were organized during the period under review, transporting 1,030 non-Somali refugees to Kalobeyei at the Kakuma camp in northwest Kenya.The latest report comes after Kenyan High Court blocked the government’s decision to shut down Dadaab refugee camp which mainly hosts Somalis, terming the move as unconstitutional.High Court Justice John Mativo in his ruling termed the directive by Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery and his Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho as arbitrary, null and void.
OPINION, CULTURE & ANALYSIS
“Spokesperson for the US State Department Mark Toner said that his country will encourage Somalia’s new administration to take credible steps to stamp out corruption and to establish strong electoral institutions. A total of 329 members — 275 from the Lower House and 54 from the Senate — took part in the presidential election,”
Will New Reformer Somali President Overcome The Huge Challenges?
14 February- Source: The East African – 521 Words
Newly elected Somalia President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has set two precedents. He has overcome the clan barrier, and shattered the trend over the past three years that money determines the winner of the election.Two of his key opponents —outgoing president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and former president Sheikh Sharrif Ahmed — had large financial resources, but Mr Farmajo still won the February 8 elections held at Aden Adde International Airport on account of security considerations.Second, President Farmajo, who hails from the Darood clan, won against strong predictions that the position would go to the majority Hawiye clan of both Mr Mohamud and Mr Ahmed.
Mr Farmajo, who was running on the ticket of the Tayo (Quality) Party, won in the second round with 184 votes against Mr Mohamud’s 80, forcing the latter to concede defeat before the third and final round.“This is the beginning of the unity of Somalia, democracy and the fight against corruption,” said President Farmajo soon after he had won.
According to Mohammed Dubo, the publisher of Somalia Investor, Mr Farmajo won because he enjoyed popular support among Somalis due to his performance when he served as prime minister from 2010–2011.At that time, he introduced austerity measures by streamlining the operations of the then loss-making Mogadishu port and Aden Adde International Airport to generate income to pay security agencies dues that had been outstanding for years.Other progressive measures that made President Farmajo, 55, popular included fighting corruption at the Treasury, and curbing wastage by Cabinet ministers on air travel.
While prime minister, he stopped the ministers from hiring aircraft at a cost of $15,000 from Mogadishu to Nairobi, and set up a policy where they took ordinary flights at $200.In his short victory speech, President Farmajo — whose campaign slogan was Dalka, Danta, Dadka (the land, the needs, the people)— said his win was a result of his reform agenda and support from the masses.“I wish to thank the Members of Parliament who sought change. Today, the MPs decision represented the desires of the Somali people. This victory belongs to the Somali people wherever they are in the world,” he said.