February 17, 2014 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Somalia Air force celebrates 53rd anniversary in Mogadishu
17 Feb – Source: RBC – 130 words
Somalia air force celebrate their 53rd anniversary since their establishment in 1961 in the capital of Somalia, Mogadishu.
High profile Somali government officials including Minister of Defense, Mohamed Sheikh Hassan Hamud, Commander of Somali Armed forces and Commander of Somalia air force have attended this ceremony which marked the 53rd birthday of the Somalia Air Force(SAF).
The Commander of Somali Air Force, Mohamed Sheikh Ali(Pilot) addressing the ceremony has mentioned the effect of the two decade of Somalia’s civil war on the Air Force of Somalia and their recovery efforts for SAF.
Commander Mohamed (Pilot) also expressed his despair over the upturn efforts of the Air Force of Somalia operations reasoning that there is a lack of willing and competent Somalia youth who are ready to join SAF.
Key Headlines
- Somalia Air force celebrates 53rd anniversary in Mogadishu (Raxanreeb)
- Mogadishu mayor offers reward for information on al Shabaab (Universaltv/Radio Mogadishu)
- Somaliland Minister of Commerce and Foreign in UK (Somaliland Informer)
- AU envoy commends Kenya for role in region (Standard Media)
- An atheist meets an al Shabaab ‘recruiter’ (BBC)
- Pirates to release Thai hostages without ransom (Somali Current)
- Somali PM arrives in Djibouti (Anatolia News Agency)
SOMALI MEDIA
Somalia Air force celebrates 53rd anniversary in Mogadishu
17 Feb – Source: Radio RBC – 130 words
Somalia air force celebrate their 53rd anniversary since their establishment in 1961 in the capital of Somalia, Mogadishu.
High profile Somali government officials including Minister of Defense, Mohamed Sheikh Hassan Hamud, Commander of Somali Armed forces and Commander of Somalia air force have attended this ceremony which marked the 53rd birthday of the Somalia Air Force(SAF).
The Commander of Somali Air Force, Mohamed Sheikh Ali(Pilot) addressing the ceremony has mentioned the effect of the two decade of Somalia’s civil war on the Air Force of Somalia and their recovery efforts for SAF.
Commander Mohamed (Pilot) also expressed his despair over the upturn efforts of the Air Force of Somalia operations reasoning that there is a lack of willing and competent Somalia youth who are ready to join SAF.
Mogadishu mayor offers reward for information on al Shabaab
17 Feb – Source: Radio Shabelle/Universal TV/Radio Mogadishu – 137 words
The Mayor of Mogadishu Mohamed Ahmed Nur Tarsan has promised to pay USD 20,000to any person who brings information leading to the capture of militant loyal to al Shabaab.
The mayor added “The authority in Banadir region has allocated $20,000 as reward to any person that delivers information on the whereabouts of al Shabaab militants’’ said Mayor Tarsan
The mayor reiterated that any person found engaged in activities that hamper security will be recognised as an associate of al Shabaab. Finally, Tarsan urged the Somali people to associate and work freely with the authorities in order to eradicate al Shabaab militia in the country.
Somaliland Minister of Commerce and Foreign in UK
17 Feb – Source: Somaliland Informer – 115 words
Somaliland Foreign Minister Mohamed Biihi Yonis and the Minister of Commerce and Foreign Investment Mohamed Abdilahi Omar are currently in the UK for working visit and are expected to attend meetings on investment.
Commerce Minister Mohamed Abdilahi Duale attended international conferences in Cape Town South Africa which addressed the development of African trade and the ways that the African countries can establish cooperation. Somaliland has achieved to attend the conference for the first time.
The two government ministers are expected to hold talks with UK government officials which has recently announced warning its citizens to travel to Somalia and Somaliland due to security threat.
Pirates to release Thai hostages without ransom
16 Feb – Source: Somali Current – 142 words
Somali Pirates are ready to release four Thai hostages after more than three years of captivity, local media reported on Sunday.
The hostages were the crew members of Malaysian-flagged MV Albeldo ship that was hijacked by the pirates 38 months ago near Somalia’s territorial water, but they opted to release after they failed to see anyone to negotiate with.
Pirates demanded ransom for their release in the early days of their captivity, but Thai government refused to talk to the pirates. Last year, the families of the hostages sent an open later to the pirates, requesting their release without condition.
A Spokesman for the pirates said that they could not afford to hold the hostages and stated they are now ready to free the hostages as soon as possible. He did not mention were the hostages are held and their health conditions.
Somalia Powerless to Stop al Shabaab Mobile Internet Shutdown
16 Feb – Source: Somaliland Sun – 176 words
Osman Ali, the owner of an electronics shop in Somalia capital, Mogadishu, has been hard-hit since al Shabaab forced the biggest telecoms company to switch off its mobile internet service in this Horn of Africa nation.
I dont understand why the government has not done anything to deal with the situation. It could at least try and find an alternative for the people. This has thrown the country into darkness. We are left behind, Ali told IPS from his shop, explaining that his sales had dropped dramatically since the shutdown.
In January, al Shabaab issued a 15-day ultimatum for local giant, Hormuud Telecom, to stop proving mobile internet and fibre optic services because it said they were used by Western spy agencies to collect information on Muslims.
According to Internet World Stats, more than 125,000 of the country 10 million people use the internet in Somalia. Tens of thousands of people who relied on Hormuud services have been unable to access the internet on their mobile phones from Feb. 6. However, fixed broadband services are still available.
REGIONAL MEDIA
UN group reveals how Al-Shabaab gets arms
17 Feb – Source: Citizen News/AFP – 291 words
UN monitors have found evidence that arm shipments to the Somali Government have been diverted to clan militias and in one case were destined for an Al-Shabaab rebel commander.
A confidential report by the Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group, seen by AFP on Friday, found “high level and systematic abuses in weapons management and distribution” by Somali authorities.
In February 2013 the United Nations Security Council voted to partially lift an arms embargo against Somalia, seeking to help the beleaguered government in its battle against Islamist guerrillas.
But the council imposed restrictions requiring notification of shipments, banned certain heavy weapons and mandated the Monitoring Group to watch how matters proceeded.
AU envoy commends Kenya for role in region
17 Feb – Source: Standard Media – 204 words
AU Commissioner for Peace and Security Smail Chergui said Kenya’s commitment to peace, security and stability on the continent was exemplary.
“It is glowingly actualised by its intervention in Somalia within the framework of the African Union Mission ( AMISOM) and its peacekeeping role within Igad,” Mr Chergui said.
He spoke at State House in Nairobi at the weekend when he accompanied East African Ministers of Defence who called on President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The ministers are in the country to attend the 16th Ordinary Session of the Council of East African Ministers of Defence and Security.
Kenya: Spouses of MPs to be searched at Parliament Buildings
16 Feb – Source: Business Daily Africa – 304 words
The National Assembly has stripped spouses of legislators the privilege of entering Parliament precincts without screening by security officers. Speaker Justin Muturi said the measures were aimed at ensuring safety of MPs, staff and members of the public who access the assembly on a daily basis.
“Parliament is occupied by high profile personalities and visitors, including primary, secondary and college students. It is visited on a daily basis by members of the public, suppliers and contractors whose security must be protected,” Mr Muturi said in a communication to MPs.
The changes come in the wake of rising threat of terrorism posed by Al-Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militants, who have issued threats against key government installations after Kenya’s incursion into Somalia in 2010.
Kenya entered Somalia to keep at bay militants who were launching attacks within its territory fearing this would scare off investors and tourists.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
An atheist meets an al Shabaab ‘recruiter’
17 Feb – Source: BBC – 880 words
Abubakar Shariff Ahmed is not a hard man to find. Ask around in the Majengo area of Mombasa and people will know where he lives. But ask around too conspicuously and you are likely to arouse suspicion.
Mr Ahmed is perhaps better known by his nickname, Makaburi. It means “graveyard” in Swahili.
His name features on US and UN sanctions lists of people suspected of involvement in terrorism – accused of recruiting young Kenyan Muslims for violent militant activity in Somalia. He himself believes the Kenyan police will one day try to kill him. So he is careful about his security.
Somali PM arrives in Djibouti
16 Feb – Source: Anatolia News Agency -161 words
Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed arrived in Djibouti on Sunday in his first visit to the country since assuming office, according to state television.
Ahmed was welcomed at Ambouli International Airport by Djibouti Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed. They held a brief meeting at the airport to discuss bilateral relations and the latest developments in Somalia, said the television.
Ahmed said his two-day visit to Djibouti was part of ongoing consultations to boost bilateral relations. He lauded the efforts exerted by Djibouti to foster security and stability in Somalia.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“Piracy is still an issue along shipping routes to and from the Horn of Africa”
Ocean terrorists – down but not yet out
17 Feb – Source: .Eturbo News – 324 words
While the Somali ocean terrorists have suffered major setbacks over the past year as a result of more determined surveillance and harsh responses by the anti piracy coalition policing the waters of the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, they are not quite yet fully defeated.
Territorial advances by UNISOM has clearly robbed the terrorists, pirates often in league with Al Shabab militants, of bases from where to launch their attacks or hide after returning from sea. Still it was only a narrow escape last week on Thursday when MV Andrea, coming from the Kenyan port of Mombasa and sailing to the port of Mogadishu, came twice under attack by some of the remnants of the ocean terrorists.
Security personnel on board reportedly twice repelled the attackers when opening fire on them, yet more evidence that harsh responses do work and that the use of armed security on board of ships traversing the Red Sea and this part of the Indian Ocean has proven its merit once again.
“The president should attract people in his inner circle who have diverse views, experiences, educational background, less emotional attachment to his presidency, and care more about moving this country forward. One last thought, it would be imperative the president to act as a referee instead of a player in Somalia politics since he’s the President.”
Mr. President, Turn it Around
16 Feb – Source: Somali Current – 971 Words
When President Hassan Mahmoud took office in Sept 2012, like most of us, I thought finally Somalia will solve at least its most pressing issues: The lack of an accountable government, security, Somalia’s global image, and the economic problem in the country. Of course I wasn’t naïve to believe that these problems will be solved in fifteen-months or in that case in two years; however, I had the cautionary understanding and expectation that at least the president will put the foundation for a successful government, and strengthen the government’s reach. But today it seems like the president is slowly losing everything that his predecessors fought hard to create, let alone President Hassan strengthening and building the foundation of a successful country, and I say that as a concerned citizen.
Have you heard of Fetridge’s infuriating law or Murphy’s law? Well, let’s see what these laws state. Fetridge’s law states: everything that is supposed to happen wouldn’t happen when you need them the most. On other hand, Murphy’s law says: everything that could go wrong will go wrong at the worst moment. Combine these two laws and you will have a pretty good picture of what’s happening now in Somalia: everything that we hoped to happen isn’t happening, and everything that could possibly go wrong is going wrong in the country.
“Nowhere are the problems and potential of the Somali economy better exemplified than in the oil and gas industry. There are massive reserves, and even before the collapse of government, large firms were exploring the possibility of mining oil and gas. But lack of legislation and political wrangling at regional and national levels impede development in this sector.”
Five challenges for Somalia’s economic reconstruction
14 Feb – Source: IRIN – 1557 Words
Somalia’s economy has managed to survive state collapse, maintaining reasonable levels of output throughout the country’s two-decade-long civil war. Now, with political recovery and transition slowly underway, the country’s economy faces new hurdles.
Investors have come to Somalia looking to cash in on the rebuilding process and abundant natural resources in areas such as agriculture and livestock, fisheries, and oil and gas. More innovative fields, such as mobile technology, have also been taking off, although they still only impact a minority of the population (22.5 out of every 100 inhabitants have a mobile phone subscription in Somalia, significantly lower than the developing world average of 84.3).
It is hoped these developments will lay the groundwork for broader economic growth. The second pillar of the president’s Six Pillar Strategy to stabilize the country is economic recovery. In line with this, Somalia aims to build a transparent, formalized, globally competitive economy that collects tax revenues. But the government faces a number of challenges as it works towards these goals. IRIN looks at some of the most pressing problems.
Top tweets
@TigistAHAILU: IGAD Exe Sec’ry Amb. (Eng.) Mahboub Maalim appreciated Italy’s support 2 Somali peace process & gover’ce structuresin #Somalia.
@IOM_news: As internally displaced persons & refugees return to Somalia, IOM works to facilitate their reintegrationow.ly/tGKAw @xILB0T9BRQ.
@mary_harper: Amazing photo of Somali migrants in #Djibouti trying to get phone signal from #Somalia bbc.co.uk/news/world-afr… pic.twitter.com/xILB0T9BRQ.
@harunmaruf: #Turkey to continue budgetary support to the Govt of #Somalia through 2014. mfa.gov.tr/no_-49_-16-sub…
@SomaliaNewsroom: #Somalia’s biggest export market is the#UAE which takes in more than half its total exportsallafrica.com/stories/201402…
Image of the day
Somali-American actor Barkhad Abdi poses with the award for a supporting actor for his work on the film ‘Captain Phillips’ at the BAFTA British Academy Film Awards at the Royal Opera House in London on February 16, 2014. Photo: AFP/Getty Images.