February 18, 2014 | Daily Monitoring Report.

Main Story

Federal Government will help facilitate regional administrations in Somalia: President Hassan

18 Feb – Source: Hiiraan Online – 144 words

Somali President Hassan Sheik Mahmoud of Somalia said that his government was in the legislative process for the formation of regional state administrations.

The president said that it was the government’s responsibility to form interim regional administrations in geographical areas under al Shabaab control once the militants are ousted out of the country.

“The government is ready to empower local citizens to form their own respected administrations, but until such initiative is in place, the Somali government will form interim administrations,” President Hassan Sheik Mahmoud told the media.

The President also noted that his government was acting as a ‘facilitator’ so that people in the country will be able to elect their future regional administrations.

Key Headlines

Federal Government will help facilitate regional administrations in Somalia: President Hassan (Hiiraan Online)
PM Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed heads to Kenya for official visit (RBC/Mareeg Online)
Somali MP: PUIC major step towards resolving Muslim women problems (Islamic Republic News Agency)
Puntland to tighten security ahead of anti al Shabaab operations (Horseed Media/Bar-kulan/Universal TV)
Ethiopian Airlines to begin new flights to Mogadishu (Hiiraan Online/Radio Mogadishu)
Al Shabaab claims assassination of senior security officer in Kismayo (RBC/Somali Memo/Hiiraan Online)
Welcoming ceremony held for Ethiopian peacekeepers in Beledweyne (Garowe/Shabelle/Bar-kulan)
Kenya: Fiery rhetoric at religious gatherings becomes source of concern in Kenya (Sabahi Online)

SOMALI MEDIA

Federal Government will help facilitate regional administrations in Somalia: President Hassan

18 Feb – Source: Hiiraan Online – 144 words

Somali President Hassan Sheik Mahmoud of Somalia said that his government was in the legislative process for the formation of regional state administrations.

The President also noted that his government was acting as a ‘facilitator’ so that people in the country will be able to elect their future regional administrations.

PM Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed heads to Kenya for official visit

18 Feb – Source: Radio RBC/Mareeg Online – 173 words

Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed is heading a ministerial delegation to Kenyan capital, Niarobi, according to Somalia Ambassador to Kenya Mohamed Ali Nur.

Prime Minister Abdiweli accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister, Information Minister and Minister of Transportation has paid visits to the neighboring countries of Ethiopia and Djibouti where the Prime Minister held meetings with president Ismail Omar Guelleh and Prime Minister Abdikadir Kamil.

The Prime Minister’s visit to Kenya is scheduled on Tuesday after the Prime Minister received an official invitation from the Kenyan Vice President William Ruto. During the visit by Somalia Prime Minister in Nairobi, the two government will discuss current issues including security, bilateral relations and the issue of repatriating Somali refugees living in Kenya in the past two decades.

According to the officials, Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed will also hold meetings with Somali diasporas living in Kenya and representatives from the Somali refugees in Kenya to discuss possible start of voluntarily return to their home country.

Puntland to tighten security ahead of anti al Shabaab operations

18 Feb – Source: Horseed Media/Radio Bar-kulan/Universal TV – 210 words

Somalia’s semi-autonomous region of Puntland has said that it will strengthen its security after the Somali Federal government declared a new operation against militant group al Shabaab. The state’s cabinet ministers held a meeting on Monday concerning current security situation in the country, chaired by President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas.

Puntland officials told reporters that they are following the developments of the operations closely and urged the security authorities to be on high alert.

“ We will tighten our security and foil any attempts or threats from al Shabaab. The people should work closely with the government and security forces on this issue,’’ said Puntland chief of Cabinet Dek Suleiman who briefed Journalists on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting.

Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud last month revealed that the Somali military and African Union peacekeepers will soon launch operations against al Shabaab in areas still under the militant group’s control.

Since 2012, when al Shabaab lost key towns in Southern and Central Somalia, the fighters have been reportedly flowing in to Galgala mountain ranges as a safe haven. Last month, Puntland forces raided al Shabaab hideouts in the area and captured a base, and later on recovered ammunition left out by the militia.

Ethiopian Airlines to begin new flights to Mogadishu

18 Feb – Source: Hiiraan Online/Radio Mogadishu – 95 words

Ethiopian Airways will start flights to the Somali capital Mogadishu in the near future as the federal governments of Somalia and Ethiopia have reached a cooperative agreement in the fields of aviation and transportation.

The agreement was signed by Somalia’s Ministry of Transport and Air Travel Said Jama Qorshel.

The minister told the state-run radio Mogadishu that Ethiopia will help train Somalia’s aviation and transportation personnel according to the pact signed by both ministers earlier.

This was the first such cooperative deal by both neighbouring states since Somalia fell into anarchy more than two decades ago.

Al Shabaab claims assassination of senior security officer in Kismayo

18 Feb – Source: Radio RBC/Somalimemo Online/ Hiiraan Online -156 words

The Somali militant group of al Shabaab has claimed the responsibility of assassination of a senior security officer Kismayo, in Lower Jubba region.

A news website linked to al Shabaab has claimed that al Shabaab member was quoted saying that the militants conducted an operation in the port town of Kismayo on Monday evening killing Isse Kamboni, who was head of intelligence and security for the interim Jubba administration based in Kismayo.

Mr Kamboni was shot and killed by his bodyguard who immediately fled to al Shabaab-held area outside Kismayo.

Al Shabaab website reported that their fighters also seized another bodyguard ffrom the deceased officer and that they have taken him as a hostage. Heavy operation has been launched in the town of Kismayo following the assassination of late Kamboni. Telecommunication network was also cut off as the search operation persist within the town.

Welcoming ceremony held for Ethiopian peacekeepers in Beledweyne

18 Feb – Source: Radio Garowe/Shabelle/Radio Bar-kulan – 234 words

Over thousand Ethiopian peacekeepers were presented during a welcoming ceremony in the central Somali town of Beledweyne on Monday. Federal Government of Somalia officials, Ethiopian military officers and African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) commanders attended the event that was held for the initial phase of AMISOM’s stabilization operation in al Shabaab-held central towns.

Speaking at the welcoming ceremony at a military base in the outskirts of Hiraan regional capital of Beledweyne, Abdirahman Abdow- sector 4 commander-hailed Ethiopia government role as a crucial at all times. “We welcome the new Ethiopian peacekeepers who were officially integrated into AMISOM, secondly we are very pleased with the move which would be an important part of our efforts of stabilizing Somalia,” said Abdow.

He added that AMISOM’s chief aim is to create a secure environment for the residents of central regions by dislodging al Shabaab militants from the remaining strongholds. Continuing, the Djiboutian commander called on the locals to closely cooperate with AMISOM forces on their plan of consolidating the gains against al Qaeda affiliated militant group.

On the other hand, Ethiopian commanders who spoke at the welcoming event reiterated that a stable Somalia is of utmost priority for the neighbours and the East African nations at large. According to residents, Ethiopian-AMISOM forces in battle tanks are advancing on key strongholds including Bakool regional capital of Hudur and El Bur and Bulo Barde districts of central Somalia.

Puntland Fisheries Minister demands end to illegal foreign fishing

18 Feb – Source: Horseed Media – 208 words

Puntland Minister for Fisheries and Marine Resources Mr Abdinur Elmi Bindhe has issued a strong warning against companies and individuals involved in illegal fishing and exploitation of resources around the state’s coastline.

Somalia has the longest coastline in Africa with 3,330 KM. Since the central government was overthrown in 1991, foreign fishing trawlers began illegal fishing and ships from big companies started dumping waste off the coast of the lawless country.

“ Our sea has been illegally exploited for decades by individuals and countries, but we are warning them that we won’t accept this to continue. We will take action against them and anyone caught will face heavy penalties,’’ said the Minister in a handover ceremony that occurred in the Ministry’s headquarters in Bosaso.

He added that the ministry has offered and ready with licenses for all of those who are interested in conducting legal fishing in the State’s coastline.

Fishing holds a very important place in the economy of Puntland. Local Fishermen have continuously complained about foreign trawlers who are doing the illegal fishing and dumping waste. Some fishermen have gone missing while others are tortured by the trawlers who at times spray boiling water from cannons.

Somaliland Coastal Guards will be armed with warships-Interior Minister

18 Feb – Source: Somaliland Informer – 288 words

Somaliland Minister of Interior Ali Mohamed Waran Ade on Monday has announced that the country’s Coast Guards will be armed with a warship which has been suggested by the current government headed by president Ahmed Silanyo.

The minister was speaking at the ceremony held for kick off of training session of the country’s coast guards in which they are educated about the international laws and ways and means that Somaliland coastal guards have the necessary capabilities to protect and defend its territorial waters.

The aim of the training is to produce robust coastal guards that can effectively combat any threat be it piracy or terrorism in her territorial waters. The minister told the trainees that the last time they met was when the EU and the UK provided you training in the Warships and to discharge this duty that the nation is of in need.

The minister further added that they are aware of the fact that the Horn of Africa region is plagued by piracy and much illegal things are happening in the region. He added that one of main purposes of receiving the training is to make country’s territorial waters safe from any threat be it piracy and terrorism where the international vessels can safely travel.

The minister has said that to reach this goal is to build robust coastal guards where the government gives priority with the help of her friends. Mr. Ali has stated that Somaliland has rich sea that extends with up to 800km where many species of fish live in Somaliland Sea.

Sool blacksmiths losing work as scrap metal is sold in Ethiopia

17 Feb – Source: Radio Ergo – 300 Words

Hundreds of blacksmith workers are finding their work is diminishing because scrap metal is being exported to Ethiopia. Jama Shire Hussein, 35, has worked as a blacksmith for the past nine years to support his wife and three children. “This is the only trade I have and I know. I inherited it from my father and he inherited from his father and it goes that way back to my ancestors,” Hussein told Radio Ergo’s local reporter in Lasanod.

But his family’s trade and livelihood is at stake now mainly due to the export of metal to Ethiopia. Dozens of his colleagues are already idling at home as they have not found any metal for working. bThere were more than 21 blacksmith shops in Sool’s Lasanod region just a year ago, but today there are only four.

The blacksmiths normally produce kitchen utensils, gates, weapons and other materials. “Previously, we could collect scrap metal from every corner in the district. The remnants of abandoned vehicles and other sources of iron and steel were everywhere for free,” Hussein said. “But today we don’t find them anymore because it’s all being sold to Ethiopian dealers who are paying people to collect it.”

Khadar Mohamed Jama is one of the businessmen who sells scrap metal over the border. He told Radio Ergo that if he buys an amount of iron or steel locally for 4,000 Somali shillings he can sell it at the Ethiopian border town of Harta Sheikh for roughly 50,000 Somali shillings.

“We heard people complaining about the export of iron. But if I could have got another job, I wouldn’t be exporting it. Everyone does what helps him to survive,” Jama said. It is unclear what use the scrap metal is being put to on the other side of the border.

Somaliland: IPCS International Peace Building Training Unveiled

17 Feb – Source: Somaliland Sun – 149 words

The University of Hargeisa (UOH)’S institute of Peace and Conflict Studies-IPCS in collaboration with Italy’s Scuola Superiore Santa Ana based in Pisa have launched an international peace building course in Hargeisa, Somaliland.

The training entitled ‘Introduction to peace building and peace operations for civilian personnel’ was financially funded by the Italian Foreign Affairs Ministry department of global affairs and will go on till 20th February 2014at UOH’s main campus.

The Director of institute of peace & conflict studies welcomed the participant to the inauguration of the training by initiating awareness on the different typologies of field operations and their evolution in the last decade.

The institute Director also raised awareness in the differences between peace keeping operations, peacemaking, peace enforcement, humanitarian intervention, humanitarian assistance & other similar field operations. The institute Director Adam Haji Ali familiarized the participants with the main actors involved in peace keeping & peace building operations.

Somaliland Minister of Environment unveils modern gas cooking stoves

17 Feb – Source: Somaliland Informer – 98 words

Somaliland Environment and Rural Development Ms. Shukri Haji Ismail Bandare on Monday accompanied by officials of the ministry have unveiled up-to-date gas heating stoves which can be substitute to the charcoal used by Somaliland people living in urban areas.

The minister accompanied by the Director General Hon. Mohamed Farah Hirsi have unveiled new gas cooking stoves brought to the country which is suitable to replace the dependence of charcoal across the nation which is a devastating when it comes to cutting down trees. They urged the public to use the gas cooking stoves that can save the environment.

Women’s mental health clinic in Galkayo runs out of funds

17 Feb – Source: Radio Ergo – 168 Words

Galkayo’s clinic for women suffering from mental health problems has run out of money and medicines after the contributions from residents, the local business community and diaspora dried up. The hospital has provided free healthcare and accommodation to hundreds of women and girls suffering from mental problems, said Hani Abdikarim Hussein, the director of the hospital.

“Some patients suffering from mental problems were brought to the centre by their families,” Hussein told Radio Ergo’s local reporter in Galkayo. She said some women in the centre were abandoned by their families and used to roam around the city. “We brought them here to give them free treatment and accommodation,” she said.

The centre has been operating for more than three years without support from Puntland administration or from aid agencies, Hussein said. Men are also treated as outpatients at the centre. Hussein called for financial support from the local administration, business and diaspora community and aid agencies in order to continue the hospital’s free medical services to the people.

REGIONAL MEDIA

From refugee in Dadaab to engineering student in Canada

18 Feb- Source: Star-Kenya- 982 words

“Education opens many closed doors,” says Mohamed Maalim, 25, a bespectacled young Somali academic hero, a former student of Hagadera Secondary School who is remembered by many Dadaab residents for his sterling performance in the KCSE examination in 2011.

He is now an Electrical Engineering student at the University of Saskatchewan in the beautiful city of Saskatoon, Canada. “It was not an easy journey,” he says with a radiant smile, proud that he had beaten all the odds to reach where he is today.

Mohamed was born in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, on a fine Sunday evening in 1988, a few years before the country fell on its knees, and when Somalia still lived in concord with its neighbouring states. Mohamed was not considered fit to pursue secular education until May 29, 2000 when he had completed learning the Quran and the Basic Principles of Islam under the tutelage of his father.

Kenya: Fiery rhetoric at religious gatherings becomes source of concern in Kenya

17 Feb – Source: Sabahi Online – 1046 words

Kenyan police and religious leaders are working together to clamp down on the spread of extremist ideology at public gatherings organised by Christian and Muslim preachers.

At these gatherings, which are a common sight along streets and at open-air markets in Kenya, preachers aim to educate their followers and convert people of other faiths. The Christian gatherings are locally known as “crusades” while the Muslim gatherings are known as “muhadaras”.

But recently, such gatherings have been the source of fiery, provocative speeches that have stirred up sectarian tension.

While freedom of association, worship and assembly are enshrined in Kenya’s constitution, Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo said that some of the gatherings can easily spark religious tension and violence.

“We have fundamentalists from Christianity, Islam and even Hinduism who can react violently if they view that their religion is under attack,” he told Sabahi.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Somali MP: PUIC, major step towards resolving Muslim women problems

18 Feb – Source: Islamic Republic News Agency – 202 words

Visiting member of the SomaliaËˆs Parliament Mariam Aweis Jama Monday said the upcoming meeting of the OIC Parliamentary Union slated for February 18-19 is a major step towards discussing and removing problems facing women in the Islamic world.

Jama is currently in Tehran to attend the 9th Session of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Member States (PUIC) to begin on Tuesday.

The PUIC Executive Committee meeting was held in Tehran on February 14. The first three days of the meeting was held at the expert level while the Muslim world parliament speakers will take part in the event in the last two days.

Speaking to IRNA, the MP said raising problems of Muslim women in conferences like the PUIC would be a great help to settle the challenges facing women in the Islamic world.

Somalliland’s push for sovereignty

17 Feb – Source: CNNi – 04:03mins

CNNi talks to Somaliland Foreign Minister Mohamed Yonis about why the world doesn’t recognize the African country.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“The Royal United Services Institute has embarked on a major programme of work to develop best practices to counter violent extremism in the Horn of Africa.”

RUSI to Implement Project on Counter Violent Extremism for European Union

17 Feb – Source: RUSI – 224 Words

The 2013 attack at the Westgate shopping centre in Nairobi and the continuing tensions in the coastal region of Kenya underline the continued threat of terrorism and violent extremism in the country and the Horn of Africa.

The Westgate attack was the most serious act of terrorism in the country since Islamist extremists bombed the US Embassy in 1998, but it is by no means an isolated event in the region. RUSI will implement four projects with the aim of strengthening resilience against extremism and violence in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.

The programme of work will include building the regional capacity of security sector & law enforcement authorities to engage with civil society in fighting violent extremism; strengthening the capacity of women’s organisations in the region to fight violent extremism; increasing the understanding of the challenges faced by EU born Somali youth in Somaliland, and identifying drivers of radicalisation among youth in Kenya.

“London poet shows solidarity with Fahma Mohamed with poem calling on Michael Gove to involve schools in FGM campaign”

Warsan Shire: young poet laureate wields her pen against FGM

17 Feb – Source: The Guardian – 377 Words

Warsan Shire, London’s first young poet laureate, has written a poem backing the campaign calling on the education secretary, Michael Gove, to write to all headteachers telling them to inform teachers and parents about the risks of female genital mutilation.

Shire, viewed as one of the outstanding poets of her generation, is supporting the campaign led by 17-year-old Bristol schoolgirl Fahma Mohamed, and backed by the Guardian and FGM campaigners. She believes awareness needs to be raised to ensure that the practice is eradicated. More than 207,000 have signed the petition. Shire is the daughter of Somali parents who moved to London. She is part of a new wave of British Somali writers and activists.

“I write poems on FGM because I have been raised and loved by a community where many people I know have undergone this procedure. To work towards the eradication of this practice, their voices need to be heard.”

One of her earlier poems, The Things We Lost in the Summer was inspired by the experiences of people she knew who were to be cut when they were on the cusp of puberty. Her new poem, Girls, was written exclusively for Fahma’s campaign and is read by Warsan on theguardian.com on Monday. The poet hopes that it gives voice to how FGM is viewed from different perspectives.

“Policy makers in Somalia have been consistently ignoring the importance and the leverage that economic growth and development can play in securing and stabilizing Somalia. Their priority policies have focused on security priorities without even considering anything about growth, development and employment opportunities.”

Poverty and conflict trap in Somalia

16 Feb – Source: Somali Current – 1376 Words

It’s worthwhile to reflect what makes some countries, regions, and cities wealthier or with economies that grow faster and more than others? What makes one group of people healthier and more educated than another? What makes some countries politically stable and peaceful, and some countries stuck in wars, conflicts and political deadlock? The emphasis here is on why Somalia is in conflict and poverty trap. Somalia is extremely poor, almost stagnant economically, completely with no public services—schools, hospitals, and no meaningful public and private employment opportunities.

Many counties including the United States and United Kingdom had experienced civil wars in the twentieth century and seventeenth century respectively. The civil wars of these countries and many other countries lasted limited duration and were not repeated at all. The case is Somalia is that the war lasted too long—from 1988 till present, and that the risk of repeated civil wars is most likely.

Paul Collier who is a Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government and Director of the Centre for the Study of African Economies discovered that the “average international war, which is nasty enough, lasts about six months…but the average civil war lasts more than ten times as long, even longer if you start off poor.” The professor’s findings is a significant addition to the existing literature that poverty creates, fuels and prolongs civil wars.

“How to move beyond unsustainable, poorly designed humanitarian interventions and encourage local organisations to come up with their own solutions”.

Increasing impact in Somalia by fostering local solutions

15 Feb – Source: The Guardian – 751 Words

“For a long time, international aid money destined for Somalia has had limited impact because it has not been invested in Somalia by Somalis,” says a project coordinator from south central Somalia, (who cannot be named for security reasons). This is a common perception among Somalis on aid intended for one of the world’s most fragile countries.

Currently the vast majority of international aid is channelled through international organisations. More than half of the UK Department for International Development’s (DfID) funding for Somalia is spent through the United Nations.

It is widely agreed that solutions to instability must be locally owned and that Somalis should design, implement and manage solutions which meet the needs of their population. Yet, the decision makers are often diaspora and international organisations. “This is evident in programme design. Almost all interventions in Somalia are humanitarian and unsustainable. They are designed without understanding the local context,” continues the programme coordinator who has been working in southern Somalia for over 10 years.

“For those seeking a solution to the Somali situation, this wording is distinctly unhelpful. In effect, it places the blame for the current crisis squarely at the feet of MSBs while exonerating the risk management of UK banks and the oversight of regulators in recent years.”

Somali remittances update: banking up the wrong tree

14 Feb – Source: Africa Research Institute – 594 Words

In a recent blog “Anti-Money Laundering Regulations: Can Somalia survive without remittances” the World Bank’s Sonia Plaza warned of the deleterious and undesirable effects of interrupting remittance flows to Somalia.

This is a timely reminder. Following the inaugural meeting of the UK government’s Action Group on Cross-Border Remittances, the Working Group on a Safer Corridor for UK-Somali Remittances starts work on Monday 17 February. The World Bank is part of both the Advisory Group and the Technical Implementation Group for this welcome initiative.

It is worth re-emphasising that the crisis for Somali remittances was caused by a broken banking system and the subsequent response of regulators – not by Somali money transfer operators (MTOs). This is a point which is certainly acknowledged by DFID and all other participants in the Safer Corridor Group; as is the importance of maintaining the flow of remittances to the Somali regions through existing MTOs, in the absence of any functioning banking sector or alternative channels.

Top tweets

@MakeWomenCount What do you know about Girls Education in #Somalia? Check out the #AWDReport2013 http://bit.ly/1dH0Wg7 pic.twitter.com/pVY2Cq7dm1.

@YaLa_Africa This week’s proverb comes from #Somalia: ‘If you can’t resolve your problems in peace, you can’t solve war’.#Peace pic.twitter.com/uS7bwpLess.

@OCHASom Winning pieces #SomaliMediaAwards2013 are a testimony of rising professionalism #Somali mediapic.twitter.com/XrrAhnXV1g.

@Abdikhakim Unintended consequences that UNMG report always bears is it allows al-Shabaab 2 use as rallying propaganda 2 re-win hearts & minds.#Somali.

@WHOsom Art competition #WorldHealthDay2014 campaign on #VectorBorneDiseases. 8-18 years #Somalis can participate. http://bit.ly/1lZwIvr.

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Image of the day

Image of the day Joint #UN & @amisomsomalia working group on the Human Rights Due Diligence Policy (HRDDP) meets in Mogadishu. Photo: @UNSomalia.