February 24, 2016 | Daily Monitoring Report
High Level Partnership Forum To Be Concluded In Istanbul Today
24 February – Source: Goobjoog News – 96 Words
The second day of the High Level Partnership Forum which is scheduled to conclude today will be focusing on security, statebuilding efforts, political reconciliation, federalization, democratization and election processes, constitutional reform, financial issues and socioeconomic development of Somalia. The Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey H.E Yalçın Akdoğan, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations for Somalia will have closing remarks at the end of the conference. Yesterday Turkey President praised Somali progress for the last five years under Turkey development projects and called on Somali leaders to unite, so Somalia can rely on itself once again.
Key Headlines
- High Level Partnership Forum To Be Concluded In Istanbul Today (Goobjoog News)
- Unidentified Dead Body Spotted In Northern Mogadishu (Shabelle News)
- Somali Federal Parliament Speaker Set To Attend Arab League Countries Parliament Speaker’s Conference In Cairo (Goobjoog News)
- Somali President Changes Flight Route After PM Delegation Delay In Kenya (Radio Dalsan)
- Arms Embargo Restricting Somalia’s Security (Andolu Agency)
- Winnipeg Students Take The Stage To Raise Money For Somali Refugees (CBC News)
- Turkey Always Backs Somalia: Turkish Presidency Spokesman (Andolu Agency)
- Doctors Urge ‘Compromise’ On Female Genital Mutilation (CNN)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Unidentified Dead Body Spotted In Northern Mogadishu
24 February – Source: Shabelle News – 107 Words
The lifeless body of unidentified young man was found in Odweyne village in northern Mogadishu, witnesses said. The man’s corpse with severe stab wounds and hands tightened behind his back has been dumped on Tuesday night at the area by the anonymous killers. Residents say they could not recognize the identity of the assassins and motive behind his murder. However, relatives of the slain man later arrived at the scene and removed his body. Mogadishu has witnessed gruesome incidents, including bombings and internal fighting in the past two decades. A UN-backed federal government is now in place with the protection of AU troops.
Somali Federal Parliament Speaker Set To Attend Arab League Countries Parliament Speaker’s Conference In Cairo
24 February – Source: Goobjoog News -103 Words
The Somali Federal Parliament Speaker Mohamed Osman Jawari and some members of the Federal Parliament are in Cairo to participate in the Arab League’s parliament leadership conference in Egypt. The conference which was dubbed “A Parliamentary Vision To Face Current Arab Challenges,” will kick offWednesday under the sponsorship of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, the current chairman of the Arab summit. The conference is scheduled to discuss a number of issues, especially the Arab national security, measures to confront extremist and radical groups, coordination mechanisms to develop a parliamentary vision for the Arab strategic framework for sustainable development. Somalia has been full member state in the Arab League since 1974.
Somali President Changes Flight Route After PM Delegation Delay In Kenya
24 February – Source: Radio Dalsan – 282 Words
A delegation led by the Federal Government of Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has opted to change the flight route to neighbouring Djibouti. President Mohamud move comes after Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke and other senior government officials who were on transit in Nairobi while on there way to Istanbul were delayed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Sunday. The move was protested by Somali government through its Foreign and International cooperation ministry letter to Kenya.
Press release dated 22nd of February said the Federal republic of Somalia regrets the events that transpired the delays of the high level delegation in Kenya. “The Federal Government of Somalia regrets the events that transpired at JKIA airport where Somali delegation were on transit on their way to Istanbul, Turkey,unfortunately some of the delegates experienced delay at the airport,” said part of the press statement sent to news rooms.
On the other hand the press statement confirmed that the PM was not delayed in person but provided with VIP reception but opted to wait for MPs that were delayed and thus clearing the air on speculations by some media that PM was affected. “The office of the PM confirms and asserts that PM and his delegation of cabinet ministers were not part of the delay but received VIP reception however the PM decided to delay his trip due to some members of the federal government that were affected,”
Somali President, PM and regional state leaders are in Istanbul, Turkey to participate in a meeting to discuss rage of issues regarding the future of Somalia including mode of elections to be used later this year, political progress as well as economic development and investment opportunity.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Arms Embargo Restricting Somalia’s Security
24 February – Source: Andolu Agency – 237 Words
An arms embargo on Somalia is preventing the government from establishing security in the face of al-Shabaab’s ongoing war, the country’s president said Tuesday. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud told a forum in Istanbul that the restrictions first imposed in 1992 and later relaxed were still handicapping Somalia’s armed forces. “Due to the current arms embargo our soldiers cannot have access to the necessary tools to ensure security,” he said.
The UN Security Council imposed the embargo on Somalia to cut the flow of weapons to feuding warlords who ousted dictator Mohamed Siad Barre a year earlier and plunged the country into civil war. In 2013, the council agreed to partially lift the embargo to allow the government to buy light weapons to combat al-Shabaab, which has emerged as a major security threat in the region.
Mohamud said the government would continue to protect the best interests of a “united Somalia.” Speaking at the Turkey-Somalia Business Forum, he added: “I would like to extend my people’s message to our international partners – sovereign Somalia and secure Somalia committed to achieve peace both in itself and the world.”
Winnipeg Students Take The Stage To Raise Money For Somali Refugees
24 February – Source: CBC News – 247 Words
High school students hit the stage Tuesday night to raise money for a family of Somali refugees who arrived in Winnipeg in January. Proceeds from the talent show at West Kildonan Collegiate will go to Hospitality House, a not-for-profit that helps newcomers to Manitoba get settled. The organization sponsored a family of 11 to move to Winnipeg just over a month ago.
Karin Gordon, Hospitality House executive director, said the talent show was a great way for students “to express solidarity” with refugees. “It’s an absolute wonderful expression of support by the community and particularly other school communities who have been very helpful,” she said. Howard Kowalchuk, principal of West Kildonan Collegiate, said students were eager to take part in this year’s show.
“When we announced the talent show, we told kids this was what the cause was for. I think that brought out kids to support that cause,” he said. “Really, anything we can do to help these organizations … and have our kids learn is great.” Nicholas Odidison performed Whitney Houston’s song “I have nothing.” The Grade 12 student at West Kildonan Collegiate said the event provided an opportunity for students to welcome refugees to Winnipeg.
Turkey Always Backs Somalia: Turkish Presidency Spokesman
24 February – Source: Anadolu Agency – 222 Words
Ibrahim Kalin issued a statement underlining the importance of the business forum as part of Turkey’s engagement in Africa, which was adopted in 1998. Turkey started providing humanitarian assistance to Somalia in 2011. Kalin stressed that the sixth Turkey-Somalia Business Forum is Ankara’s latest in comprehensive aid activities towards Somalia.
He added that the visit by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, when he was prime minister in 2011, to Somalia as drought and high insecurity were plaguing the country “was a milestone in modern Somalia’s history”. “Since 2011, Turkey has made a concentrated effort to provide the Somali people’s basic needs” security, education, health, institutional capacity building, the building of state institutions, roads, ports, airports, fisheries and energy,” Kalin said.
“Compared with 2011, today, Somalia is in much better position,” he added. Kalin also mentioned Turkish doctors’ charity programs in Somalia. “Turkish doctors have offered health services to half a million Somalis, so far,” Kalin said. According to Kalin’s statement, the total amount of Turkish aid for Somalia thus far has reached $500 million. However Kalin added that 40 percent of the Somalia’s population needs still humanitarian aid.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“But the suggested solution — allowing a “nick” and calling it “female genital alteration,” rather than outlawing the procedures entirely — is stirring controversy.”
Doctors Urge ‘Compromise’ On Female Genital Mutilation
23 February – Source: CNN – 938 Words
In 1996, doctors at the Harborview Medical Center in Seattle decided to offer its Somali patient population what was characterized at the time as a “ritual nick” to adolescent girls, as a way to avoid a much more extreme procedure. The doctors carried out the medical compromise in the face of what they considered a stark reality: If an alternative procedure wasn’t offered in the United States, the girls would likely be taken back to Somalia for a more extensive procedure, a horrifying form of female circumcision, also known as female genital mutilation or FGM.
The more commonly practiced infibulation involved excising the clitoris, labia minora and majora, followed by stitching to close up most of the vagina. With the “ritual nick,” girls gave their consent and a partnership was forged with the Somali community. This anecdote is relayed in a paper, “Female genital alteration: a compromise solution,” published Monday in the Journal of Medical Ethics. The authors, American OB-GYNs Kavita Shah Arora and Allan J. Jacobs, argue that the experience at Harborview was an example of “utilitarian considerations.”
Years of advocacy and legislation against FGM have done little to curtail the practice, that much is clear. At least 200 million women and girls in 30 countries now live with female genital mutilation,according to a UNICEF report published this month. That means 70 million more victims than previously thought have undergone the “violent practice,” the report said. Arora and Jacobs argue that, in fact, anti-FGM campaigns are viewed as culturally insensitive, racist and simplistic, often serving to drive the practice underground and exacerbate the health implications.
TOP TWEETS
@Abdi_AlSheikh : Somalia has seen less piracy due to improved governance: expert – Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide http://dlvr.it/KbYnjJ #Somalia
@gcmcSomalia: #Somalia Somalia: “If no help comes, drought will push Somalia/Somaliland further into chaos…http://bit.ly/1PYEVQ1 #crisismanagement
@HIPSINSTITUTE : The international community is ready to support #Somalia‘s key priority issues towards achieving peace throughout the country #HLPFİstanbul
@amisomsomalia : Day 2 of #HLPFIstanbul is underway. Consultations continue as the forum focuses on progress in#Somalia.
@pointjjs : We need a digital culture and positive narrative in#africa argues #Somalia minister @ICANN4biz Africann event this morning #MWC16
@imanmali : It seems the President of #Somalia is pivoting the country into another failed status as a country. #HLPFİstanbulonly represents southern
@UNFPA_SOMALIA : #Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud pledges to prioritise legislation & ratification of CEDAW #HLPFIstanbul @UNFPA @UNDPSomalia
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Delegates attend the High-Level Partnership Forum (HPLF), focusing on progress in Somalia. The two-day forum opened in Istanbul, Turkey on February 23, 2016 and aims to review progress to implement the New Deal Compact that was endorsed in Brussels, Belgium in September 2013.
Photo: UNSOM