January 12, 2015 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

East Africa ministers meet in Somalia for peace push

10 Jan – Source: AFP/Yahoo News – 492 Words

East African foreign ministers met in Mogadishu on Saturday to push peace efforts in war-torn Somalia, the first time the regional bloc has met in the country for almost three decades. Dozens of heavily armed soldiers and police patrolled the streets, where Al-Qaeda-affiliated Shebab militants regularly carry out bombings and killings. Ministers from Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda — who have contributed troops to the 22,000-strong African Union force in Somalia — all took part in the one-day meeting, organised by the regional IGAD bloc, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development. Held in a heavily guarded hotel near the main government district in Mogadishu, it was one of the largest and highest profile meetings in the capital for years.

Key issues included security and political reconciliation within the Horn of Africa nation, riven by conflict since 1991. Somali President Hassan Sheik Mohamud described it as “an important regional event” that took place in the country “for the first time in 28 years.” Amid constant threats of Shebab attacks, the president took to national television appealing to citizens that “IGAD is a guest of the Somali people.” Leaders including UN chief Ban Ki-moon have visited Mogadishu in recent years, but important visitors rarely leave the fortified walls of the airport zone to travel through the dangerous city streets. “We are very happy that Mogadishu is secure enough to host such an international conference,” said Abdirahman Duale Beyle, Somalia’s acting foreign minister. Mohammed Affey, Kenyan official and IGAD envoy to Somalia called the meeting “historic.”

Key Headlines

Mohamed Affey: We are in no doubt that 2016 elections will take place (Radio Goobjoog/Radio Muqdisho)
Somaliland main electricity company privatized (Radio Bar-Kulan)
Gunmen attack Bossaso central police station (Radio RBC)
Somali American Jihadist appears in released Al-Shabaab footage (Somali Current)
Djibouti to increase peacekeeping force (Garowe Online)
Somali PM meets UK ambassador (Radio Bar-Kulan)
Army court ignores commander’s plea (Daily Monitor)
Somali refugees in Kenyan camps queue up to return home (Sabahi Online)
East Africa ministers meet in Somalia for peace push (AFP/Yahoo News)
Blast hits troop convoy in Somalia’s Kismayu (Reuters)
More Minnesota Somalis go back to a slowly rebuilding Somalia (Star Tribune)

PRESS STATEMENT

AU Special Representative says IGAD Council of Ministers Meeting is clear testimony of the political and security progress in Somalia

11 Jan – Source: AMISOM – 247 Words

The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia, Ambassador Maman S. Sidikou has described the holding of the 53rd Meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in Mogadishu as a clear testimony of the changing political and security landscape in Somalia.

For the first time in more than two decades, a regional meeting bringing together Ministers of Foreign Affairs of IGAD was successfully held in Mogadishu without any incident.The AU Special Representative noted that the pivotal role of IGAD in the peace, reconciliation and reconstruction process in Somalia could not be more eloquently demonstrated beyond today’s historic meeting of its Council of Ministers in Mogadishu. He said; “Indeed, while we have had both the African Union Peace and Security Council and the United Nations Security Council as well as the leadership of both the Commission of the African Union and the Secretariat of the United Nations visit Somalia in recent times, surely the convening of this meeting of the IGAD Council of Ministers here in Mogadishu is the icing on the cake.”Ambassador Sidikou further observed that the current political and security gains in Somalia would be more meaningful if there is greater support to the Federal Government of Somalia as well as the regional states and administrations to provide the much needed social services to the populations in those areas recently recovered from Al-Shabaab.

He reiterated the AU’s commitment to fulfilling its obligations to Somalia, as one of the founding nations of the Union. Ambassador Sidikou also reaffirmed the AU’s appreciation to IGAD for its sustained and unwavering commitment and support to the restoration of Somalia to its rightful place in the comity of nations.

SOMALI MEDIA

Mohamed Affey: We are in no doubt that 2016 elections will take place

11 Jan – Source: Radio Goobjoog/Radio Muqdisho – 180 Words

IGAD representative to Somalia Mohamed Abdi Affey in an exclusive interview with Goobjoog FM congratulated the Federal government of Somalia and its people for hosting the IGAD ministerial summit in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu. “I would like to congratulate the government of Somalia and its people for laying down strategies and the preparations they made for meeting” Mr. Affey said “Hosting of such important summit showed how Somali people are willing to get system and governance, and we are in no doubt that 2016 election will take place if plans of the government are accomplished as per required.” He urged Somali people to collaborate with the government as they work to restore stability in the country. Mr. Affey applauded the government of Djibouti and its people for always supporting Somali government. Lastly he stated that more consultative meetings will be held in Mogadishu before the end of the year which will open new chapter for the government and its citizens.

Somaliland main electricity company privatized

11 Jan – Source: Radio Bar-Kulan – 103Words

The self declared state of Somaliland has privatized 80 percent of the main electricity company provider after it has failed in the hands of the authorities.The Vice President of Somaliland, Abdurahman Abdullahi Saylici, who was leading the management committee of the company has confirmed to the media. He said the transfer of the company from public to private will resolve mismanagement issues. Dahabshil group, Hamud Jibril Company, and a number of businessmen are the main company shareholders. The cost of electricity will also be reduced to improve services, and restore the confidence of the public.

Gunmen attack Bossaso central police station

11 Jan – Source: Radio RBC 128 Words

Unknown assailants have attacked a police station in Bossaso, the provincial capital of Bari region. Men, who have yet to be identified, hurled a hand grenade into the Bossaso’s central police station, where at least three people were killed. Two police officers and one civilian have sustained injuries from the attack.The attackers fled the scene following the attack. Police have started investigations, in an effort to catch the perpetrators, but the Bari local administration have yet to comment on the attack. Puntland’s commercial town of Bossaso has been relatively safe and secure during the two decade civil war and upheaval in parts of Somalia.

Somali American Jihadist appears in released Al-Shabaab footage

11 Jan – Source: Somali Current – 174 Words

A Somali American jihadist who fled from Minnesota to go and fight with the Al-Qaeda linked militants in Somalia, has appeared an official video released by the group on Saturday. The video claimed that Ibrahim Abdurahman Mohamed was the leader of a deadly attack on Somali’s parliament building in Mogadishu last year. The attack killed at least 10 people including three AMISOM soldiers. Several Somali MPs also sustained bad injuries in the attack.

“You know these crusaders, they are running around and they think with their Hummers and tanks and airplane, and they got these military gear and they think this is going to save them that is not going to save you “Ibrahim said. In the recent months, US airstrikes in Somalia raided the group’s key leaders and destroyed Al-shabaab main hideouts in southern regions. The group continue recruiting foreigners and Somalis from overseas to widen their fight against the west. Somali Federal Government forces and AMISOM troops doubled anti-Al-Shabaab Eagle operations in the southern region of Somalia.

Somali PM meets UK ambassador

11 Jan – Source: Radio Bar-Kulan – 85 Words

The Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke met UK Ambassador to Somalia Neil Wigan.The two leaders met in Mogadishu and discussed strengthening diplomatic ties between two friendly states, speeding up the implementation of the federal system in the country, and implementation of vision 2016. Ambassador Neil Wigan requested the Somali prime minister to speed up the formation of the new government. The prime minister promised to form a quality inclusive government in coming days.

Djibouti to increase peacekeeping force

10 Jan – Source: Garowe Online 128 Words

The Djiboutian government announced that it will send additional peacekeeping forces into Somalia, Garowe Online reports. Addressing reporters in Mogadishu, Djibouti’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Ali Yusuf, revealed that his country would make the deployment to stand by Somalia in its quest for peace. Yusuf added that the some 1000 peacekeepers would be drawn from police and military. Djibouti is part of 22,000-strong peacekeeping mission in Somalia which is fending off terrorist threats in Central and Southern Somalia. Al Shabaab militants have lost a string of strategic towns in the intense military campaign by Somali government forces and African Union peacekeepers. IGAD Foreign Affairs Ministers were in Mogadishu to review the progress made over the last few years in the stabilization operations.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Army court ignores commander’s plea

11 Jan – Source: Daily Monitor – 236 Words

The military court on Friday ignored pleas by former Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) commander under the Africa Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom), Lt Col Benson Olanya to be released on bail to enable him seek specialised treatment. Lt Col Olanya, through his lawyer, Maj Ronald Iduli, told the General Court Martial at Makindye in Kampala that he needed specialised treatment outside the military detention. “My client has been in the hospital for the last two weeks over high blood pressure but the sickness has persisted. I pray that the bail application pending before this court be considered for him (Olanya) to be released on bail,” Maj Iduli argued.

However, the military court declined to reply to his pleas for bail. Instead, the court set January 22 to hear the final submissions for the main case from both the prosecution and the accused. Lt Col Olanya has been on remand since October 2013 on charges of stealing 720 litres of fuel during the peace operations in Somalia. He is also facing two counts of diversion of 420 litres of fuel meant for operations. However, Lt Col Olanya denied any wrong doing and said all his actions were in compliance with the standard operating procedures of Amisom. Prosecution alleges that in June 2013, while at Jowadi Town in Somalia, Lt Col Olanya diverted another 300 litres of fuel meant for the operations.

Somali refugees in Kenyan camps queue up to return home

09 Jan – Source: Sabahi Online – 785 Words

More than 1,000 Somalis residing in Kenya’s Dadaab refugee complex have returned home in the past month with assistance from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the agency’s spokesperson for Kenya Emmanuel Nyabera told Sabahi. The voluntary repatriation, part of a six-month pilot programme launched December 8th, follows a tripartite agreement signed in 2013 between Kenya, Somalia and the UNHCR.
By June, as a result of this agreement, an estimated 10,000 Somalis will receive assistance to return to Luuq, Baidoa and Kismayo, Nyabera said, adding that the agency is currently processing the applications of other refugees seeking to return home.The support package provided to returning refugees includes assistance to secure safe transport, a cash grant, travel and hygiene kits for use during the journey home, food, and other basic needs assistance to support the sustainability of return and reintegration in Somalia.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

East Africa ministers meet in Somalia for peace push

10 Jan – Source: AFP/Yahoo News – 492 Words

Blast hits troop convoy in Somalia’s Kismayu

11 Jan – Source: Reuters – 247 Words

A remote-controlled bomb hit a vehicle in a troop convoy in the southern Somali port city of Kismayu, killing at least three soldiers, police and residents said on Sunday.Militant group al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack, which hit the convoy as it drove through Gulwade village in Kismayu late on Saturday.”The bomb was targeted at our convoy. Three soldiers were killed,” said Ismail Hussein, a police officer in the city.

Al Shabaab has been weakened considerably by African Union troops and the Somali army, losing swathes of territory in the south of the country, but it has been carrying hit-and-run style attacks to show it has not been vanquished.Local residents said troops in the convoy opened fire after the blast went off, killing two women who were passing by.

More Minnesota Somalis go back to a slowly rebuilding Somalia

11 Jan – Source: Star Tribune – 1283 Words

Expatriates return to Somalia from Minnesota and elsewhere to help their country emerge from anarchy and chaos. Halima Ibrahim’s adult children pleaded with her not to go back to Somalia. Friends attending the Minneapolis memorial for her husband, a civil engineer gunned down in Mogadishu last November, assumed she’d stay in Minnesota.But Ibrahim is flying to Mogadishu this week, with new resolve to pitch in for her war-torn country’s comeback.
In the past two years, some local Somali-Americans have headed back to the East African country as it starts slowly emerging from two decades of fighting and chaos. The trend has become a frequent topic of discussion in the Somali community and the focus of a newly released study from the University of Minnesota.The returnees face many hurdles: a shortage of amenities, a sometimes tense relationship with compatriots who stayed during the civil war and security concerns heightened by the assassination of Ibrahim’s husband, Abdullahi Ali Anshoor. But advocates of this return migration say expatriates from places like Minnesota will be crucial to Somalia’s fragile recovery, with potential benefits to their host communities, as well.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“Resource and equipment constraints such as a lack of adequate air support to protect the ground troops and enable Amisom to engage Al Shabaab more decisively should now be addressed.”

Amisom’s doing the job, support it

10 Jan – Source: The East African – 450 Words

As the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) enters into its eighth year this January, it is emerging that there is a need for a strategic review of peace operations in Africa. The AU operation has been hailed as a model for peacekeeping in Africa and the continental body must ensure it fulfils its mandate to fully pacify Somalia. The major concern currently is that the AU appears to have abdicated its leading role to its partners such as the United Nations, the European Union and to some extent, the United States.

The 2015 Amisom stakeholders’ retreat in Kampala, Uganda, early in the week revealed that troop-contributing countries are concerned about inadequate funding, logistical support and lack of synergy both locally and internationally. These challenges are not only slowing Amisom’s progress in capturing new areas from Al Shabaab, they are also an impediment to the objective of building the capacity of the Somalia National Army to take over the security of the liberated areas. It is understandable that the AU, which is itself donor-dependent, lacks the resources to address all Amisom’s needs. But it should be in the forefront of designing new strategies and negotiating for more resources from partners like the UN and the EU.