January 17, 2014| Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Somali PM Announces his first cabinet

17 Jan- Source: Somalicurrent/Radio Mogadishu/Jowhar Online/Shabelle/Kulmiye- 194 words

The newly appointed Prime minster of Somalia Abdiweli Sheikh Mohamed announced his first cabinet which consisted of 25 ministers, two of which are women. The cabinet includes some new faces such as Abdirahman Duale Beyle, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Beyle was a senior member of the African Development Bank based in Tunisia. Two members of the new cabinet previously held positions in the former PM Abdi Farah Shirdon’s government. Abdikarim Guled who is appointed as the Minister of National Security and Farah Abdulkadir, the Minister of Justice and Constitution. The list of the 25 ministers are shared by the five Somali clans and each were given 5 members in the new cabinet. The cabinet features former minister in the country’s interim governments. The new cabinet awaits the approval of the federal parliament, though some of the lawmakers oppose the reappointment of the two minister in the previous government. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud welcomed the appoint of the ministers, calling on parliament to approve.

Key Headlines

Somalia: PM Announces his First Cabinet (Somalicurrent/Radio Mogadishu/Jowhar Online)
Somalia-Somaliland talks to kick off in Turkey ( Radio Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu)
Somali government urges foreigners to register (Radio Shabelle)
Armed confrontations leave three injured in Awdal region (Radio Bar-kulan)
Discussion on Second Phase of the Berbera – Hargeisa -Addis Ababa transport corridor Opens in Hargeisa (Somalilandpress/Horncaletv)
Kenya: Police ban foreign radical muslim preachers in war on terror (Star- Kenya)
Djibouti Armed Forces receives 26 donated Land Cruisers (al Shahid)
Kenya Mall Gunman Shouted ‘We Are al Shabaab’ (naharnet/AFP)

SOMALI MEDIA

Somali PM Announces his first cabinet

17 Jan- Source: Somalicurrent/Radio Mogadishu/Jowhar Online/Shabelle/kulmiye/Mustaqbal- 194 words

Somalia-Somaliland talks to kick off in Turkey

16 Jan- Source: Radio Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu/Hiiraan Online/Radio Mustaqbal/Somali Current- 85 words

Talks between Somalia’s federal government and the Somaliland administration kicked off Thursday in Istanbul, Turkey. A delegation led by Minister of Interior, Abdikarim Hussein Guled arrived in Turkey on Wednesday to represent Somali government in the talks between the two sides. Meanwhile, Somaliland authorities sent a delegation led by Foreign Minister Mohamed Behi Yonis to Istanbul. Both parties have previously held similar Turkish-mediated talks in Turkey. Somalia’s Interior and National Security Minister told the media that the both sides will discuss issues including the unity of the country. He said that a committee from both sides prepared the agenda of the meeting, which will last until Friday. “[on the agenda] We concentrated on seeking United Somalia and discuss what happened in the past”. The Minister said.

Somali government urges foreigners to register

16 Jan- Source: Radio Shabelle-137 Words

An official from Somalia’s Ministry of commerce and industry says that they will not ensure the security and safety of foreigners in the country unless they register themselves at the immigration offices. Abdiqadir Sheikh Ismail, the deputy in the ministry who spoke to Radio Shabelle during an interview said that a lot of foreigners are flowing into the country taking advantage of the stability in the country especially Mogadishu, the capital while ignoring their safety. “You cannot just enter into a country without registering yourself. Your safety is our priority, so please let us know when you are coming in and after that we will be taking care of you” said the deputy minister. The warning comes days after 2 Kenyan citizens were abducted in Mogadishu. The two men are said to be engineers who were working for a Somali Businessmen.

Armed confrontations leave three injured in Awdal region

16 Jan- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 87 words

At least three people have been injured in Sheikh Aware area near Seyla’ district in Awdal region after rival livestock herders clashed on Thursday. Hussein Idle Barqadle, the Mayor of Seyla’ told Bar-kulan that the authorities are now engaging with the communities and are mobilizing security forces in an attempt to contain the escalation of the confrontations. The mayor urged community leaders in the area to work with the authorities in order to deter further skirmishes in the future.

Discussion on Second Phase of the Berbera – Hargeisa -Addis Ababa transport corridor Opens in Hargeisa

16 Jan- Source: Somalilandpress/Horncaletv- 515 words

Somaliland’s Minister of National planning Dr. Sacad Ali Shire opened the second meeting of the Regional Steering Committee tasked with overseeing the construction and doing feasibility studies of the Berbera corridor which currently serves both land-locked Ethiopia and Somaliland and has the potential to become a regional trade hub. The meeting was held at the Ambassador Hotel, Hargeisa. Regional Steering Committee is head by Prof Hassan Ali Osman who heads Somaliland Road Authority and Mr. Fuad Ahmed Hussein, the personal advisor of the Minister of Public works is comprised of two officials from the EU, one from IGAD, Ethiopian Road Commission representative and, Ministry of National planning and the Berbera Port Authority officials.Dr. Sacad Ali Shire speaking at the meeting said, “On behalf of the people of Somaliland I do hereby extend our appreciation to the committee for the hard work and progress that they have achieved in the last 14 years, we all know that Somaliland and its neighbors stand to benefit from this joint venture and once upon the completion it will change the economics of the whole region.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Kenya: Police ban foreign radical muslim preachers in war on terror

16 Jan- Source: Star- Kenya- 103 words

Police banned foreign extremist Muslim preachers from conducting sermons in mosques in the coastal city of Mombasa as war on terror intensifies. Mombasa county CID boss Henry Ondiek said some of the preachers are accused of using pulpits to radicalise youths and sowing hatred in various Mosques in Majengo, Kisauni, and Likoni. Ondiek said detectives are looking for a Tanzania cleric suspected to be among key leaders radicalising youth. According to intelligence Sheikh Ramadhan Juma had nearly slipped through a police dragnet when officers raided a mosque in Majengo late last year. He warned that those found aiding them will also be arrested.

Djibouti Armed Forces receives 26 donated Land Cruisers

16 Jan- Source: al Shahid- 367 words

The Djibouti Armed Forces (DJAF) have taken delivery of 26 new Toyota Land Cruiser 4X4 vehicles from the United States through the Foreign Military Assistance Programme as logistical and operational support to for the deployment of an additional 1 000 DJAF troops to reinforce the African Union (AU) soldiers battling al Shabaab insurgents in the Beledweyne region of Somalia. According to the United States embassy in Djibouti, the consignment (which consists of 14 Toyota Land Cruiser 2×4 pick-up trucks and 12 Toyota Land 4×4 pick-up trucks) was handed over to Djiboutian defence minister Hassan Darar Houffaneh and armed forces chief General Zakaria Cheikh Ibrahim by US ambassador Geeta Pasi in the capital Djibouti City on December 30.The DJAF will this week deploy the first 100 of a full strength contingent of 1 000 men to support African Union troops battling the al Shabaab insurgency in Beledweyne town in terms of the security mandate of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Kenya Mall Gunman Shouted ‘We Are al Shabaab’

16 Jan- Source: naharnet/AFP- 436 words

A witness in the trial of four men accused of helping the gunmen behind Kenya’s Westgate mall massacre described Thursday how an attacker shouted out his allegiance to Somalia’s al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab. “I saw two slim men in black head scarves and jungle green combat trousers, they had belts and ammunition,” said Thomas Kamau Ndung’u, a hairdresser in the mall, who gave evidence on the second day of the trial. “One of the attackers shouted, ‘We are al Shabaab'”.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“The country’s big six telecom companies are undermining the government by evading taxes and refusing to cooperate on surveillance.”

Somalia’s other pirates – the telecom companies

16 Jan- Source: Gulf News-1623 Words

After the recent change of leader in the year-long Somali Federal government (SFG) there is again concern about the way forward, as powerful financial factions are still operating within the country. Given the relative success of this administration, formed with the help of the UN and international community following the failure of previous Transitional Federal Governments (TFGs), it is timely to examine the forces and circular logics operating against it. And the roles of the international community, Arab League and powerful Somali business groupings. When the International community called a June meeting in Brussels to discuss what in historical language was called “A New Deal for Somalia”, it soon became clear that there was little new in the circular logic of their decision-making. In refusing to make available the pledged $1.8 billion (Dh6.6 billion) because local banking institutions were not functioning, thus depriving the government of an ability to develop important institutions including the financial sector, the EU effectively dealt the government a body blow.