January 2, 2017 | Morning Headlines
Leaders of Puntland And Galmudug Announce Commitment To Ceasefire Agreement In Mogadishu
01 January – Source: Garowe Online – 190 Words
Presidents of Somalia’s regional states of Puntland and Galmudug interim administration have signed a peace agreement in the Somali capital of Mogadishu on Sunday, Garowe Online reports. The deal was aimed to end fighting and tensions in the divided city of Galkayo since last year.The agreement was reached with the presence of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Prime Minister, Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke and UN envoy to Somalia Michael Keating along with Puntland and Galmudug leaders.
The agreement included forming joint Police forces from both regions to oversee conflict areas, allow movement of residents and vehicles between regions, return back displaced residents to the city and hold further talks in February.
The neighboring regions have fought previously in several occasions over disputed areas in Mudug region that resulted in the death of many civilians and displacement of residents.However, peace deals were brokered several times between the warring administrations but collapsed due to recurrent fighting in Galkayo city. Officials from Mudug region and Puntland government were blamed for fueling the tensions in Galkayo, as they failed in the past to refrain from actions that escalated the conflict in last year.
Key Headlines
- Leaders of Puntland And Galmudug Announce Commitment To Ceasefire Agreement In Mogadishu (Garowe Online)
- Three More Candidates Elected To The Lower House As Somaliland Rush To Complete The Electoral Process (Goobjoog News)
- Somalia’s Federal Parliament Rejects 2017 Proposed Budget(Garowe Online)
- Brighton Father’s New Year Challenge To Bring Peace And Security To War-torn Somalia (The Argus)
- Somali Presidential Guard Shot Dead Inside Compound Suspect Sought (VOA)
- A Promising New Year For Somalia As The World Ushers In 2017 (AMISOM)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Three More Candidates Elected To The Lower House As Somaliland Rush To Complete The Electoral Process
01 January- Source:Goobjoog News – 216 Words
Three more candidates have been elected to the House of the People, raising the number of elected representatives from Somaliland and northern regions to 37.The three were elected in a peaceful electoral process, held in Mogadishu, and secured by Somalia security forces, working closely with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).This means that Somaliland and the northern regions now have 10 more seats to fill to complete the exercise.
The region is also expected to commence Upper House elections soon.Those elected in the latest round of voting are Fowziya Yussuf Haji, a former foreign Minister, who retained her seat; Muse Ismail Jama’a and Abdifatah Ismail.The trio hailed the process, describing it as free, fair and transparent.
Haji who was re-elected after garnering 45 of the 47 votes cast said the electoral process is proof that Somalia is on the path to democracy.Somaliland is the only region yet to complete the electoral process. Jubbaland, HirShabelle, South West State, Galmudug Benadir and Puntland have filled seats allocated to them in the Upper House and the House of the People.One of those elected in the peaceful exercise is woman as northern regions made efforts to fulfill the 30 percent women representation quota as required by the Federal Indirect Electoral Implementation Team (FIEIT).
Somalia’s Federal Parliament Rejects 2017 Proposed Budget
01 January- Source: Garowe Online – 311 Words
The new Federal Parliament has rejected the financial budget for the country in 2017 and called outgoing Finance Minister, Mohamed Adan Fargetti for further budget revise before approval, Garowe Online reports.Federal parliamentarians argued that salaries for the new Upper House senators were not incorporated in the new fiscal budget.But outgoing Finance Minister attributed the lack of salaries for the Senators to limited government resources amid crippled economy and persistent drought conditions.However, following debates during the parliamentary sessions, Federal MPs have rejected the notion of economical downfall in the country and demanded to review government spending in 2016.Federal Parliament stated the country receives substantial tax incomes from the Airport and seaport in Mogadishu of more than $ 11 Million.“We want to review the government spending, and we know that salaries still not been paid for troops and civil servants in the past 7 months,” said MP Abdi Ali Ahmed, during a parliamentary session yesterday.
Ahmed said the Parliament will hold more debates on the new budget in the coming three months according to the Provisional Constitution.He also stated that international donors-European Union and U.S.- support the government budget and pay the salaries of the national army, in addition to the $ 2 Million that is given to the Federal government.“Seaport tax revenues estimate for $ 11 Million, also there is $ 2 Million cash support to the government from the donors and land tax incomes, we don’t know how the government spend its budget,” added Ahmed.The new Federal Parliament demanded for further review into the government spending that is inconsistent with the income generated.Somalia has inaugurated the new Parliament on last Tuesday, whereas the election of remaining MPs is ongoing for some regional clans. The new lawmakers are expected to vote for the new Speakers of Lower and Upper Houses and new President in January 2017.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Brighton Father’s New Year Challenge To Bring Peace And Security To War-torn Somalia
01 January – Source: The Argus – 460 Words
A NEW Year brings new challenges but maybe none are as big as the one diplomat David Concar has set himself for 2017.The father-of-three will give up the comforts of his Brighton home to try and bring peace and stability to an East African country torn apart by a quarter of a century of civil war.Mr Concar will become the UK’s ambassador to Somalia in mid-January waving goodbye to his family to take up a series of six week postings with just two weeks respite at home in between.The country was officially a failed state until this time last year and the UK is the only EU country with an embassy there – even the US does not have one because of the security concerns.Mr Concar joined the Foreign Office in 2004 following an award-winning 15-year media career which included a stint at the New Scientist.He will be leaving his role as the head of the Foreign Office’s International Organisations Department in London and the UK Commonwealth Envoy.
The 54-year-old settled in Brighton with his family five years ago after a number of years working China, he said he was drawn to the city for its cultural links and its combination of “fish and chips meets globalisation”.His wife Caroline North is a director at Brighton Journalist Works, his two oldest children Oscar and Martha North-Concar are at university and his youngest Theo is now studying for his A-Levels. He told The Argus his new role will be to continue the support the UK has given Somalia over the years including considerable foreign aid with a chance now of a positive future for the country.
Somali Presidential Guard Shot Dead Inside Compound, Suspect Sought
31 December – Source: VOA – 233 Words
A search was being conducted for a suspect in Somalia after a presidential guard turned his gun on a colleague Saturday, killing the senior official and wounding a second person inside the presidential compound, witnesses and authorities said.Shador Haji, the Presidential Palace communications director, confirmed the killing late Saturday.The dead official was identified as Colonel Abdirahman Abdulle Qorgab. He was the deputy commander of security forces at the compound in the capital, Mogadishu.
Witnesses said the soldier fired multiple shots after the exchange of gunfire that killed the officer at the scene and wounded a second officer. The condition of the wounded officer is not known.The shooting suspect escaped, said Haji, who added it was an act of insubordination after the officer who was shot told the suspect to “put down the gun and go to prison.” Details of the incident have not been released pending an investigation but authorities had earlier said the suspected shooter was in custody.
A security official who asked not to be named said the shooting happened inside the compound of the presidential residence, known as Villa Somalia.“One of the presidential guards opened fire on the official,” he said.This is the first insider shooting incident at Somalia’s heavily fortified presidential compound. In 2014, Al-Shabaab militants stormed the facility with car bombs and suicide attackers, and since, has frequently hurled mortars in its direction.
OPINION , CULTURE & ANALYSIS
“In the health sector, accessible and better healthcare delivery is the dream of millions of ordinary Somalis. Dr. Sumaya Omar Dhuhuloow, a general practitioner at one of Mogadishu’s hospitals, expects access to better healthcare across all regions of the country,”
A Promising New Year For Somalia, As The World Ushers In 2017
01 January- Source: AMISOM – 563 Words
From students to fish sellers, Somalis are ushering in the new year full of hope, for a more peaceful and economically robust country.The horn of Africa country may not be celebrating with fireworks as in other parts of the globe, but the year 2017 promises new prosperity for ordinary Somalis, who have survived years of destruction and insecurity, brought about by over two decades of civil war and terrorism.
2017 will be a watershed for the country that is in the last stages of an electoral process, in which a greater number of Somalis participated in determining the kind of political leaders they want. The presidential election scheduled for 22 January 2017, will be a defining moment in the country’s history, as it will pave way for a democratically elected government, after several decades.
A new parliament was inaugurated on 27th December 2016, following a three month electoral process, which has led to the formation of Somalia’s two chambers of parliament – the House of the People and the Upper House.A cross section of Somalis expressed optimism about the direction the country is taking. Many agree Somalia is turning the corner to lasting stability, peace and prosperity.“As a military officer, my expectation for 2017 is to see the return of a stronger Somali National Army, that can claim its prowess in defending the country,” says Col. Ismail Mohamed Ali, the Somali National Army Liaison Officer.
Col. Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, the Deputy Commander of Aden Ade International Airport Police Station, describes 2016 as a progressive year, but anticipates better progress in 2017.“Looking back at 2016, you could see the progress and achievements made by the Somali Police in restructuring, training and building the capacity of the force,” he says.“We anticipate accelerated development and further strengthening of our capacity in 2017.”