January 31, 2018 | Daily Monitoring Report
Banadir Governor Halts Illegal Construction On Governmental Land In The City
31 January – Source: Goobjoog News – 229 Words
Banadir administration yesterday officially halted further illegal construction on a government land known as Biyaaso Libaro, located in Hamar Jabab district in Mogadishu. Abdirahman Omar Osman (Eng.Yarisow) the new governor, pointed out that his office will protect government lands and no person is permitted to benefit exclusively from such properties. “This decree will stop the construction of Biyaaso Liibaro and other national plot is one of the major policies, to safeguard government properties. We shall not tolerate a national property to be utilized for a personal gain” read the decree.
Governor Yarisow stated that all the governmental lands are to be secured and brought under the control of the government in a transparent way to prevent dishonest dealings. “We are pursuing all lands that belong to the government till we get them back. We are determined to fight corruption and we shall work in an transparent way and display good governance” said the official statement. The decree also orders the local administration in Hamar Jabab to directly supervise the plot which is within its jurisdiction. In the same breath, the security departments are reminded to execute their national responsibilities in order to protect government properties. This is the first step taken by the new governor since he took office 3 days ago. The said plot in Hamar Jabab is partially built where the foundation work has been completed.
Key Headlines
- Banadir Governor Halts Illegal Construction On Governmental Land In The City (Goobjoog News)
- PM Optimistic About Overcoming Recurring Droughts In Somalia (Radio Shabelle)
- Up To 700 Students Graduate From SIMAD University (Hiiraan Online)
- Border Wall: Will It Stop Terror Or Can Shabaab Blast Through? (The Star)
- Turkish-Somali Partnership At Its Highest Level (Daily Sabah)
NATIONAL MEDIA
PM Optimistic About Overcoming Recurring Droughts In Somalia
31 January – Source: Radio Shabelle – 347 Words
One year after Somalia declared drought as a national emergency, famine has so far been averted due to collective and unprecedented humanitarian action, and on Tuesday, the country marked a turning point towards ending the cycle of recurring crises, with the launch of a Government-led, United Nations-supported humanitarian response plan. At a high-level event in the capital Mogadishu, the 2018 Humanitarian Response Plan, seeking $1.5 billion to address the needs of 5.4 million people, was jointly presented with a Recovery and Resilience Framework (RRF), which outlines the way forward for recovery and longer-term resilience aimed at addressing the root causes of Somalia’s recurring humanitarian crises.
To address the impact of recurrent drought and famine risk, as a consequence of fragility, the Federal Government of Somalia led a Drought Impact Needs Assessment (DINA), in partnership with Federal Member States, the Banadir Regional Administration, the European Union, the UN and the World Bank. The outcomes of the assessment have informed the RRF, which will enable the Federal Government and Federal Member states to devise medium- and long-term solutions to promote development and address the root causes of vulnerability to drought. The DINA and the RRF have been developed in alignment with the 2018 Response Plan and in coordination with humanitarian partners, in order to ensure complementarity and, most importantly, to protect humanitarian achievements.
The joint launch was attended by Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire and other senior representatives of the Somali Federal Government, as well as the international community, including the Administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), Achim Steiner, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock, World Bank Senior Vice-President Mahmoud Mohieldin, and the European Union. Opening the event, Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire emphasized his Government’s resolve in moving from crisis to recovery, saying: “Somalia is turning over a new leaf in its history. Important and significant progress is being made on our peace- and state-building agenda. We are determined to overcome the challenges posed by recurring droughts that risk undermining these gains, and we count on our international partners to support us in this endeavour.”
Up To 700 Students Graduate From SIMAD University
31 January – Source: Hiiraan Online – 100 Words
Nearly 700 students have graduated from the leading SIMAD University on Tuesday. A colorful graduation ceremony was held at the main campus of the institution in Mogadishu attended by education officials, students, parents and other dignitaries.
SIMAD University Rector Dahir Hassan Arab congratulated the graduating students on their achievements and advised them to serve their country and people with the education and skills they attained. Some of the fresh graduates who spoke to the media also expressed their joy over their graduation. SIMAD university is a leading higher education institute in the capital and produces hundreds of graduates every year.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Border Wall: Will It Stop Terror Or Can Shabaab Blast Through?
31 January – Source: The Star – 503 Words
Northeastern residents believe the wall being constructed by the government along the Kenya – Somalia border is a waste of time and money and will not block al-Shabaab from crossing the border. Some are unhappy because they expected a concrete wall and not the barbed wire fence being put up. Others however, believe the 440 KM, wall launched in March 2015 is the ultimate solution to ending the constant attacks by the terror group. The government have not provided an official cost estimate, but one unofficial estimate places the cost at Sh20 billion, another at Sh203 million a kilometre. The wall is supposed to stretch from Border Point One in Mandera to Kiunga in Lamu county. “We thought it was a concrete wall but what we are seeing is more of a fence and we wonder how it will keep off the militants who are known to use explosives to have their way,” resident Ahmed Mohamed said.
Mohamed said it was better to have a concrete wall that will take years to put up than what they were seeing. But Resident Abdi Maulid said that the wall was more than enough to deter the militants from moving in and out of the country at will. Speaking in Mandera town when he inspected the 8 km completed section of the wall, regional coordinator Mohamud Saleh said the initial concrete security wall was redesigned because of the huge financial implication and that the works will be carried out in phases all the way to Kiunga in Lamu County. Saleh however said he was satisfied with the work so far done. According to the new design, the wall is being constructed with parallel chain links, concrete poles running parallel to each other and razor wires running in-between them. A 3 metre deep trench on the Kenyan side also runs along the fence and next to it is a road to be used by security personnel to patrol the border.
Designated entry points will consist of concrete walls covered by CCTV cameras. Saleh said project’ is meant to secure residents from terrorist attacks. He said an additional 28km of the land had been surveyed, its bush cleared and soon the construction will resume. Saleh added that citizens crossing over to the country for business must do so in a structured manner. “We want to have good relations with our neighbours but we won’t allow our people to be terrorised by anybody,” Saleh said. “The era the Somali citizens used to walk in and out is no longer there. Anybody coming into Kenya must use a passport or other legal documents,” he added. “I am satisfied as the chairman of the Northeastern security and intelligence team with the work the being done by the KDF who are undertaking the project,” Saleh noted. “I want to assure Kenyans that the government is focused on the project. We have no problems with the people of Somalia. They are our neighbours who have had serious security challenges for the past 26 years,” he added.
OPINION, ANALYSIS & CULTURE
“Most importantly, two questions every global donor has asked themselves are how has Turkey’s assistance model become more effective and valuable, and what are the factors helping Turkey to accomplish all these projects to accelerate Somalia’s state recovery.”
Turkish-Somali Partnership At Its Highest Level
31 January – Source: Daily Sabah – 960 Words
Turkey’s unprecedented engagement in Somalia started in 2011 as a response to the catastrophic famine that ravaged the country at the time, while the most momentous event was the visit by then prime minister, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Since then, the Turkish-Somali relationship has been praised locally, regionally and has caught the attention of major global powers. In a short time, Turkey became one of the closest allies that Somalia has in the international political arena. The unparalleled success of Turkish assistance and aid projects in Somalia has yielded many responses and results. The most significant has been a direct review and renewed approach by other international donors that have been present in Somalia far longer than Turkey.
Instinctively, the curiosity and inquisitiveness about the Turkish assistance model in Somalia has become a global subject, not only for Western donors, but even the Muslim ones. Most importantly, two questions every global donor has asked themselves are how has Turkey’s assistance model become more effective and valuable, and what are the factors helping Turkey to accomplish all these projects to accelerate Somalia’s state recovery. These questions and more had been presented in the international political arena, which led to discussions and research directives at global research centers and entered multinational political discourse. I am of the opinion that Turkey’s ability to accomplish this unprecedented success is as a result of two intertwined reasons.
History is more than a path left by the past – it influences the present and can shape the future. Perhaps, what is undeniable is that history vitally influences any relationship and nations structure their relationship with the historical connections alongside their mutual interests. Moreover, for the past two decades, the world has seen a global socio-political shift in which emerging powers are entering into the international political arena with a unique foreign policy as compared to the elite powers. Turkey encompasses this shift, and the Ottoman Empire’s immaculate history has become a significant tool for Turkey’s foreign policy, an ultraclean civilization that was left by their ancestors in a wide range of former Ottoman territories without any record of colonization or exploitation.
The strategic advantage is over and above the colonial history of their Western counterparts and the negative connotations associated with Western colonization. Of course, that allows Turkey to initiate close relationships with the majority of developing countries. Moreover, this is not only influenced by Ottoman history, but also by modern foreign policy decisions. Turkey’s leading party is deploying a unique foreign policy and strategy with key principles such as a non-political interference and, perhaps more significantly, provision of aid without special conditions, which in turn has inclusively shaped an era of aid diplomacy. This has assisted Turkey in engaging and establishing more responsible and realistic relationships with global partners and allies. Somalia remains a good example of this.
Despite historic connections, an additional significant secret of Turkey’s success in Somalia is the assistance model that Turkey deploys there, and doing so at the right time while the opportunity of structuring a new relationship was there, and economic and political matters was settled internally. When Turkey arrived, Somalia was in the middle of multiple crises, the severe famine that was a result of around two decades of a failed state, terrorism and the recklessness of international donors or, in other words, the global powers who were involved in Somali issues at that time. In addition to the neglected support of the U.N. and other international organizations that were keeping an arm’s length, largely engaging by remote control from offices in neighboring Kenya with the occasional short trip to Mogadishu’s heavily fortified airport.
TOP TWEETS
@HarunMaruf: A Somali soldier was killed 3 injured in #RCIEDexplosion in Galgala highlands, Puntland, Tuesday: security sources tell @voasomali
@Goobjoognews: #Southwest state ministry of agriculture holds an evaluation meeting with local organizations in the state.http://bit.ly/2DQ4hCY
@Goobjoognews: Through an official decree released yesterday, new #Banadir governor Abdirahman Omar Osman@engyarisow halted further construction on Biyaaso Liibaro plot in #Hamar Jabab district, #Mogadishu . The land in question is a national property.
@engyarisow: I urged District Commissioners in #Mogadishu 2 redouble their efforts in order 2 deliver basic services 2 the people.
@DalsanFM: PHOTO OF THE DAY: Physically challenged@IsmaelRaage graduates with a Bachelors Degree of Banking and Finance from @SIMADUniversity. 690 students graduated from the premier private university. #Somalia
@HarunMaruf: BREAKING: Somaliland declares new droughts in several regions affecting 1.7 million people, many need emergency assistance. Authorities cite low rainfall for recurring droughts.
@AbdikarimMN: Great to see young #Somali innovators present brilliant resilient ideas at the #innovateforSomalia challenge.#ResilientSomalia, #innovation
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Hundreds graduate from SIMAD university on Tuesday.
PHOTO: @SimadUniversity