July 17, 2014 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

AMISOM claims to have foiled al Shabaab attacks in Mogadishu

16 Jul – Source: Bar-kulan/Radio Goobjoog – 111 words

Officials of the African Union Mission in Somalia have given more details regarding recent security operations carried out by AMISOM and Somali forces in a bid to heighten the security of the Somali capital, Mogadishu. The spokesman of the African Union Mission in Somalia Col. Ali Aden Humad said at a press conference in Mogadishu that an unspecified number of al Shabaab suspects have been arrested by AMISOM and Somali security forces during security operations in Mogadishu. He said the suspects are now being interrogated by relevant authorities. He further stated that AMISOM forces have managed to foil attacks planned by al Shabaab militants targeting important installations in the Somali capital.

Key Headlines

AMISOM claims to have foiled al Shabaab attacks in Mogadishu (Bar-kulan/Radio Goobjoog)
Puntland leader UN delegation discuss plight of Danish-funded Prison facility (Garowe Online)
Urgent application for Somali girl’s live-saving surgery (The Citizen)
Mayor Mungab calls on closer cooperation between security forces and civilians (Radio Shabelle)
Defeat of Somalia’s al Shabaab ‘matter of time’: ex-envoy (AFP/Global Post)
Kenyan MPs debate KDF role in Somalia (Ebru Africa)
Djibouti set to deploy extra troops to Somalia (Radio Shabelle/Somali Current)
Odinga tells AFP: Kenya govt ‘not serious’ on Islamist threat (AFP)

PRESS STATEMENT

The Federal Government of Somalia on Media Reports Related to the UN SEMG Report to the UN Security Council

16 Jul – Source: Office of the Somali President – 253 words

Since the UN SEMG Report has not been officially released it is not possible for the Federal Government of Somalia to respond in detail. Once the report has been released officially then the FGS will respond in detail.

The Federal Government of Somalia is committed to continuous improvement in all activities. We have demonstrated our commitment to progressive public financial management in many ways, including appointing the Financial Governance Committee (FGC). The FGC released its first progress report in May, highlighting significant public financial management achievements. As part of the FGC’s remit, reviews of six major government contracts were recently undertaken, including that related to Shulman Rogers.

The FGS has solicited advice from the World Bank’s Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative on the Schulman Rogers contract. As result of advice received, the Government revoked the contract firm’s previous worldwide power of attorney on 13 May 2014, and is renegotiating the contract. International advice will continue to be solicited as the national asset recovery proceeds.

The Federal Government continues to seek the most effective means to recover significant stolen and frozen Somali assets. At present, due to the capacity limitations of Somali institutions and lack of data records, the Federal Government cannot easily identify either the amount or the locations of Somali assets.

Recovering these assets is extremely complex and requires specialist support and international cooperation. Any assets recovered will be reinvested in improving public services in Somalia. We welcome international efforts in recovering assets and to further joint cooperation efforts to strengthening Somalia’s statehood.

SOMALI MEDIA

AMISOM claims to have foiled al Shabaab attacks in Mogadishu

16 Jul – Source: Bar-kulan/Radio Goobjoog – 111 words

Puntland leader, UN delegation discuss plight of Danish-funded Prison facility

16 Jul – Source: Garowe Online – 102 words

The President of Somalia’s Puntland Government Dr.Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas has held closed doors meeting with high-level delegation led by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Deputy Head for Somalia Francesco Caonero at Puntland State House in the state capital of Garowe on Monday, Garowe Online reports. UNODC Maritime Crime Program coordinator Alan Cole was accompanying Francesco on her first trip to Puntland since the murder of UN body personnel at Galkayo airport by government soldier. Presidency sources told GO that the discussions centred on the dire economic situation at 500-bed prison facility in the outskirts of Garowe.

Mayor Mungab calls on closer cooperation between security forces and civilians

16 Jul – Source: Radio Shabelle – 71 words

Hassan Mohamed Hussein “Mungab”, the Governor of Benadir & Mayor of Mogadishu has said that that the community and civil society need to work with national security agencies. Mayor Mungab added that in order to have security, its without doubt that security forces will function without support from the society. The Mayor’s remarks comes at a time when the Somali Federal Government has reshuffled the senior officials of national security forces.

Djibouti set to deploy extra troops to Somalia

16 Jul – Source: Radio Shablle/Somali Current – 169 words

Djibouti plans to deploy an additional battalion of troops to Somalia to bolster the existing 1,000-strong force it has in the war-torn country. According to foreign affairs minister Mohamud Ali Yussuf the soldiers will help consolidate gains made by Djibouti’s armed forces in Somalia’s mainly in central Hiraan region. “In a few weeks’ time, we should deploy 450 troops and then another 500 a couple of months later.” He said. Djibouti troops have captured the districts of Buuloburde and large parts of Beledweyne from al-Qaeda linked militant group al Shabaab since offensive against the group was launched by AMISOM months ago.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Kenyan MPs debate KDF role in Somalia

16 Jul – Source: Ebru Africa – 02.17 mins

A section of Kenyan lawmakers are calling on the government to bring soldiers back home from Somalia. The MPs debated the welfare of the Kenyan forces serving in African Union Mission in Somalia.

Urgent application for Somali girl’s live-saving surgery

16 Jul- Source: The Citizen – 109 words

An urgent application has been brought before the High Court in Pretoria to ensure a 12-year-old Somali girl receives life-saving surgery, Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) said on Wednesday. The girl required immediate surgery, and was transferred to Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria. Once there, the girl’s brother was told she could not be admitted as she had no documentation and could not pay the R250,000 deposit for the surgery. LHR said in terms of Section 27 and 28 of the Constitution, which made provision for emergency medical care, the hospital was compelled to perform the surgery. The application was expected to be heard on Friday morning.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Defeat of Somalia’s al Shabaab ‘matter of time’: ex-envoy

16 Jul – Source: AFP/Global Post – 232 words

A former top UN envoy said Wednesday that Somalia’s al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab rebels will be defeated if foreign governments stay the course in backing the fragile government in Mogadishu. Speaking at Land Forces East Africa, a two-day regional defence conference and military technology exhibition, the former envoy to Somalia played down a recent upsurge in al Shabaab attacks inside the country and across the border in Kenya. “It’s really just a matter of time before al Shabaab are defeated in Somalia,” said Augustine Mahiga, a Tanzanian diplomat and the United Nations’ special representative in Mogadishu from 2010 to 2013. “But pressure needs to be sustained and it must be relentless. The moment you relax, al Shabaab will recover.

Odinga tells AFP: Kenya govt ‘not serious’ on Islamist threat

16 Jul – Source: AFP – 124 words

Kenya’s opposition leader Raila Odinga has accused the government of failing to safeguard national security in the face of a wave of Islamist attacks and has warned of mounting internal ethnic tensions. He said the east African nation was now in a state of permanent anxiety because of attacks by Somalia’s al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab insurgents, and that Kenya should pull its troops out of Somalia. And he accused the government of President Uhuru Kenyatta of using the worsening security situation “to score political points against their political adversaries.” “There’s a great degree of anxiety in the country. People are worried about the security situation in the country,” the 69-year-old former prime minister, who lost to Kenyatta in last year’s elections, told AFP in an interview.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“Piracy has long plagued the Somali coastline, creating an estimated loss of 6.8 billion dollars per year in global trade. However, despite nearly 276 incidents in 2011, there hasn’t been a single successful pirate attack on a commercial shipping vessel this year. So why the sudden drop off?”

Piracy Collapses in Somalia, But Don’t Celebrate Just Yet

16 Jul – Source: Care2 – 855 words

One reason might be as simple as armed protection. Although maritime peace accords had previously banned the use of weapons on shipping vessels, new rules allowed shipmates to carry weapons and employ private security staff aboard their ships. Further, a coalition of multi-country naval patrols has assembled to track and protect each ship, guiding them through dangerous waters. Not only are US and EU naval vessels participating in these exercises, but Saudi Arabian, Iranian, Indian, Pakistani, Russian and Thai forces have proven that even without diplomatic ties, countries can work together for a united cause. This combination of multi-national military oversight and private protection on-board vessels has made piracy simply too dangerous to be profitable. High profile rescues and firefights have also created a remarkable deterrent to hijackings in these once dangerous straights. However, there’s an important underlying issue here that if not addressed, could take Somali’s rogue privateers in a far more dangerous direction. Most experts pinpointed illegal fishing and toxic waste dumping as the main causes of regional piracy. The revelation of illegal toxic dumping came before the European Parliament when two companies, linked to the Italian mafia, were accused of dumping 10 million tons of toxic nuclear waste in northern Somalia. Local warlords profited from this arrangement, given $80 million dollars for safe passage on the way to dumping sites. After the 2004 tsunami, the waste was stirred up, causing health issues such as ulcers, tumors and radiation poisoning in the local community.