July 18, 2014 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Somali Prime Minister announces an initial $500,000 in drought emergency funds

17 Jul – Source: Office of the Prime Minister – 227 words

The Humanitarian situation in the country has dominated the debate of today’s Council of Ministers meeting. Under the leadership of H.E. Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia, concrete and immediate measures have been established to respond to the deteriorating humanitarian situation affecting many regions around the country.

Prime Minister Ahmed with the support of the Council of Ministers has stood-up a Ministerial Emergency Committee comprised of seven Ministers who together will act as the lead coordinating body for this Government and develop a Drought and Emergency Response Plan. H.E. Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, Prime Minister of Somalia said:

“We have immediately committed an initial $500,000 that will go towards providing quick concrete actions and offer rapid response to areas severely hit by the prevailing drought. Furthermore we will spearhead a fundraising campaign seeking the contribution of Somalis and friends of Somalia around the world to fund and mobilize the necessary resources.”

He added: “Finally, this Government will coordinate and closely work with all Humanitarian organizations in a consolidated effort to ensure an effective and prompt response to the current Humanitarian Crisis.” Finally, the committee will be chaired by the Minister of Agriculture and include as members the Ministers of Water and Energy, Interior and Federal Affairs, Health, Planning and International Cooperation, Finance, and the Minister of Livestock, Forestry and Range.

Key Headlines

Somali president receive credentials from South Korean ambassador (Radio Mogadishu)
Former Somali FM denies UN monitoring group report (Somali Current)
U.N. allocates funds to vaccinate Somali children against measles (Vaccine News Daily)
KDF will not leave Somalia MPs say (Daily Nation/Citizen TV)
Car explosion kills one government soldier in Mogadishu (Radio Bar-kulan)
Djibouti to extend its troop presence in Somalia (Hiiraan Online)
Clashes between government forces al Shabaab erupts in areas under Awdinle district (Radio Goobjoog)

PRESS STATEMENT

Somali Prime Minister announces an initial $500,000 in drought emergency funds

17 Jul – Source: Office of the Prime Minister – 227 words

SOMALI MEDIA

Somali president receive credentials from South Korean ambassador

17 Jul – Source: Radio Mogadishu/Radio Goobjoog – 114 words

The president of federal republic of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud received credentials from the newly appointed ambassador of South Korea Kin Chuan Woo who arrived Mogadishu. President Hassan and the new ambassador in a meeting discussed the bilateral relations between the two nations. President Hassan urged the ambassador to strengthen the diplomatic ties between Somalia and South Korea. The ambassador thanked the top government leaders for the warm welcome he received and stated that his government will take part in the reconstruction activities taking place in Somalia. South Korea is restoring its ties with Somalia for the first time since civil war broke out in Somalia.

Former Somali FM denies UN monitoring group report

17 Jul – Source: Somali Current/Dalsan/RBC – 116 words

Fowzia Hajji Yussuf who is a member of Somali National Assembly and former Foreign Affairs Minister has denied UN monitoring group report accusing her of trying to divert the war torn nation assets abroad. Hon. Fowzia has described the UN Monitoring group report as baseless allegations saying the content of the report was acquired from the streets political discussions in Somalia. “What is evident is that every sincere Somali leader is targeted by either assassinations or malicious report,” she said. She vowed to take the those she accused of defamation in the highest court in the world to answer while daring the report group to produce clear evidence showing her involvement in the scandal.

Car explosion kills one government soldier in Mogadishu

17 Jul – Source: Radio Bar-kulan/Kulmiye/Risaala – 104 words

One soldier from the federal government of Somalia has been killed and two others injured after a car they were travelling in exploded in the Somali capital, Mogadishu. Bar-kulan correspondent in Mogadishu reported that the explosion occurred in an area near Digfer Hospital in Hodan district. It is not clear whether the blast was caused by a roadside bomb or was a result of an Improvised Explosive Device planted under the car they were travelling in. Security forces arrived at the scene and are now carrying out investigations to determine the exact cause of the blast.

Djibouti to extend its troop presence in Somalia

17 Jul – Source: Hiiraan Online – 157 words

The Djibouti government stated that it was in the final stages of preparations for sending extra troops to Somalia in order to enlarge its peacekeeping operations in the war-ravaged horn of African nation. Djibouti now has around 1000 strong force operating in the central Hiiraan region as part of the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AMISOM). Djibouti’s foreign minister Mohamed Ali Yusuf said that his country will soon send about 950 additional soldiers to Somalia. “The troops are now ready to deploy into Somalia, in the first phase we will send 450 soldiers and the rest 500 soldiers will follow in two months time” the Djiboutian minister announced on Wednesday.

Clashes between government forces, al Shabaab erupts in areas under Awdinle district

17 Jul – Source: Radio Goobjoog – 96 words

At least three people died and dozens wounded after government forces backed by AMISOM and al Shabaab clashed in the outskirts of Awdinle district in Bay region on Thursday. The fighting between the sides erupted after government forces and AMISOM attacked al Shabaab controlled areas under Awdinle district. Government officials in Bay region have immediately claimed victory over the clashes and vowed to continue the planned operation against al Shabaab so as take over the remaining. Al Shabaab declined to give comment about these clashes in Bay region.

REGIONAL MEDIA

KDF will not leave Somalia, MPs say

17 Jul – Source: Daily Nation/Citizen TV – 357 words

The Kenyan military will not leave Somalia unless the African Union or the Somali government asks for their withdrawal, the heads of the parliamentary National Security and Defence and Foreign Affairs committees have said. National Security chairman Asman Kamama and his Defence counterpart Ndungu Gethenji also asked Cord leaders Raila Odinga, Moses Wetang’ula and Kalonzo Musyoka not to politicise the concerns over the presence of Kenyan troops in Somalia. The Cord principals have asked the government to account for the number of soldiers and officers killed in Somalia since the start of Operation Linda Nchi in October 2011. They have also demanded the withdrawal of the troops from Somalia on the basis that their mission there ended, there have been allegations that they sell charcoal and terrorism in Kenya has not abated.

Two killed in Somalia attacks

17 Jul – Source: Capital News/AFP – 195 words

At least two people have been killed in Somalia in separate attacks, including a car bombing in the capital Mogadishu, officials and witnesses said Thursday. Police said one person died and another was seriously wounded on Thursday when an explosive device attached to their car was remotely detonated in the south of the capital. Witnesses at the scene identified the dead man as a soldier. Late on Wednesday one soldier was killed and two others injured in a car bomb explosion near the town of Qoryoley west of the capital.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

U.N. allocates funds to vaccinate Somali children against measles

17 Jul – Source: Vaccine News Daily – 221 words

The United Nations announced on Monday the allocation of $1.4 million to vaccinate more than half a million children in Somalia against measles. The funding, which came from an emergency account, will be used to inoculate children under five years of age in Banadir, Lower Juba and Puntland, the U.N. said in a news release. “The vaccination drive will help prevent the spread of the disease to other locations, particularly those inaccessible to vaccination teams,” Philippe Lazzarini, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Somalia, said. More than 1,350 suspected cases of measles were reported in Somalia during March and April of this year, four times the amount over the same time last year. Approximately 1,000 cases were reported in May alone.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“As both governments move forward and continue to restore the bilateral relationship — Under Secretary Wendy Sherman announced on June 3 the United States soon will be appointing an ambassador to Somalia — I look forward to laying the foundation of our new relationship with the Somali diplomatic mission that I hope will advance U.S. interests and help to bring stability, peace, and security in Somalia.”

Restoring the U.S. – Somalia Bilateral Relationship

17 Jul – Source: State Dept Blog/Somali Current – 389 words

When former Secretary Clinton received Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on January 17, 2013 to recognize the Federal Government of Somalia, it marked a significant turning point in U.S.-Somalia relations. Both the U.S. Embassy in Somalia and the Somali Embassy in Washington closed in 1991 with the collapse of Somalia’s government. Although the United States never formally severed diplomatic relations with Somalia, the absence of formal diplomatic channels for 23 years greatly hampered the ability of our countries to cooperate with one another. With Somalia’s emergence from over two decades of conflict, reestablishing the institutional relationships through which our countries can interact has been one of our top priorities. In fact, one of my first assignments when I arrived on the Somalia Desk was to respond to the Government of Somalia’s request to reestablish their diplomatic mission in the United States. I knew this was a rare opportunity and working with my colleagues across the Department to facilitate a positive response has been one of my career highlights. One of the primary responsibilities of a desk officer is to manage a bilateral relationship for the United States government.