July 19, 2013 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Somali government welcomes agreement with Somaliland
19 Jul- Source: Radio Mogadishu/al Shahid/SNTV/ Universal TV- 134 words
Somali government welcomed the agreements that have been reached recently between the Somali government and management of Somaliland in the talks between them in the Turkey.
Somali Council of Ministers discussed at its meeting on Thursday the agreements that reached by the two sides last week in talks held in Istanbul.
Somali Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon praised in a statement the Convention which was signed by the Somali government and Somaliland administration, describing it as a step forward.
Somali government and Somaliland had reached the 10th of July , to the agreement consists of three items, formation of a joint technical committee to the issue of Somalia airspace management, and the resumption of talks between the two parties again after 120 days in the Turkish city of Istanbul.
Key Headlines
- Somali parliamentarian delegation returns home from UK ( Radio Mogadishu/SNTV)
- Ethiopian troops leave Somali town leaving gap for African Union Somali forces to fill (Hiiraan Online)
- Somali government welcomes agreement with Somaliland (Radio Mogadishu)
- Somali prime minister hosts media fraternity for dinner (Radio Risaala)
- Somaliland:We Strongly denounce the council of consultation and National guidance-Council of Ministers (Somaliland Press)
- Elwaq airfield to open up access to remote district (Radio Ergo)
- Three people wounded in Jowhar explosion (Bar-kulan)
- ‘Bomb’ scare in Nairobi (Star)
- Somaliland:Health Minister announces the Reemergence of Polio (Somaliland Press)
- UN: Somalia Still Troubled Despite New Government (VOA)
- Kenya Defence Forces officers injured in Kismayo explosion (Standard)
- Somalia bank governor asks U.N. for audit amid ‘slush fund’ claims (Reuters)
SOMALI MEDIA
Somali parliamentarian delegation returns home from UK
19 Jul- Source: Radio Mogadishu/SNTV/Radio Daldan/ Universal TV- 222 words
A Somali parliamentarian delegation led by the second deputy parliament speaker Mahad Awad Abdalla has returned back to Mogadishu on Thursday.
The delegation who were cordially welcomed in Mogadishu on Thursday by other members parliament and officials after concluding two weeks visit to the United Kingdom.
Speaking to the media shortly after their return, second deputy parliament speaker Mahad Awad Abdalla said that he has met with UK parliamentarians and other officials in the UK where he said they have joined cooperation agreement between the UK’s parliament members and Somali parliament delegation which had official visit invitation.
Mr Abdalla noted that the agreement and other developments reached by his visit will be forwarded to Somali federal parliament in Mogadishu to review and put into effects.
Mr Abdalla’s visit to UK becomes the first official visit from Somali parliamentarians to the Great Britain since the new Somali government and the parliament was elected in September last year marking the end of more than a decade of transitional government in Somalia.
Somali government welcomes agreement with Somaliland
19 Jul- Source: Radio Mogadishu/al Shahid/SNTV/ Universal TV- 134 words
Somali government welcomed the agreements that have been reached recently between the Somali government and management of Somaliland in the talks between the two sides in the Turkey.
Somali Council of Ministers discussed at its meeting on Thursday the agreements that reached by the two sides last week in talks held in Istanbul.
Somali Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon praised in a statement the Convention which was signed by the Somali government and Somaliland administration, describing it as a step forward.
Somali government and Somaliland had reached the 10th of July , to the agreement consists of three items, formation of a joint technical committee to the issue of Somalia airspace management, and the resumption of talks between the two parties again after 120 days in the Turkish city of Istanbul.
Elwaq airfield to open up access to remote district
19 Jul- Source: Radio Ergo- 152 words
An airfield is to be built in Elwaq to open up this remote part of Gedo region to aid flights and general commercial and development activity.
Elwaq district administration has formed an airport committee with the World Food Programme (WFP) and stakeholders from the local community.
Abdullahi Bulle, a member of the airport committee told Radio Ergo that the landing field would be 2 km long and 100 meters wide. “The airfield is of significant benefit for the residents of Gedo region. The region has had zero communications networks, and the infrastructure has suffered massive destruction over the war years,” he said.
Aden Derow, a member of the district council of elders, said the airfield was long overdue and would improve the region’s accessibility.
Gedo region, bordering Kenya and Ethiopia, hosts large numbers of IDPs. The region has been greatly affected by the civil war and instability over the past 20 years.
Somali prime minister hosts media fraternity for dinner
19 Jul- Source: Radio Risaala- 595 words
Somali prime minister Abdi Farah Shirdon hosted Journalists, union leaders and media representatives to a dinner on Thursday evening, 18 July, 2013 to hear the concerns of the Somali media community in general and especially toward the draft media law, among others. The prime minister was accompanied by the minister of Information, posts, Telecommunication and transport, Abdullaahi Ciilmooge Hersi and his deputy, Abdishakur Ali Mire and members of the media department of the office of the Somali Prime Minister.
The dinner, which was organized by the Media department of the office of the Somali prime minister, follows after the council of ministers recently approved a draft media law. Though, the draft has been consulted with the Somali media stakeholders, raised some concerns in some of the articles in the draft. Thus, The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) proposed amendments to the draft based on the concerns of the Somali media fraternity to be incorporated into the draft before submitting into the Somali parliament.
Ridwaan Haji Abdiweli, the spokesperson of the Somali government, welcomed the attendees and said the purpose of the dinner is to sit ‘with the prime minister, hear from you and talk to you in an open and transparent way’.
The Secretary General of the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), Mohamed Ibrahim who spoke on behalf of the media community, thanked the Somali prime minister and members of the media department for arranging the delightful meeting, ‘where we have an opportunity we can share our concerns and exchange ideas’. Then, the Secretary General of the NUSOJ, Mr. Ibrahim briefed the Somali prime minister about the draft media bill and explained all the articles NUSOJ had submitted to the Ministry of Information for consideration. The articles include but not limited to protection of sources, the independence of the National Media Council, balancing the council powers, lifting the suspension of the journalists if convicted and access to information.
The minister of information, Abdullaahi Ciilmooge Hersi, thanked the Somali media for their contribution to the draft media law, declaring that this law belongs to you, it is not meant to suppress you, but however defends the interests of the Somali journalists. Minister Hersi welcomed the NUSOJ’s proposed amendments upon receive and have been submitted to the lawyers for consideration and be incorporated into the draft before submitting to the parliament and commended the NUSOJ for the excellent work they are undertaking.
“However, it is still a draft and your recommendations and comments are most welcome to ensure that the media law is in line with the international norms and standards,” said minister of information.
Other journalists and media representatives raised other concerns from the media industry and the journalists.
The Somali prime minister, Abdi Farah Shirdon, after listening to the journalists and the media representatives, highlighted the media role and responsibilities in a nation building and praised the journalists for their dedication.
Regarding the media law, the prime minister said “that the draft bill is your law, you have been given an opportunity to comment and contribute and in front you, the minister of information pledged his
commitment in considering your comments and contribution and now your proposed amendments has been considered.”
The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) thanked the government for their close collaboration to the Somali media and its openness and willingness to work with the Somali journalists.
Animal diseases affect herds in Galgadud region
19 Jul- Source: Radio Ergo- 272 words
Pastioralists in Gadoon locality of Galgadud region have reported outbreaks of various diseases affecting goats and sheep. There are no outreach veterinary services in the region.
Ali Disow, a goatherd, told Radio Ergo’s correspondent that they were seeing ailments described as lung plague, bluetongue disease, goat and sheep pox, and foot and mouth disease. There are no official veterinary diagnostic centres able to identify the diseases observed by the local goat keepers.
Ahmed Salad, a goat owner from Qorrilley in Mudug region, said: “These names are what we usually call the ailments that we typically see, but they are laymen’s terms. They could be incorrect. There are no veterinary services in this region.”
These diseases have had negative effects on the regions which depend on livestock. Local herders report cases of still births among goats and sheep and miscarriages.
Kararo Ahmed Abdi, a resident of Adado, told Radio Ergo: “Our lives depend on what we get from the livestock we keep; so we do whatever is in our capacity to uphold their wellbeing; but at times we lose the animals.”
Dr Mohamed Omar Eenow, veterinary physician in Adado town, said that lung plague and foot and mouth disease are prevalent in the region, and are especially transmissible during this windy season of Hagaa.
He said the goatherds often use human drugs to treat their goats and sheep. “Giving the animals drugs meant for humans puts the animals in danger. Sometimes the pastoralists give their sick animals medications that dehydrate the animals and stop the milk production. I warn them not to do this and to bring their livestock for immunization,” he said.
Ethiopian troops leave Somali town, leaving gap for African Union, Somali forces to fill
18 Jul – Source: Bar-kulan/Hiiraan Online/Radio Mogadishu – 111 words
A military spokesman in Somalia says that government forces will help to replace Ethiopian troops who vacated a Somali town in recent days.
The pull-out by Ethiopian troops from the town of Baidoa on Sunday and Monday increases the pressure on African Union and Somali forces to fill the vacuum before Islamist militants take over the region.
Col. Ali Aden Houmed, the spokesman of the African Union force in Somalia, said Wednesday that the AU and Somali forces would secure the town.
Ethiopia’s withdrawal raises questions as to how long Ethiopia will continue to deploy troops in western Somalia cities. The Ethiopian government didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Somaliland:We Strongly denounce the council of consultation and National guidance-Council of Ministers
18 Jul – Source: Somaliland Press – 100 words
Somaliland Council of ministers met today in an extra ordinary session to jointly denounce the recently formed Committee for National Consultation and National Guidance locally known “Golaha Wada-tashiga iyo toosinta Qaranka”.
The Presidential Spokesperson Mr. Dhuhul speaking to the press after the meeting said “The Government of Somaliland won’t accept unconstitutional political organizations apart from three official national Political parties defined by the laws of this country.
“The move by a group of citizens to form (Council of Consultation and National Guidance) “Golaha Wada-tashiga iyo toosinta Qaranka” as a political platform is unconstitutional and also unlawful”, said the Presidential spokesperson.
Three people wounded in Jowhar explosion
18 Jul – Source: Bar-kulan – 106 words
At least three people have been wounded in an explosion that has taken place in Hanti-Wadag neighborhood of Jowhar town, capital of middle Shabelle region on Wednesday night.
Confirming the incident, locals told Bar-kulan that a grenade attack was targeted to vehicle carrying government soldiers, adding that assailants immediately fled from the scene.
Two of the wounded are reported to be civilians, while the third is one of the soldiers who were targeted. All the wounds were rushed to Jowhar district hospital.
A convoy of Somali government troops who arrived at the scene of explosion launched investigations. It’s not known if any arrests had been made.
AMISOM spokesman speaks out on security issues
19 Jul- Source: Radio Dalsan- 107 words
AMISOM peacekeepers Spokesman Colonel Ali Aden Houmud has spoken out on security issues in Somalia, including the port town of Kismayo where explosions. He said that AMISOM troops have to keep security in the liberated areas and to work with the government.
Speaking on Mogadishu security, the spokesman sent condolences to families and friends of Yaaqshiid deputy district commissioner Rahmo Dahir who was assassinated in front of her home in the district on Wednesday afternoon. The security forces managed to arrest some of the suspected killers later that day.
Somaliland Health Minister announces reemergence of Polio
18 Jul – Source: Somaliland Press – 102 words
The Minister of Health Hon Saleban Isse Ahmed (Haglotosiye) in a press conference announced the reemergence of Polio with the first case of the deadly disease in Sool region of Somaliland.
Hon Salaben urged citizens not to panic and that the ministry of health is taking necessary measures to contain the disease some mothers and fathers to immunize their children.
The last case of the disease was reported some six years ago in Somaliland but the risk remains mainly from the cross border movement of people from neighboring countries such as Somalia, Yemen and Ethiopia were the disease is prevalent.
REGIONAL MEDIA
‘Bomb’ scare in Nairobi
19 Jul- Source: Star (Kenya)- 271 words
Eastleigh residents in Nairobi were on a high alert after a suspicious device thought to be an improvised bomb was found next to a car that had been parked on Juja road at Mlango Kubwa near Karambee stage.
Residents alerted the police at around 9.30 am after the car had been parking since 7.30 am without occupants.The incident forced motorists on Juja road to seek alternative route as the road remained closed for about five hours.
Bomb experts arrived at the scene at around 1 pm and preliminary investigations ruled out a possibility of a bomb. The car was damaged at the rear during the detonation process.
Kenya Defence Forces officers injured in Kismayo explosion
18 Jul- Source: Standard- 243 words
Three Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) personnel were injured in an explosion during their normal patrols within Kismayu area, Somalia. Chief of the Defence Forces, General Julius Karangi Thursday said the soldiers were injured on Wednesday when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) exploded between Kismayo and Afmadow junction as an AMISOM convoy was passing on its routine duties.
Two other Somali civilians also suffered minor injuries and are receiving treatment at an AMISOM medical facility in Kismayu.
“The Chief of the Defence Forces, General Julius Karangi strongly condemns the attacks aimed at undermining the gains by AMISOM forces,” said a statement from the KDF headquarters.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somalia bank governor asks U.N. for audit amid ‘slush fund’ claims
18 July- Source: Reuters-728 Words
The governor of the Central Bank of Somalia said on Thursday he had asked the United Nations for help in conducting an independent audit of the nascent institution after U.N. monitors described it as a “slush fund” for private purposes.
U.N. experts, who monitor Security Council sanctions on Somalia and Eritrea, reported that money at the Central Bank of Somalia was not used to run government institutions in the war-torn Horn of Africa country and that an average 80 percent of withdrawals were made for private purposes.
Central Bank Governor Abdusalam Omer denied allegations by the U.N. experts that linked him to irregularities regarding millions of dollars withdrawn from the bank, saying the charges were malicious and baseless.
In a letter to the U.N. special envoy to Somalia, Nicholas Kay, Omer said the allegations by the U.N. experts “undermine the ongoing institution building efforts and leads to the loss of public confidence in the capability and integrity of the bank.”
“As a public servant and the Governor of the Bank, it is my obligation to understand and expose any misconduct associated with the handling of public funds trusted to the Central Bank of Somalia,” Omer wrote in the letter, obtained by Reuters.
UN: Somalia Still Troubled Despite New Government
18 Jul – Source: VOA – 155 words
A United Nations report says Somalia remains wracked by corruption and internal unrest despite installation of a new central government last year. The report, written by the U.N. Monitoring Group for Somalia and Eritrea, says 80 percent of withdrawals from the government’s Central Bank are made for private purposes and not for the running of government.
It says the withdrawals represent “patronage” and “a set of social relations that defy” Somali state institutions. The report also highlights what the authors call “spoiler networks” of clans and individuals that fight efforts to extend Somali government authority.
It says Eritrea supports one of these networks and has direct relations with key political figures who act as agents for Asmara’s influence. Eritrea has denied previous accusations that it meddles in Somali affairs and supports militant group al-Shabab. The report warns that developments in Somalia threaten to undermine the central government and the country’s peace and reconcilation process.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“There is much debate over how to reform Somaliland’s House of Elders, if at all, and what mechanism should be used to select its members. Essentially, there are three broad viable methods for choosing them: through election, selection by quotas or nomination by clan.”
Debating reform of Somaliland’s House of Elders
18 July- Source: IRIN-1957 Words
Over the past 20 years, clan elders in Somaliland’s Guurti, the upper house of parliament, have negotiated inter-clan disputes and kept the peace, carefully steering the self-declared republic away from the fate of south-central Somalia, which lapsed into a long, bloody civil war after the 1991 fall of the government of President Siyad Barre.
In 2001, Somaliland passed a constitution that installed the Guurti, a body of traditional elders, in the upper house, giving them legislative authority. But they have never been elected, and their constitutionally mandated six-year term limits have effectively been ignored. Now, leaders across Somaliland are in serious discussions about how best to reform the body to avoid a constitutional crisis.
What is the Guurti?
“The Guurti is a traditional forum for elders for mediation,” Edward Paice, director at the Africa Research Institute in London, told IRIN. “Since time immemorial it has been a way of settling disputes.”
“If the Istanbul dialogue ends in stalemate, the International Community will be obliged to intervene, that will be good for Somaliland, because the existing status quo is not idyllically in favour of our just cause.”
Somaliland: Working on a Strategy for Istanbul and Beyond
18 July- Source: Somaliland Sun-809 Words
The International Community has clearly set the agenda for Somaliland and Somalia dialogue, but for unknown reasons to me, the whole spirit, purpose and the substance of the internationally approved Somaliland and Somalia dialogue was defeated and reduced to something akin to Somalia’s scandalous and more than two decade-old conferences that were held in different venues around the world – or at least the future prospect of the dialogue is bleak and the needle of its compass is now pointing to the direction of complete disappointment for both Somaliland and for the sponsoring International community.
Right from the start, the agenda for the Somaliland and Somalia dialogue was set unambiguously straight forward by the International Community. The London communique gave unprejudiced considerations to the Somaliland and Somalia historical facts and also to the irrefutable present realities on the ground in both countries.
The international agenda clearly defined the parties that were meant to have the dialogue and the agenda of the dialogue. The conference unequivocally stated in it’s final communique of 23rd February, 2012 and I quote: “The conference recognized the need for the International Community to support any dialogue that Somaliland and the TFG or its replacement may agree to establish in order to clarify their future relations.”
“Clearly, Somalia with its current situation can’t implement neither unitary nor federalism smoothly by itself without the help of the international community. With real leaders with greater vision we could do it. To begin with if 20,000 of highly trained and educated Somalis in the Diaspora are willing to go back to the country with their local counterparts and serve, then there might be a good chance of implementing federalism.”
SOMALIA: Federalism and Somalia
18 July- Source: Raxanreeb-1147 Words
Federalism is a governance system whereby power of distribution is divided between federal (national) and state (local) governments. In many countries federalism is a great success story, but in some is not always the best. The 19th century saw the creation of new federal states. Switzerland and the United States are the oldest federations. Today there’re around 193 countries in The United Nations approximately 30 are federal. To name some they include, Argentina, Brazil, India, Australia, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Canada, Spain, Germany, South Africa, Austria, United Arab Emirates, Comoros, Sudan, Kenya and Mexico.
Every federal state that exists today has a very unique federal system that is supposed to solve some specific issues in a country. Generally it’s true but not always the case that federalism is implemented when a country is too large in terms of its size, has different ethnic groups, religions and languages. United Arab Emirates which is a small country by size has one culture, religion and language and yet the country is federal.
Simply Abu Dhabi and Dubai had serious political and economic differences and couldn’t trust each other. Dubai originally wanted to become a city state of its own, but after a long negotiation brokered by the British it agreed to join the federation of United Arab Emirates. Comoros in Africa and the islands of St. Kitts and Nevis in the Eastern Caribbean are very tiny islands, but use federalism as a model of governance.
“Barclays realized that shutting the accounts during the month of Ramadan would be a bad move. Given the potentially complex nature of the matter, a month’s delay is not enough for MSBs to find alternative provider(s). There is no light at the end of the tunnel.”
Barclays says no to remittance ‘lifeline’
18 July- Source: New Internationalist Blog-1132 Words
Financial remittance provides millions of people around the world, particularly in the Global South, with a lifeline. However, Barclays Bank’s sudden decision to close genuine accounts held by money transfer businesses has jeopardized this. The impact will be particularly felt in Somalia, where the finance sector has collapsed and people rely on these businesses.
The concept of remittance (monies sent, spent or invested in a country or continent, other than where the money was earned, usually by migrants) is not a new phenomenon. Since time immemorial international migrants have brought and sent remittances both tangible (such as cash and goods) and intangible (knowledge, skills information, values, beliefs and norms) to both their host and home country.
The true scope of remittances (official and unofficial) can never be known, but according to a UN Conference on Trade And Development (2012) report, the ‘value of remittances began to accelerate markedly, nearly doubling between 1990 and 2000, and then tripling once again in the following decade, touching $489 billion in 2011, despite the global financial crisis’.
Top tweets
@MSF_uk We are very happy to announce the safe release of 2 MSF colleagues after 644 days in #Somalia.http://www.msf.org.uk/article/
@t_mcconnell Blocking remittances amid money laundering fears will have disastrous repercussions, and not for #Somaliaalone http://econ.st/12LJJBw
@neildrewitt Cash going to extremists in #Somalia sent in sacks by plane, not from London suburbs a few hundred dollars at a time http://econ.st/15oxt8l
@DiscoverSomalia In the middle of nowhere, I still found herdsmen. Somali pastoral life: http://tmblr.co/ZyXEZspztnIy #Somalia
@TheVillaSomalia #Somalia President meets Neil Wigan, #UKAmbassador to #Somalia in #Mogadishu and discussed bi-lateral relations… http://fb.me/2Fte9bvBu
Image of the day
Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud meets UK Ambassador to Somalia Neil Wiggan in Villa Somalia, Mogadishu. Villa Somalia Facebook