July 3, 2017 | Daily Monitoring Report
Al-Shabaab Commander Killed In Airstrike Near Barawe
03 July – Source : RBC Radio – 136 Words
An Al-Shabaab commander is said to have been killed in an airstrike by unidentified drones near Barawe town in Lower Shabelle region. Local officials in Barawe confirmed the attack which targeted Al-Shabaab convoy killing a senior militant commander. “Unknown warplanes hit a location between Kunyo-barow and Barawe where Al-Shabaab militia and officials were hiding in. We have reports that senior commander was killed.” said Barawe-based security official.
According to a second security official in Mogadishu the killed Al-Shabaab commander has identified as Ibrahim Haji Daud. Daud is perceived to have led Al-Shabab’s intelligence unit known as Amniyat. Locals who sought anonymity reported to have heard drones flying over the area before they heard two huge explosions on Sunday. Al-Shabaab has not yet commented on the airstrike and as well as the death of the militant commander.
Key Headlines
- Al-Shabaab Commander Killed In Airstrike Near Barawe (RBC radio)
- Somaliland U.A.E. Ink Deal To Implement Development Projects (Garowe Online)
- UK Pushes For Somalia-Somaliland Talks to End Differences (Somali Update)
- Finance Minister Issue Warning To Ghost Workers (Jowhar.com)
- Somali President Calls For Unity Talks With Breakaway Somaliland (Africa News)
- Outbreak Of Cholera In Somalia: A Public Health Concern (The Borgen Project)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Somaliland, U.A.E. Ink Deal To Implement Development Projects
02 July – Source : Garowe Online – 246 Words
The separatist northwestern region of Somaliland was reported to have signed a deal with United Arab Emirates (U.A.E) on Sunday to implement infrastructure projects in the region. The deal included building the road connecting Barbara port city to neighboring Ethiopia and building an international Airport in Berbera. The deal was co-signed between Somaliland officials led by Foreign Minister Sa’ad Ali Shire and UAE officials in Dubai.
Subsequently, Somaliland administration released a press statement lauding the signature of the deal. “The Somaliland administration and U.A.E co-signed a historical agreement to implement development projects in Somaliland by U.A.E,” read the statement. “The projects include Berbera Corridor which will connect Berbera city to Ethiopia and construction of a new Airport in Berbera, the capital of Sahil region.” The deal comes following the agreement between Somaliland and Dubai-based DP World to re-modernize and manage Barbara Port for 25 years. The agreement considered as the biggest development projects that Somaliland received so far that will help to create huge employment opportunities in the region.
U.A.E’s role in implementing various development projects in Somalia is widely hailed by the public, in contrast to Turkey that focused Mogadishu for its projects, which favoring people connected to Muslim Brotherhood organization to implement the projects. Somaliland is a former British protectorate and declared its own independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991, however, it has not been recognized by any country in the world to date.
UK Pushes For Somalia-Somaliland Talks to End Differences
02 July – Source : Somali Update -187 Words
The United Kingdom Ambassador to Somalia David Concar has mentioned that his government supports the efforts of the current Somali Government in resuming talks between Somalia and Somaliland. “We as the United Kingdom, do not recognize Somaliland as sovereign state.” the UK Ambassador told BBC as he praised the kind of democracy in Somaliland.
Somaliland declared to have broken away from the rest of Somalia in 1991 following the collapse of Somalia’s military rule, but has not received international recognition. The Mogadishu-based Federal Government has been engaging talks with Somaliland in the past eight years. The talks were supported by Turkey, but halted in late 2015 as the electoral process commenced in Mogadishu leading to leadership change in February this year.President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo this week announced the resumption of the talks with Somaliland to end differences and reassure union after two decades of chaos in the south and separatist move in the north. The British Ambassador noted his government’s role in helping resumption of the talks. The Ambassador meanwhile hinted the need for potential cooperation between Mogadishu and Hargeysa in areas related to Somali people.
Finance Minister Issues Warning To Ghost Workers
03 July – Source : Jowhar.com – 126 Words
The Minister for Finance of the Federal Government of Somalia, Abdirahman Beyle has sent a warning to those who are registered as government employees but do not report to work. The Minister said they have discovered that there are ghost workers in government agencies who were employed by politicians but don’t work for the government. “We have found out that they are some who work in other places who are on government payroll , others who are abroad and earn dues from the government and some people who idle in the Bakara market but earn a salary, “ The Minister commented. He added that they will give an ultimatum up to the end of July for those individuals to report to their respective duty station.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somali President Calls For Unity Talks With Breakaway Somaliland
03 July – Source : Africa News – 171 Words
Somali President, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has called for unity talks between his country and break away region Somaliland.Farmajo said during Somalia’s 57th independence anniversary speech on Saturday that the government is committed to relaunch talks with Somaliland as soon as possible, Somali news agency SONNA reported.He expressed hope that the two regions will solve their differences and be united. Although not recognised as a sovereign state, Somaliland declared its independence from Somalia on May 18, 1991. Somaliland, with a population of about 4 million, can boast of an army, its own currency and legal system and is appreciated for holding credible elections. The territory has been experiencing stability and economic prosperity and has been influential in the fight against piracy and terrorism in the horn of Africa. The territory had been under pressure to hold talks with Somalia which have so far been futile.
25 years of diplomatic isolation has made it difficult for Somaliland to have access to loans from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“Cholera is a treatable and preventable disease. To prevent cholera in Somalia, oral rehydration, antibiotics and intravenous feeding are needed. Somalia’s cholera outbreak is a wake-up call for the better implementation of water and sanitation infrastructure, promotion of hygiene practices and emergency aid need.”
Outbreak Of Cholera In Somalia: A Public Health Concern
03 July – Source : The Borgen Project – 436 Words
An outbreak of cholera in Somalia has resulted in a total of 28,408 cholera cases and 548 deaths thus far. In April 2017 alone, 2,745 cases of cholera were reported in Somalia by the Ministry of Health. From April 10 to 16, 28 cholera-related deaths were reported across 50 districts. The situation has been exacerbated by the worst drought experienced in decades, which has coincided with the cholera outbreak in Somalia. Cholera is an acute diarrheal disease, which, if left untreated, can lead to death. It is caused by the bacterium Vibro cholerae. Consumption of contaminated food and water is the main cause of the disease. Malnourished children under the age of five are especially vulnerable.
Somalia is in the midst of a severe drought due to poor rainfall and a general lack of water. It has killed livestock and crops leaving 6.2 of 12.3 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. The drought has greatly worsened the outbreak of cholera in Somalia. Somalia’s humanitarian crisis is a combination of political conflict, food insecurity, displacement of people and limited healthcare. More than five million people are at risk of being affected by waterborne diseases, and three million people are facing food insecurity. The death rate has reached 14.1 percent among Somalis affected with cholera in Middle Juba and 5.1 percent in Bakool. Five hundred thousand Somalis have been internally displaced in search of water.
Dr. Abdinasir Abubakar, a cholera expert for the World Health Organization (WHO) emergencies program noted: “Ever since the drying up of the Shabelle and Juba rivers, people have been forced to move out and seek water in unfamiliar places.” The two rivers are Somalia’s perennial streams. The Ministry of Health has been working with the WHO to respond to this outbreak and implement preventive measures against cholera in Somalia. There have been integrated emergency responses in the Mogadishu, Bay and Gedo regions. Sixty health workers were trained by the Ministry of Health in cholera case management, surveillance, WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) and risk communications.
The first oral cholera vaccination campaign began on April 18th and is set up to target 450,000 people over one year of age to fight cholera in Somalia. There are warnings by medical staff that the number of ill patients has exceeded hospital capacity in affected regions. Cholera is a treatable and preventable disease. To prevent cholera in Somalia, oral rehydration, antibiotics and intravenous feeding are needed. Somalia’s cholera outbreak is a wake-up call for the better implementation of water and sanitation infrastructure, promotion of hygiene practices and emergency aid need.
TOP TWEETS
@jessa_summers: 5 dilemmas #Somalia must consider for peaceful, timely & democratic elections in 2020-21:http://bit.ly/2ts8KGg
@ebuka_akara: U.S. commends Somalia’s progress towards stability http://africanleadership.co.
@MoradNews: Suspected #US drone strike reported at#AlShabaabcontrolled town of Kunya-Barrow in #Somalia‘s Lower Shabelle region. Target unknown yet.
@GuleidJ: The arrest of journalists Mowlid Ismail Digeed and Mohamed Shaqale Ashour, arrested in Las’Anod, is unconstitutional.
@SomaliaEduFair: First International Education Fair is happening this year in 5 different cities across #Somalia. #
@Abukar_Arman: The core of the Somali problem is ppl of pastoral nomadic culture are leading Som politics. Hard realism is all they understand.
@SomaliPM: Bid farewell to @DrTedros last night before his travel to Geneva to take up new post as @WHO DG. Africa counts on your astute stewardship
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre arrived in Addis Ababa for the AU summit.
Photo: Radio Muqdisho