June 11, 2013 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Somalia Bids Farewell to UNPOS and Ambassador Augustine Mahiga

10 Jun- Source: Office of the President – 223 words
H.E. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of the Federal Government of Somalia, today welcomed Dr Augustine Mahiga, former Special Representative of the Secretary General and Head of UNPOS, to Villa Somalia for the final time.

Key Headlines

At a press conference with Dr Mahiga the President said (Radio Mogadishu)
Anti-riot police complete their training match in the streets of Mogadishu (Radio kulmiye)
“Sierra Leone Troops are Active and Proving Well” Says AMISOM Spokesman (Awareness Times)
Slovenia Withdrawing from EU’s Atalanta Mission to Somalia ( Slovenian Press Agency)
Himan and Heb elections postponed (Bar-kulan)
Half a million refugees to be returned to their country (Bar-kulan)
Kenya Police intensify hunt for Nairobi Mombasa attackers (KBC)

PRESS STATEMENT

Somalia Bids Farewell to UNPOS and Ambassador Augustine Mahiga

10 Jun- Source: Office of the President – 223 words

H.E. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of the Federal Government of Somalia, today welcomed Dr Augustine Mahiga, former Special Representative of the Secretary General and Head of UNPOS, to Villa Somalia for the final time.

At a press conference with Dr Mahiga, the President said:

10 Jun – Source: Radio Mogadishu – 295 words

“Today we bid a fond farewell to a friend. A friend who stood beside us through thick and thin. A friend who never gave up, and who, with calm, steely determination, helped us to steer Somalia through four years of political and security transformation.

“I consider Ambassador Mahiga a personal friend, but he is a friend to all Somalis. I am privileged to know him, and I know that when the history books are written, Dr Mahiga’s contribution to Somalia’s revival will be saluted and applauded.

Along with a Certificate of Honour, the President gave Dr Mahiga a set of traditional clothes as worn by the Somali Elders, complete with the traditional Baat (shield) and

spear

“Dr Mahiga was the author of the Road Map. And whilst some may have doubted its capacity to deliver peaceful transition at the time, it was this Road Map and its determination to host the dialogue that brought Somalis together, that has helped to deliver us to where we are at today.

“His intellect and his qualities of patience, tolerance, good humour and respect will be greatly missed.

“He believed in Somalia when many were prepared to give up. He chaired endless Conferences and Assemblies knowing that it was the sum of all their parts that mattered in the long term. He set his goal with the Somali people and with the region, and delivered the peaceful transition that so many thought unlikely.

“He has set Somalia on a true course to recovery and we promise that we will continue the work that he has begun with the same belief and determination. I thank Dr Mahiga on behalf of a grateful nation.”

SOMALI MEDIA

Anti-riot police complete their training, match in the streets of Mogadishu

10 Jun- Source: Shabelle/Radio kulmiye/Radio Dalsan- 104 words

Fully trained anti-riot police who completed their training inside and outside the country matched on the streets of Mogadishu. 500 policemen paraded today in Mogadishu to curb future riots and help to restore calm in areas that are affected by conflicts in the future. The police commissioner of Somalia General Dahir urged the new police force to play part in the stabilization plan and contribute to enforce law and order I the country.

Himan and Heb elections postponed

10 Jun- Source: Bar-kulan- 103 words

The president of Himan and Heb regional administration in central Somalia Abdillahi Aden Ticey has declared that the administration’s presidential election that was to be held on 10 June is postponed after electoral commissioner asked for more days to prepare the administration top leadership contest.The elections were due to be held on Thursday in Adado town of Galgadud region in central Somalia.In an exclusive interview with Bar-kulan, Himan and Heb administration spokesman Mohamed Omar Hagafey, stated that the requests were not all submitted by presidential aspirants.Three presidential candidates have so far submitted their requests and two vice-presidents in the highly contested Himan and Heb polls. The incumbent Himan and Heb Abdillahi Aden Ticey, his deputy and administration spokesman are believed not to be interested in contesting.

Two people killed in Kismayo

10 Jun- Source: Kismayo News/al Shahid/Shabelle- 91 words

Two people were killed Sunday night by unidentified gunmen in the city of Kismayo, the capital of the province of Lower Juba, southern Somalia. Eyewitnesses said that men armed with pistols killed two businessmen in the city. Not yet know the circumstances of the incident and the identity of those responsible; who fled immediately. Kismayo is calm after clashes between armed militias took place in the city during the two days, and resulted in the deaths of more than 17 people, wounding more than 30 others.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Half a million refugees to be returned to their country

10 Jun- Source: Star (Kenya)- 45 words

Half a million refugees will be returned to Somalia. The government has announced that the repatriation plans are already underway after talks with the Somali government. Acting Commissioner for Refugee Affairs Badu Katelo says the exercise will be done in phases and will be voluntary.

Kenya Police intensify hunt for Nairobi, Mombasa attackers

10 Jun- Source: KBC- 161 words

Police have intensified a man hunt for architects of Sunday’s twin grenade attacks in Mombasa and Nairobi. During the attacks that occurred in a span of less than two hours in Nairobi’s Eastleigh estate and Mombasa’s Likoni area, at least 15 people were injured. The Mombasa incident occurred in a church compound at around 7pm injuring 12.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

“Sierra Leone Troops are Active and Proving Well” Says AMISOM Spokesman

10 Jun- Source: Awareness Times- 502 words

African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Senior Public Information Officer, Mr. Eloi Yao has commended Sierra Leone for being the first country outside East Africa to deploy its troops. He made this disclosure at a two-day communications workshop organized by the AMISOM in Kampala, Uganda over the weekend. The workshop was attended by 59 participants from the Troop/Police Contributing Countries (T/PCCs), namely Uganda, Burundi, Djibouti, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Ethiopia and Liberia. The main purpose of the workshop for participants to learn from the T/PCCs’ experiences in relation to public information in order to harmonize all communication plans on AMISOM’s work in Somalia. Addressing the workshop, Mr. Eloi Yao said that Sierra Leone troops constituted AMISOM’s fifth contingent after Uganda, Burundi, Djibouti and Kenya. He revealed that the Sierra Leone troops were active and proving well, adding that the troops have already reached their deployments in the three Somali cities of Dhobley, Kismayo and Tabdah.

Slovenia Withdrawing from EU’s Atalanta Mission to Somalia

10 Jun- Source:/ Slovenian Press Agency- 47 words

The government decided on Monday that Slovenian armed forces will no longer take part in the EU-led Atalanta naval mission to Somalia. The government said in a press release after a correspondence session that the last soldier taking part in the mission will return home this month.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“While recent advances against al Qaeda’s affiliate in Somalia, al Shabaab, have received international praise and established relative stability throughout much of the country, the current situation in Kismayo may threaten any new gains.”

Challenges to America’s Counterterrorism Strategy in Somalia

10 June- Source: Critical Threats Project-2778 Words

Al Qaeda’s affiliate in Somalia, al Shabaab, has suffered a series of defeats at the hands of Somali clan militia forces, internationally-backed African Union peacekeeping troops, and Somali federal government forces. Notably, al Shabaab lost a major stronghold in the southern Somali port city of Kismayo at the end of September 2012. As al Shabaab suffered setbacks, the Somali government made major progress: The United States formally recognized a government of Somalia in January 2013 for the first time since 1991, for example. The government controls the majority of Mogadishu today, whereas it held only a few blocks of the capital city in 2010.