June 18, 2018 | Daily Monitoring Report.
ICAO’s Somalia Airspace Control Office In Nairobi Stops Operation
18 June – Source: Halbeeg News – 296 Words
The transitional office of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Nairobi, who is monitoring Somalia’s airspace will stop its operation on Monday, Somali government official confirmed. The Horn of Africa Nation took back control of its airspace late last year, after more than two decades. Air traffic system had been controlled by the United Nations from neighbouring Kenya since 1992, a year after the Somali civil war broke out.
Somalia’s Aviation and Air Transport Minister, Mohamed Abdullahi Salad said, in a statement that the government of Somalia will fully start controlling the air traffic over the country from Mogadishu. The minister said the entire process of controlling the country’s skies from outside the country has come to an end on Monday. “Today 18th June 2018, Somalia’s airspace control office in Nairobi, which had been operating more than 25 years, will stop its function. Henceforth, all function of airspace control will take place in Mogadishu,” said Mr. Salad. Despite the initial agreement of operating in Nairobi for a period of one and half years to make sure for a smooth transition, the government of Somalia has not yet given a reason.
In March, Somali government relocated 34 air control personnel to Mogadishu after operating outside the country for 27 years. The staffs who works at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)’s Flight Information Service of Somalia (FISS) center in Nairobi, were transferred to Mogadishu. Prior to the collapse of Somalia’s central government led by late Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991, the country effectively and efficiently managed and controlled its airspace, and was able to collect overfly charges. When the country plunged into civil war, Somalia lost millions of dollars, as there was no credible oversight organization, despite ICAO operations to control the air traffic over Somalia.
Key Headlines
- ICAO’s Somalia Airspace Control Office In Nairobi Stops Operation (Halbeeg News)
- Dahabshiil Rejects Puntland MP’s Allegations (Garowe Online)
- Puntland Forces Deployed In Galgala Mountains Launch Operations Against Al-Shabaab (Halbeeg News)
- Somalia To Implement Oil Mining Framework (Africa Business)
- For The Hope Of A Future With Options Where No Child Is Left Behind (AMISOM)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Dahabshiil Rejects Puntland MP’s Allegations
18 June – Source: Garowe Online – 248 Words
Dahabshiil, the largest money transfer company in Somalia, has vehemently denied claims by a member of Puntland parliament named Sadiq Abshir Garad. Speaking to the media at his office on Sunday, the manager of the firm’s branch in Bosaso, Mr. Yasin Beldaje dismissed the accusations of the MP, that Dahabshiil supports Somaliland, in the war with Puntland as “baseless”. Mr. Beldaje said, Dahabshiil is a licensed leading private remittance company operating in 144 countries around the globe, with no political influence that serves Somali people in and outside the country.
He called on Parliamentary Ethics Committee to strip the lawmaker of his immunity and arraigned in court for the, incitement and call to loot the private company. “The the claims of the legislator is categorically contrary to the state constitution, hence he should be stripped of his immunity and brought before a court,” said Mr. Beldaje at the press conference. MP Garad who is the chairman of the defence committee in parliament, blamed the firm for giving financial support to Somaliland, which is now at war with Puntland over the disputed northern regions.
It’s not yet clear what would be the response of the parliament to the statement of Mr. Garad, who is said to be hailing from Sool and Sanaag regions, the epicentre of the territorial dispute between Somaliland and Puntland. The accusation of the parliamentarian against the private cash transfer company, which is owned by a Somaliland businessman comes amid a brewing tension in Tukaraq village.
Puntland Forces Deployed In Galgala Mountains Launch Operations Against Al-Shabaab
17 June – Source: Halbeeg News – 190 Words
Hundreds of Puntland state forces have been deployed in Galgala Mountains had launch an operations to flush out Al-Shabaab from the area. Mid this month the President of Puntland State, Abdiweli Ali Gaas has reshuffled the leadership of the state’s Security and Intelligence agencies. Following months of attacks in the state, and intelligence sources indicate another imminent attack in Garowe.
Residents in Galgala and nearby areas, who spoke to the media, confirmed the heavy presence of the forces. The officials of security forces who sought anonymity said, the forces are targeting the Al-Shabaab fighters, who are using the mountains as a safe haven to train and carry out attacks in Puntland state. Several platoons of Puntland Darwish, paramilitary are already in Galgala Mountains.
Puntland engaged several deadly attacks with Al-Shabaab fighters in Bari region. The forces have not been able to completely wrest the Galgala Mountains from an Al-Shabaab forces, reported to have several hundred fighters and training bases in the area. Security officials in Somalia believe that Galgala serves as a strategic link for Al-Shabaab connecting their faction in Southern Somalia with Al-Qaida in Yemen.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somalia To Implement Oil, Mining Framework
18 June – Source: Africa Business – 568 Words
The Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of the Federal Republic of Somalia has drafted regulations to manage the country’s petroleum and mineral resources sectors, especially in regard to ownership and revenue sharing. The agreement was made by the federal government and the federal member states of the National Security Council and facilitated and assisted by the World Bank and the Council for Inter-State Cooperation.
The agreement, established in the interim capital of Baidoa on June 5, wraps up a three-year process led by the ministry to create a framework for the development of the oil industry, and it authorizes the ministry to issue permits and manage the petroleum and mining activities in Somalia.
The Council for Inter-state Cooperation, a technical committee from the Federal Member States and the Federal Government led an intensive and inclusive consultation process with all industry stakeholders. The President of Somalia, H.E. Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, as well as Prime Minister H.E. Hassan Ali Khayre and the Heads of the Federal Member States and the Mayor of Mogadishu also secured high-level political agreement on the principles that will guide the management of the sectors.
“The finalization of this agreement marks a new chapter in the progress and development of the Federal Republic of Somalia,” said H.E. Abdirashid Mohamed Ahmed, the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources. “The Ministry will work in close collaboration with the federal member states in swiftly implementing all legislations and policies, monitoring and following up on all licenses issued prior to this agreement.”
OPINION, ANALYSIS & CULTURE
“There are communities that have historically been terrorized by Al-Shabaab’s cowardice acts of targeting children as the most vulnerable members of societies, for forced conscription into their terrorist structures. AMISOM, through its Child Protection Unit, has been working with the FGS, to capacitate its administration to advocate for children’s rights.”
For The Hope Of A Future With Options, Where No Child Is Left Behind
18 June – Source: AMISOM – 1118 Words
As the world commemorates the International Day of the African Child in memory of the 1976 Soweto Uprisings, the children of Somalia stand in solidarity with other African children, under this year’s theme Leave No Child Behind for Africa’s Development. First initiated by the African Union (formerly the Organization of African Unity) in 1991, the Day of the African Child has been marked every year to raise awareness of the continued need to improve the education provided to African children, and discuss challenges and opportunities facing the full realization of the rights of African children.
Ironically for Somalia and her children, 1991 was the year the central government fell following years of fighting , triggering over two decades of displacements, and denying the children many of their basic rights. According to UNICEF, close to two million Somali children are currently affected by conflict, displacements and drought or famine.
In 2015, Somalia became the 196th nation to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and that year, commemorations of the day were introduced throughout Somalia. This first commemoration gave a platform to Somalia’s children – possibly for the first time – to be seen and heard as the primary beneficiary of all state-building initiatives being undertaken by the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and supported by the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), and other partners.
This year’s celebrations come at a time when significant developments have been made in Somalia at a political level, with particular emphasis on the education sector. The FGS’ Ministry of Education has recently launched its first National Curriculum after 28 years, signaling the revival of the public education system in Somalia. Prior to this launch, Somalia’s was an unregulated private education system, whose curriculum was imported from other countries – with no uniformity.
Going forward, all schools will teach one curriculum and subjects will be taught in Somali – except Arabic, and Islamic studies. AMISOM has ordered 50 000 books from the new curriculum to donate to the education departments around Somalia, as a sign of confidence in the process, and as part of its Peace Strengthening Projects (PSP) that extend beyond the Mission’s military interventions.
Another achievement of the Ministry of Education has been the successfully held Unified National Examinations for secondary schools, which were held for the fourth consecutive year in May 2018. These exams are critical as they enable high school students to join institutions of higher learning. A total of 27 600 students sat for the examinations at 120 centers across Mogadishu, HirShabelle, South West, Galmudug and Jubbaland states.
The number of students sitting for the examinations has grown from 3 500 in 2015, to 23 000 in 2017, and 27 600 in 2018. Security was deployed at the examination centers by AMISOM Police and the Somali Police Force (SPF), to ensure the safety of the students. This achievement is evidence of the gradual return to normalcy, and restoration of peace and stability in many parts of Somalia.
TOP TWEETS
@Halbeeg_News: ICAO’s Somalia Airspace Control office in Nairobi stops operation https://en.halbeeg.com/2018/
@Tuuryare_Africa: #UPDATE: Heavily armed #AlShebabfighters have taken away eight rifles and more than 540 bullets after bomb explosion killed 8 #Kenyan soldiers in Wajir town – Nation reports #Kenya
@Vatescorp: #Somalia: Puntland forces deployed in Galagala Mountains launch operations against #alShabaab
@mpfsomalia: Delve into four stories of #resilience from desert lands in #Somalia
http://www.worldbank.org/en/
@RadioDanan: #ISIS claims the responsibility of Friday blast in#Mogadishu at #Dayniile district that killed four of the government troops.#Somalia.
@ahmedvision1: #Somalia & #Ethiopia need genuine social reconciliation lead by their social & political leaders. No way we live with this centuries old hatred which benefits to non of our community. #Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia & @Eritrea need to leverage their commonalities to build new power
@DeeqAfrika: For too many in #Somalia that are still stuck and view Somalia through tribal (& discriminatory) lenses, its hard for them to grasp and get their heads around the opportunity of regional economic integration between #Somalia, #Ethiopia,#Kenya & #Eritrea
@mpfsomalia: Delve into four stories of #resilience from desert lands in #Somalia
http://www.worldbank.org/en/
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Jubbaland President, Ahmed Mohamed Islam met with AMISOM officials in Kismayo today.
Photo:@DalsanFM