March 11, 2013 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Training course for Somali diplomats in South Africa
11 Mar- Source: Radio Mogadishu/SNTV/ al Shahid- 111 words
A training session conducted to raise the level of performance of the staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Somalia is underway at the Institute for training and Diplomatic Studies in South Africa. 21 Somali diplomat from the Somali State will benefit from the training.
This session will discuss topics about Protocol and improve Somali diplomats performance. Officials from the South Africa and other diplomats will provide lectures during this session, which will conclude end of March.
This is the first training of its kind in South Africa to raise the level of performance of Somali diplomats, also comes within the framework of ongoing efforts to strengthen the Somali diplomats capabilities.
Key Headlines
- Training course for Somali diplomats in South Africa (Radio Mogadishu/SNTV/ al Shahid)
- Puntland warns traders moving cash to Mogadishu for more dollars (Radio Bar-kulan)
- Ethiopian forces to pull out from Somalia (Radio Mustaqbal/Radio Risaala)
- Somalia: Islamists Mogadishu mayor trade blame for inflation (Raxanreeb)
- New faces in the army following easing of arms embargo (Somalisentinel)
- Egyptian foreign minister visits Mogadishu (Shabelle)
- Egypt to reopen Somalia embassy ( Daily News Egypt)
- Residents of northeastern Somali town stage anti-Puntland president protest (RBC)
- Somalia: Militants rob pastoralists of 1500 camels in south (Bulshoweyn Online)
- Somali PM Shirdon speaks to parliament tours Garowe (Garowe Online)
- Somalia happy with end of arms embargo (East African)
- Seventy four Somalis rescued in Sicilian Narrows (AGI-it)
- Somali pirates free chemical tanker hijacked a year ago (Reuters)
SOMALI MEDIA
Training course for Somali diplomats in South Africa
11 Mar- Source: Radio Mogadishu/SNTV/ al Shahid- 111 words
A training session conducted to raise the level of performance of the staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Somalia is underway at the Institute for training and Diplomatic Studies in South Africa. 21 Somali diplomat from the Somali State will benefit from the training.
This session will discuss topics about Protocol and improve Somali diplomats performance.
Officials from the South Africa and other diplomats will provide lectures during this session, which will conclude end of March.
This is the first training of its kind in South Africa to raise the level of performance of Somali diplomats, also comes within the framework of ongoing efforts to strengthen the Somali diplomats capabilities.
Puntland warns traders moving cash to Mogadishu for more dollars
11 Mar- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 154 words
Puntland administration has warned businessmen against transporting Somali banknotes from its territory to Mogadishu with the aim of getting excess dollars after the shilling gained grounds against the dollar.
Finance assistant Minister Abdi Ibrahim Warsame ordered police to search vehicles plying the routes between Puntland and south-central Somalia regions. He said individuals found ferrying Somali banknotes to Mogadishu will be dealt with accordingly including confiscation of the notes by the security officers.
His sentiment comes days after the Somali Shilling strengthened against the dollar in Mogadishu prompting local traders in parts of Puntland to move cash to Mogadishu in exchange of dollars.
Similarly, cash movement restriction has been imposed on local traders in central; Somali town of Guri’el to avoid inflation similar to the one witnessed in Mogadishu.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud recently promised to intervene the souring inflation in the country especially the capital city to safeguard the interest of the general public.
Ethiopian forces to pull out from Somalia
11 Feb- Source: Radio Mustaqbal/Radio Risaala/Reuters- 195 words
Ethiopian forces said will pull out from in several parts in south and central regions of the country where they now occupy by the end of April this year. The Ethiopian forces will hand over positions to other African Union peacekeeping forces in AMSOM mission in Somalia.
Ethiopian troops crossed into Somalia last November effectively opening a third front in the war against al Shabaab and immediately took over the group’s strongholds of Baladweyne and Baydhabo in Southern Somalia.
Ramtane Lamamra who is the commissioner of peace and security for the AU announced that the Djiboutian contingent currently in Somalia will move to Baladweyne where they will operate whereas a contingent of 2500 troops from Uganda and Burundi will be deployed in Baydhabo.
Mr. Lamamra revealed meetings in Addis Ababa, between the army commanders of Ethiopia and AMISOM forces, where they discussed how Ethiopian troops are to withdraw from Somalia.
The Security Council of the United Nations recently approved an increment of the AMISOM forces by up to close to 18000 which will include Kenyan troops. AMISOM protects the Western-backed government.
It is not new for Ethiopian troops to intervene and cross into Somalia since previously, they moved into Somalia in 2006 to 2009 toppling the Islamic Courts Union that was in power then.
Somalia: Islamists, Mogadishu mayor trade blame for inflation
10 Mar – Source: Raxanreeb – 189 words
Al Shabaab has blamed the inflation spike on staple foods and the depreciation of the dollar on what it calls Somali people’s enemies whose objective, it claims, is to destroy Mogadishu residents.
Shaykh Ali Mohamed Hussein, al Shabaab’s head for Banaadir Region, yesterday denied that Al-Shabaab has a role in the matter [inflation and dollar depreciation], which is causing worry and confusion among vulnerable people and is currently dominating public discussion. Shaykh Ali said that Somali government leaders were behind the depreciation of the dollar and staple food price spikes, and the purpose of which, he claimed, was to destroy the people.
Banaadir Region governor Mohamed “Tarzan” Ahmed Nur recently accused al Shabaab of orchestrating the matter [inflation and dollar depreciation], claiming that after the group was defeated on the battlefield, it resorted to engaging economic sabotage against the Somali people already exhausted by the civil war, famine, and internal displacement.
The matter [inflation and dollar depreciation] is having a major impact on Mogadishu residents, and so far no one has taken it upon themselves to address it.
Egyptian foreign minister visits Mogadishu
10 Mar – Source: Shabelle – 132 words
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Muhammad Kamil arrived in Mogadishu’s Adan Adde airport with a delegation of his government’s officials who will be heading shortly to the residence of Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
The delegation is expected to initiate talks on various issues “including the opening of Egypt’s chancery in Somalia after 22 years of closure”
Egyptian officials, who were “warmly was received by officials from the Somali government at the airport, ” plan on visiting the premises of their embassy in Mogadishu during this visit.
The Somali Federal Government is gradually reopening foreign embassies in Mogadishu, rebuilding ties with foreign governments as the nation’s improving security situation beckons more investors.
New faces in the army following easing of arms embargo
10 Mar- Source: Somalisentinel- 85 words
On March 10, 2013, the SFG appointed a new Commander-in-chief of the armed forces as well as a new commandant officer. Dahir Adan Elmi ( Indha Qarshe), who first joined the military in 1968 and moved up ranks eventually becoming a high-ranking member during the Siyad Barre’s military regime, was named the new commander-in-chief. He is is the uncle of Somalia’s Minister of State for the Presidency (Farah Sheikh Abdiqadir) and is closely linked to Damul-Jadiid, continuing the Islamist organizations firm grip on the government.
Somali president congratulates Kenya’s president-elect
10 Mar – Source: Radio Shabelle – 240 word
The president of the federal government of Somalia, Prof Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, has congratulated his counterpart in Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, who was victorious in Kenya’s recent presidential election. Hasan Weli Shaykh Abubakar has the details.
[Abubakar] Speaking at Villa Somalia, the president of Somalia’s federal republic, Hasan Shaykh Mahmud, first of all congratulated the people of Kenya on reaching the final decision regarding their future in declaring Uhuru Kenyatta as their president in the next five years. Hasan Shaykh Mahmud described Kenyans as a determined people who reached a decision regarding their future and called on them to work for the stability of their country.
President Hasan Shaykh Mahmud said 85% of Kenyans had voted in the election, adding that Uhuru Kenyatta was a man who was a deserving leader and that the co-operation with Somalia would improve.
Uhuru Kenyatta who is the son of the first president of Kenya garnered more than 50% of the votes cast, defeating Raila Odinga who has been the prime minister of Kenya in the past five years.
President Hasan Shaykh Mahmud concluded that Kenyans should work on maintaining stability to ensure progress and to work for the cooperation between Nairobi and Mogadishu governments.
Residents of northeastern Somali town stage anti-Puntland president protest
10 Mar – Source: Raxanreeb – 247 words
A large anti-Puntland President Abdirahman “Farole” Shaykh Muhammad protest was held today in Boosaaso [northeastern Somalia], the commercial capital of Puntland. The demonstration, which started in the morning, was well attended by city residents, most of whom were youths who vehemently oppose President Farole and his government.
The protesters started their march from Puntland Hospital, waving placards bearing slogans critical of Puntland president and his government, such as “The government mandate has expired,” ” We do not want an insulter of Islam,” Farole is a destroyer,” and “No Farole.”
The protesters demanded that the Puntland president, whose term of office has already expired, step down. The demonstration brought disrupted human and vehicular traffic flow in the city.
Security forces fired shots to disperse the protesters, but to no avail. The protesters sat in the middle of Waaca Road and around Jubba Hotel.
Security forces, among them Bari Region deputy police chief Muhammad Jaqanaf, came to the scene of the protest and urged the protesters to calm down and return to their homes.
Former Puntland President General Mahmud Muse “Adde” Hirsi, who was travelling on the road where the demonstration was taking place, urged the protesters not to take any action that could be detrimental to security.
The demonstration, which ended when people rushed for Friday prayers, was the third anti-Puntland Farole protest to be held in Boosaaso in the last two months.
Somalia: Militants rob pastoralists of 1,500 camels in south
10 Mar – Source: Bulshoweyn – 132 words
Al Shabaab is reported to have robbed rural pastoralists of a large number of animals in Badhaadhe district, Lower Jubba Region. A large number of al Shabaab fighters invaded a grazing land, entered pens, and drove away 1,500 camels. Some pastoralists who were robbed of their animals said that al Shabaab fighters also wounded six pastoralists when they tried to stop them from taking their camels.
There has been no word from al Shabaab leaders in Lower Jubba Region regarding what might have prompted them to rob rural pastoralists of their animals. Al Shabaab fighters often commit shocking acts such as this one. They have robbed people of a lot of animals and other property in the past.
Somali PM Shirdon speaks to parliament, tours Garowe
10 Mar- Source: Garowe Online- 297 words
Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon alongside Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole and other Puntland government officials visited parliament among many other sites in the capital, Garowe Online reports.
Continuing his Listening Tour in Puntland, Prime Minister Shirdon on his second day in Garowe, visited Parliament where he gave a speech to parliamentarians before visiting various ministries and government buildings.
Shirdon after thanking the government of Puntland and the people for their warm welcome, explained the reasons why for his visit Puntland.
Somali army chief vows to rout out remnants of al Shabaab
10 Mar- Source: Shabelle- 118 words
Somali army chief, General Abdulkadir Shiekh Ali Dini, has told that Somali forces are ready to fight with any elements who pose threat to the security of the nation.
Speaking to journalists at a ceremony where more than a hundred soldiers have concluded training in the capital, the general said that the army would attack and liberate areas still controlled by al Shabaab and he stated that the army stands for the defence of the Somali people and the national flag.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Egypt to reopen Somalia embassy
10 Mar- Source: Daily News Egypt- 257 words
Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr said Egypt will reopen its embassy in the Somali capital Mogadishu during a visit to the African country.
Amr said the decision comes after significant improvement in security and stability in Somalia as well as the political stability which was reached after the September 2012 presidential elections. The elections brought Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to power, an academic who also has a background in political activism.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ statement read: “Through restoring the embassy to Mogadishu, Egypt aims to reinforce that it is a main partner to the Somali government as it faces all the challenges of the Somali people….”
The challenges include bringing an end to the armed combat in the Horn of Africa country and fighting corruption. Instead of an Egyptian embassy in Somalia, Egypt had temporary headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.
Kenyan paper lauds UN move to lift arms embargo on Somalia
09 Mar – Source: The Standard-283 words
Somalia’s path back to legitimate statehood continues apace with the efforts to rebuild key institutions weakened or destroyed by decades of civil war.
This has not been an easy journey, what with the radical elements that controlled much of that country still waging a bloody campaign of terror against the government.
It, however, has been a gratifying one for Somalia’s neighbours, who have been plagued by small arms and dangerous ideology flooding from the lawless nation.
The decision by the United Nations Security Council to partially lift a 20-year-old arms embargo has reinforced optimism that the war-torn nation is on the path to stabilisation. Successive interim Somali governments have previously petitioned the UN, without success, to have Mogadishu build a standing army and a police force that could take over from African Union and UN troops.
The last such appeal was made by President Hasan Shaykh Mahmud last month. The appeal was backed by the African Union, during a heads of states summit last month.
On Wednesday [6 March], the UN Security Council acceded to AU calls to lift the embargo, which was imposed in 1992 to curtail the flow of arms and ammunition to warlords.
For a period of one year, under supervision of the Security Council, Somalia will begin building an army capable of securing its territory against rebel groups.
We welcome the possibility this may lead to the successful conclusion of the Amisom [African Union Mission in Somalia] mission and lead to the return of Kenya Defence Forces from that country. However, every care must be taken to ensure any arms brought into the country do not end up in the wrong hands, endangering the fragile gains made so far.
Somalia happy with end of arms embargo
09 Mar- Source: East African- 383 words
The Somali government has welcomed the lifting of arms embargo by the UN Security Council saying the move was “a victory for the people and government” of the Horn of Africa nation.
The UN Security Council on Wednesday voted to lift the two-decade long arms embargo on Somalia for 12 months and allow the country to buy light weapons.
“The Somali government will take responsibility to meet the conditions attached to the decision of the Security Council transparently and in accordance with the law,” Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said.
The move to partially lift the arms ban was also welcomed by an influential local think tank, Mogadishu-based Heritage Institute for Policy Studies (HIPS), the first of its kind to be established in Somalia.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Seventy four Somalis rescued in Sicilian Narrows
11 Mar- Source: AGI-it- 79 words
Two Italian Coast Guard patrol boats rescued a group of 74 Somalis, adrift in the Sicilian Narrows on an inflatable boat. The migrants, who included three women, said they were Somali nationals. They issued an SOS using a mobile phone to call the Palermo Coast Guard when they were 145 miles south-east of Lampedusa. The search involved seven merchant vessels and an Italian Navy ship. The Coast Guard finally found the inflatable boat and took the migrants to Lampedusa.
Somali pirates free chemical tanker hijacked a year ago
10 Mar – Source: Reuters – 366 words
Somali pirates have released a chemical tanker they hijacked a year ago with more than 20 crew on board after receiving a ransom, the pirates and a minister from the semi-autonomous Puntland region said on Saturday.
The pirates said they had abandoned the UAE-owned MT Royal Grace, which was seized off Oman last March. The European Union’s anti-piracy task force said one of its warships patrolling off Somalia had provided food, water and medical assistance to the ship’s crew.
“We got off the vessel late last night. We happily divided the cash among ourselves,” a pirate who identified himself only as Ismail told Reuters by telephone.
Civil war after the fall of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991 left Somalia without effective central government and full of weapons. The turmoil opened the doors for piracy to flourish in the Gulf of Aden and deeper into the Indian Ocean.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“While there is no shortage of challenges for Somalia, there are some that the international community must also address. For years our international relations have been conducted on a one-way basis, invariably on a humanitarian level. That model is now an anachronism and must change.”
Somalia replaces extremism with a programme of reform
10 Mar- Source: The National-847 Words
When I stood in front of a large gathering in the city of Dusamareb last week to discuss the delivery of public services, I couldn’t help thinking how important it is for a Somali leader to get out of Mogadishu and listen to people in the regions. To be discussing policing, tax collection and judicial reform in Galgadud, a region that only recently was a no-go area ravaged by extremists, gives you an indication of how far we have come. Only recently we could barely move safely inside our own capital.
Somalia’s story now is that of a fledgling democracy taking the first steps of reconstruction and development. Somalis are returning from the diaspora in growing numbers to set up new businesses such as airlines, telecoms companies, banks, hotels and restaurants. They are rebuilding their homes and lives after decades of dislocation. No longer are we referred to as “the world’s worst failed state”, dominated by terrorism, piracy and humanitarian crisis. The seeds of economic recovery have been planted and must now be watered.
All this has been engendered by a transformation in security. Our brave forces in partnership with the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) have driven Al Shabaab out of Mogadishu and its foreign, Al Qaeda-inspired ideology has been comprehensively rejected by Somalis. We now control most of south central Somalia and are securing major roads between Mogadishu and important centres like Baidoa, Beledweyne and Kismayo. But although Al Shabaab is on its knees, it still poses a threat and the fight is not over. We must show that what replaces extremism is immeasurably better.
“With a country divided by conflict and a pervasiveness of clan mistrust there needs to be more trust building and confidence in the government’s role to ensure peace and tranquillity in Somalia.”
Somalia: Disarmament, compulsory for a gun toting country at a crossroads
08 Mar- Source: Garowe Online-890 Words
The UN Security Council in a surprisingly unanimous vote opted for a partial lift of the 21 year old –virtually non-existent – arms embargo that dawned on Somalia after the breakout of civil war. Since then, a steady of flow of small arms has been funnelled into the conflict prone country despite the Security Council having knowledge of the proliferation of small arms.
Knowing that, will that stop the conflict in the war torn country – who was able to shrewdly import small arms during the embargo – which now has been given the green-light to freely import?
I believe at this current juncture during the problematic early stages of the Somali Federal Government (SFG), the initial issue before armament should be country wide disarmament. Firstly and foremost in the capital, where guns are found as easily as any other product such as soap and groceries.
The Security Council reasoned that the lift of the arms embargo is so that the SFG can build their national forces to diminish Al Shabaab’s waning control in southern Somalia. However the current array of militia forces – who have not all been integrated into the Somali forces – battling Al Shabaab, alongside African Union forces have made serious headway.
“Regardless of the Carrots flung at them nor promises of golden awards This demand for the status as they were on 1st July 1960 is neither for negotiation, for compromise nor is it irrevocable.”
Somaliland: What Landers Demand in Talks with Somalia
10 Mar- Source: Somaliland Sun-297 Words
As the date draws near for resumption of talks between Somaliland and Somalia which were suspended after the mandate of the Sheikh Sharif led TFG Government expired mid last year, clear indicators of expected outcomes need to be put in place.
Though the official statement from the UK government which is hosting the talks does not mention Somaliland in anyway in addition to reports that UK and Somalia shall be co-hosts and not to mention the title of the conference “Somalia Conference” citizens are set for participation.
Disregarding all the negativity thence having set our sights on participation the main outcome expected by Somalilanders is International recognition of their sovereignty.
This is per the well-known commitment of citizens towards a self-rule for their country after having pulled out of a voluntary and fateful union with Somalia that came after a prolonged use of force.
Top tweets
@StateDept #SecKerry: Fartuun Adan champions the rights of #women, youth in #Somalia through post-trauma support provision, skills training, education
@UNICEF Kheiriya, 10, has a secret. Unlike most girls in Boorama, she is not a victim of cutting. Ending FGM in #Somalia http://uni.cf/16eDOFo
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@IdiAuslander Great to see the PM engaging regional governments with direct dialogue rather than hostile rhetoric. #Somalia #PM #Puntland
@radiogarowe #Somalia: PM Shridon addresses #Puntland parliament in #Garowe about the federal gov’t’s progress. pic.twitter.com/0h5R5XwmZi
Image of the day
Somali Prime Minister Abdir Farah Shridon (left) accompanied by Puntland president Abdirahman Mohammed addresses regional state’s parliament in #Garowe on 10 March, 2013. Photo: @radiogarowe