March 13, 2014 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Somalia set to develop its marine resources, says President in Japan

12 Mar – Source: Radio Mogadishu – 124 words

Somalia must seize the opportunity to develop its marine resources after decades of neglect, His Excellency President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said in Japan today. Speaking in Tokyo on the second day of his visit to Japan, the President said: “We have the longest coastline in Africa and now that the country is recovering from conflict we need to learn how to develop our marine resources profitably and sustainably and also defend our territorial waters. This visit to Japan helps us lay the foundations for such development guided by international best practice.” The President visited the port of Yokohama and its Japanese coastguard centre, where he was briefed on the country’s comprehensive coastguard training programmes and how it conducts operations to protect its coastal zone.

Key Headlines

Somalia set to develop its marine resources says President in Japan (Radio Mogadishu)
Somalia asks Arab states for military and financial support (Hiiraan Online)
Puntland Accuses Aid agencies for ‘Ignoring’ Its Agriculture Sector (Puntland TV)
Somalia urges western donors to honor pledges (Al Shahid)
Somali suspects in Nairobi attack to seek bail (World Bulletin)

SOMALI MEDIA

Somalia set to develop its marine resources, says President in Japan

12 Mar – Source: Radio Mogadishu – 124 words

Somalia asks Arab states for military and financial support

12 Mar – Source: Hiiraan Online – 127 words

Addressing at the meeting of Arab Foreign Ministers in Cairo, Somali Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Mr. Mahad Mohamed Salad displayed his country’s needs for financial and military support to help restore law and order into the war-ravaged Horn of African Arab nation. The Deputy Foreign Minister said that the kind of assistance will help his government revive fully-equipped military forces who are capable of protecting the country from the increasing danger of terrorism. “I would like to call on Arab nations to play a significant role in the process of development and reconstruction of Somalia” the minister said adding that his government was urging all Arab states to reopen their embassies in the capital Mogadishu where few Arab diplomatic missions were already operating.

Puntland Accuses Aid agencies for ‘Ignoring’ Its Agriculture Sector

12 Mar – Source: Puntland TV – 116 words

Puntland Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation has accused Aid agencies for ‘’failing’’ to report on the developments of agriculture sector in the semi-autonomous region of Somalia. Mr Abdi Ismail said that the International aid agencies have ignored to deliver a ‘’transparent’’ information on the state’s agricultural sector. He added that some of them have reported that farming does not exist in the region. ‘’ They [International Aid agencies] have ignored the development of our Agriculture sector and some of them have even said that Puntland got only livestock… Our people rely on our Farmers’ production,’’ he said. The Puntland minister was speaking after visiting a large farming area in Nugal region and met local farmers.

Somaliland: 95 soldiers complete 45 days training

12 Mar – Source: Somaliland Informer – 90 words

Somaliland Assistant Minister of Interior Hon. Osman Garad Soofe accompanied by the deputy Police Commissioner Brigadier Abdirahman Iman Ahmed aka Foohle and other army officers concluded forty five days training for 95 soldiers mainly from Rapid and Resistant Unit (RRU) and Somaliland Special Police Unit (SPU) on Wednesday at Mandhera training school. Deputy Interior Minister stressed the importance of the training for the nation and the soldiers that attended the 45 days training at Mandhera training school. He urged the soldiers that they should work for their people with faithfulness.

Hiba Nura: Late Mohamed Suleiman to be laid to rest in Mogadishu

12 Mar – Source: VOA Somali Service – 152 words

A top official in the Somali National Arts and entertainment industry Hiba Mohamed (Hiba Nura) has announced that Somali government was planning to conduct a National Funeral Service for the late legendary singer Mohamed Suleiman Tubeec who died at a German hospital early on Tuesday morning. In an interview with VOA Somali Service, Hiba Nura, one of the best and most beloved Somali female singers, said that Somali Information Minister Mr Mustaf Sheik Ali Dhuhulow confirmed to her that the body of the late Suleiman will be flown to the capital Mogadishu where the national funeral service will take place. “I am happy to announce that the Information Minister told me that body of our late brother Mohamed Suleiman will be buried here in the capital Mogadishu, this is really a very good news that will cheer all the Somali people” said Hiba Nura.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Somalia urges western donors to honor pledges

12 Mar – Source: Al Shahid – 151 words

Somalia has called on Western countries to honor their pledges if the country is to recover from years of deadly war. The European Union pledged 2 billion euros for rebuilding Somalia. Six months on Mogadishu says it has received nothing. Honor your pledges; this was Somalia’s message to donors from the western countries. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud told his western backers that his country was given high hopes, which must be kept on the ground. Two billion euros was pledged by western donors at a major conference in Brussels to help Somalia end more than two decades of conflict. President Hassan urged the donors to fulfill their pledges. Mogadishu says that it’s laying down the foundations for future economic development and prosperity. It has designed a number of projects and presented them to donors but the projects can’t be implemented since there is no response and support from western countries.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Somali suspects in Nairobi attack to seek bail

12 Mar – Source: World Bulletin – 161 words

A lawyer representing four Somalis charged with helping terrorists attack Nairobi’s Westgate Mall last year will, once again, petition the court to release the defendants on bail pending an April 15 court hearing. “I don’t want to anticipate the results of my application one way or the other,” lawyer Mbugua Mureithi told Anadolu Agencyon Wednesday. “Better wait for the final word from the court.” “But I expect the rights of the accused persons to be released on bail to be respected by the court,” Mureithi said. The four defendants – Hassan Abdi Mohamed, Mohamed Osman Ali, Ilyas Yusuf Warsame and Gerald Hassan Fer – are charged with helping terrorists carry out a deadly attack on Nairobi’s Westgate Shopping Mall last September that left 67 people dead. The four men had been granted bail by a Nairobi magistrate on February 12. But Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko immediately appealed the lower court’s decision before the High Court, demanding a stay.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“Somalis Down Under runs until March 25 at the G1, Kingston Arts Centre, Moorabbin. Admission is free.”

Aden Ibrahim shows Somali art is more than war and famine in Kingston Arts Centre

12 Mar – Source: Herald Sun – 222 Words

FOR three years Aden Ibrahim has been scouring the globe to find art from Somalia to show his beloved homeland has more to offer than just war and famine. Now he is putting his collection of paintings, drawings, photos and artifacts on display at the Kingston Arts Centre. He was inspired to begin the collection when his young son asked him if there were any artists in the now war-torn country. “I couldn’t believe that all he could imagine about the country was war, famine and destruction,” Mr Ibrahim said. “When I was growing up I couldn’t think that there was anywhere better than Somalia, so I wanted to provide a glimpse into a version of the country that was beautiful.” It has been a tough time tracking down all the pieces and the Somali Cultural Association president has spent countless hours on the phone and rummaging through garages in an effort to track down art works.