March 15, 2016 | Morning Headlines
African Union Special Envoy For Somalia Holds Security Meeting With Somalia President
14 March – Source: AMISOM – 387 Words
The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia, Ambassador Francisco Madeira today met with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and discussed ways of bolstering security in the country. The Monday meeting, held in the Office of the President in Mogadishu, was attended by top security officials from the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
The officials included the Acting Force Commander Maj. Gen. Nakibus Lakara; AMISOM Police Commissioner, Anand Pillay; the Head of Mission Support Maj. Gen. Fidza Dludlu; AMISOM Sector 1 Contingent Commander, Brig. Sam Okiding and Deputy Sector 5 Contingent Commander, Col. Ndayisaba Frederic. Also in attendance were top officials drawn from the Somali National Security Forces (SNSF).
Addressing the media moments after the meeting, Ambassador Francisco Madeira described the talks as constructive and complementary, noting that the implementation of the Djibouti Declaration was also on the agenda: “I have just had a meeting with His Excellency President Hassan. We discussed issues related to defense and security of the country and how best to implement the Djibouti Declaration decisions. The President gave us very good substantial instructions which we will try to implement,” said Ambassador Madeira.
The implementation of the President’s instructions, the SRCC added, will be handled by a working committee comprising both AMISOM and the Federal Government of Somalia officials. The committee is expected to start its work soon. Ambassador Madeira said the working committee will look at all options on security and handle everything that needs to be implemented in order for the security operations to be effective on the ground.
It was a very constructive meeting, a very complimentary meeting and we believe that as we continue to move this way, we will also make a lot of progress on the ground,” the SRCC observed. The Djibouti Declaration of February 28, 2016, among others urged all stakeholders to intensify support for AMISOM and the Somali National Army (SNA) in their operations to defeat Al Shabaab and also emphasized the need for an effective AMISOM command and control in order to achieve synergy in the fight against Al Shabaab.
Key Headlines
- African Union Special Envoy For Somalia Holds Security Meeting With Somalia President (AMISOM)
- EU Launches 9 New Projects In Support Of Civil Society And Human Rights In Somalia (Hiiraan Online)
- Security Operations In Afgoye And Barawe Towns Net Several People (Goobjoog News)
- Somali Oil And Gas Company Rejects Links With Al-Shabaab (Radio Dalsan)
- Kuwait Pledges To Support Somalia In The Fight Against Terrorism (Goobjoog News)
- Spotlight: Kenya Somalia In Joint Efforts To Curb Terrorism Along Border (Xinhua News)
- I Will Sit Down With Al Shabaab As President Fatuma Dayib (All Africa News)
- Somalis Remanded In Custody After Pleading Not Guilty To Attempted Thefts From Vehicles In Gozo(Independent Online)
- How The Famous Cardiff City Shirt Is Helping To Change The Lives Of Desperate Orphans In War-ravaged Somalia (Wales Online)
NATIONAL MEDIA
EU Launches 9 New Projects In Support Of Civil Society And Human Rights In Somalia
14 March – Source: Hiiraan Online – 471 Words
The European Union (EU) jointly with the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation of the Federal Government of Somalia has launched nine new Civil Society projects. The projects will be implemented by seven international agencies and 11 local non-governmental organizations.
The projects are worth EUR 8 million and aim to support effective civil society engagement for the achievement of peacebuilding and statebuilding goals of the Somali New Deal Compact. Through the new funding from the EU, the role of civil society to contribute to a stable foundation for peace and state-building processes will be enhanced.
The civil societies will achieve this through community-based reconciliation processes that restore trust between communities and address root causes of conflict and long-standing grievances. The EU has a long-standing relationship and cooperation with civil society organizations and other non-state actors in Somalia using a variety of financing instruments and programmes at its disposal.
“In the framework of the thematic programme for Civil Society organizations and Local Authorities (CSOLA) and the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) in the period of 2012 – 2015, the EU invested over EUR 20 million in the civil society in Somalia. As a result, the EU was able to play a key role in supporting the establishment and consolidation of the civil society actors and in capacitating them to make informed contributions to policy decisions in the areas of governance and human rights protection.,” said the EU Ambassador and Special Envoy to Somalia, Michele
Cervone d’Urso.
In his introductory remarks, he Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Abdirahman Yusuf Ali Aynte, said “the Federal Government welcomes EU support to strengthen civil society. We believe a vibrant civil society contributes towards a strong, peaceful and democratic Somalia”. The civil society representatives underlined that “civil society together with the Government and international community should undertake a concerted effort to coordinate interventions on the ground. This will speed up progress on reconciliation and state-building and re-galvanize civil society to play an active role in the 2016 electoral process and beyond”.
Security Operations In Afgoye And Barawe Towns Net Several People
14 March – Source: Goobjoog News – 124 Words
At least 20 people linked to Al Shabaab have been rounded up in separate security operations by Somali forces in Lower Shabelle region following hand grenade explosions on Sunday. The crackdowns by the army took place in Marko, Barawe and Afgoye towns on Monday, after the government troops were targeted in grenade blasts by suspected Al Shabaab attackers. According to Ali Noor, who is the deputy governor of Lower Shabelle region, the police and army have jointly conducted the manhunt and will continue their routine operations to thwart impending Al Shabaab attacks.
Somali Oil And Gas Company Rejects Links With Al-Shabaab
14 March – Source: Radio Dalsan – 119 Words
Somali oil and gas company has strongly denied that it has links with the armed group Al-Shabaab. A United Kingdom based newspaper, The Independent, had earlier published a story which originated from BuzzFeed claiming the Som and Oil gas company director has links with Al Shabaab.
The Independent further claimed that the revelations were a result of investigations carried out by the UN monitoring group on Somalia and Eritrea. Somali oil and gas has strongly rubbished the claim terming it baseless and insult to the company’s reputation. On July last year, UK anti corruption and economic crimes commission said that it is investigating corruption claims on Somali oil and gas company that is headed by Mark Howard, who is former Conservative leader.
Kuwait Pledges To Support Somalia In The Fight Against Terrorism
14 March – Source: Goobjoog News – 120 Words
Kuwait Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al Hamad Al Sabah has said Kuwait will support Somali Government in her efforts to combat and eliminate terrorism. Sheikh Sabah AlKhaled made the remarks during a meeting with Somalia’s visiting Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr.Abdulsalam Hadliye Omar at the Foreign Ministry’s Headquarters, on Sunday.
On his part, the Somali minister expressed appreciation to the Kuwaiti Government and people for their continuous support to his country that has undergone various hardships. He also thanked the Gulf country for hosting a donors’ conference for supporting education in Somalia. The meeting between the two ministers dwelled on bilateral ties and promotion of cooperation in various fields. The ministers also touched on the latest regional and international developments.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Spotlight: Kenya, Somalia In Joint Efforts To Curb Terrorism Along Border
14 March – Source: Xinhua News – 466 Words
Kenya’s security agents in the northeastern county of Mandera are engaging the Somalia administration in Bula Hawo to help curb cross-border incursions by the Islamist militants. The Kenyan government officials said on Monday they have been holding security meeting with Somali authorities where they have resolved that common entry and exit points will be established along the porous border.
Mandera County Commissioner Fredrick Shisia said both governments agreed to share information related to terrorism as well as step up efforts to restore peace in the border region: “Suspects arrested on either country will be handed to their country of origin for prosecution,” Shisia told journalists in Mandera town. Mandera town is situated at the Somalia border and stretches for about 20 kilometres from Border Point One, making it prone to frequent terrorist attacks.
Under the new measures, according to the government administrator, people visiting either country will be screened with police increasing patrols along the common border. Kenya closed the common frontier over security concerns after it emerged that terrorists have been crossing over to commit crime in Mandera town with contraband goods being sneaked into the country.
Shisia claimed that Mandera security agents were suspecting their Somali counterparts working with the Al-Shabaab especially in replenishing their food supplies, something he said leaders from neighbouring Somalia denied. He said security agencies have intensified border patrols to deter infiltration of the militants into the country at a time of increased threats by the terrorists’ network.
Early January, two UN World Food Program (WFP) trucks were seized by Mandera police over suspicion that they were ferrying food items to the Al-Shabaab. The new move will help in curbing Kenyans from closing the border to join the Al-Shabaab. Mandera law courts early March slapped a 10-year jail sentence on five men who went to Somalia to join the Al-Qaida linked terror group, the Al-Shabaab.
Work on the security wall that would have prevented free entry of goods and persons into the country however is stalling. The wall which is expected to run from Mandera to Lamu was designed to have designated exit and entry points. According to the government, the building of the 700 kilometre wall on the Kenya – Somalia border from Mandera in northeastern Kenya to Kiunga in the coast will keep out the Al-Shabaab elements from infiltrating the county from Somalia.
I Will Sit Down With Al Shabaab As President, Fatuma Dayib
14 March – Source: All Africa News – 250 Words
A Somali woman, who declared her interest to vie for the top position in her country in upcoming general elections, has said she will talk with Al-Shabaab if elected as President: “I will sit down and talk with Al-Shabaab leaders in order to solve this problem once and for all,” said Fatuma Dayib.
Speaking to Radio Dalsan during an interview, Mrs. Dayib ruled out the strict Islamic rules by armed group and cultural restriction as a Somali woman, which might end her ambitions to sit down with group leaders to pave way for the talks: “They are our sons and brothers and we need to talk to them about this problem affecting us. There is nothing wrong about that,” she said.
She promised to give first priority to empowering of women and children in her government if elected to the position in the recovering state: “Most of the children in this country do not have access to education and health, they are malnourished, we have a responsibility to provide for them.” Mrs. Dayib also called upon the current members of Somali parliament to put the interest of the country first and vote wisely when it comes to general elections. This is because the one man one vote rule will not apply.
The mother of four, who received death threats after declaring her interest in the male dominated race for presidency, says nothing will stop her from running in the upcoming elections, which are due to be held in August 2016.
Somalis Remanded In Custody After Pleading Not Guilty To Attempted Thefts From Vehicles In Gozo
14 March – Source: Independent Online – 115 Words
Two Somalis have been remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to trying to steal from vehicles in Gozo. The police said in a statement that the men are aged 20 and 24 and live in Xewkija. The attempted thefts took place on Saturday.
The men were accused of trying to steal items from an Isuzu vehicle as well as from a number of other cars. The 24-year-old was also accused of breaching the peace. Police were alerted about the two men, who were caught trying to break into a number of vehicles. They were arrested a few minutes later. The two were arraigned before Magistrate Paul Coppini. They pleaded not guilty. Bail was denied.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“Cardiff City are well known for their charity work here in South Wales but this small gesture, donating shirts that are no longer of any value to them, is having a huge impact on the lives of children who have already lost so much”.
How The Famous Cardiff City Shirt Is Helping To Change The Lives Of Desperate Orphans In War-ravaged Somalia
14 March – Source: Wales Online – 567 Words
Cardiff City football kits are ‘changing the lives’ of orphaned children in war-torn Somalia. The old Bluebirds shirts were delivered to East Africa by the KitAid charity, who recycle old or unwanted kits and send them to orphanages across Africa, Asia and South America.
The Championship club often get involved in such initiatives, having sent end-of-season stock to Zambia in the past and it’s not the first time that KitAid have sent Cardiff jerseys to Somalia. Ismail Jama, an assistant practitioner in London, has been taking unwanted kit to his homeland for over seven years and spoke of the joy it brings to children when they receive the outfits.
“From experience, honestly, it gives them more than a smile. When I talk about it, tears fill my eyes,” said Jama, who delivers the kit voluntarily when he visits his family during annual leave. It’s more than a smile, it changes people’s lives. These children keep the stuff and it includes t-shirts, school bags or jackets and so on.”
“We’ve been told ‘orphaned kids remember your shirts more than those who feed them every day.’That is what a shirt or a football does! Your unwanted, surplus and old kit gives this child a hope, memory, confidence, smile and joys. It gives them something to talk about”.
“When presented with activities, for example 5-a-side, 11-a-side tournaments like we do in the north, in the region of Somaliland, it gives them the world.” The Somali Civil War has displaced many who used to live in the south, but has had far more tragic consequences for those left behind. Wanlaweyn, situated 90km outside Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital, is where the most recent batch of Bluebirds shirts were sent and they were received by around 70 children who have lost their fathers as a result of the violence.
“At the orphanage that received the shirts, there is a group of about 70 children whose fathers had all been killed within a week during an attack from outside this area. The Gareere or Wanlaweyn areas are normally home to minority people. They were attacked many times during the civil war, they tried to defend themselves this time.”