March 27, 2013 | Morning Headlines.
Somali minister dies in Kenya
26 Mar – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 101 words
Somalia’s State minister for Social Development has died in Kenyan coastal town of Mombasa on Tuesday morning. Mohamoud Ismail Barqadle died suddenly on Tuesday due to a heart failure, Social Development Minister Maryan Qassim has told radio Mogadishu, a state-owned broadcaster. Qassim extended her heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and the relatives of Mr. Barqadle. Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon also sent his condolences to the bereaved family and the nation at large.
Key Headlines
- Prime Minister “Listening Tour” to Kismayo promises renewed government role(Prime Minister’s Media Office)
- U.S. Ambassador to Somalia meets with Puntland President (Garowe Online)
- Natural Resources minister visits Beledweyne(Radio Bar-kulan)
- Association of Somali community in South Africa’s plea to the government of Somalia( Raxanreeb)
- Musicians take their songs to Somalia(Africa Review)
PRESS STATEMENT
Prime Minister “Listening Tour” to Kismayo promises renewed government role
26 Mar – Source: Prime Minister’s Media Office – 283 words
His Excellency Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon today visits Kismayo as part of his “Listening Tour” and promises greater Federal Government role in the region. “We are here to listen, so we can govern better, regardless of the volatile security situation, we managed to come to Kismayo. It has been only five months ago that Al-shabaab were terrorising our people in this city,” said the Prime Minister.
“We also, want to show our support to the Somali army and AMISOM forces who were successful with their mission to defeat Al-shabaab and to secure the region for the past five months,” Touring with the Premier were three ministers, four deputy ministers and 12 members of the Somali Parliament. This is the first time Kismayo, the third capital city of Somalia hosts such a large government delegation since 1991.
“I am glad to become the first Somali Prime Minister with such a large government delegation to tour the region after the Somali government collapsed in 1991,” the Prime Minister said. “We want to reach out and show our people how much my government is willing to move Somalia forward,” said Prime Minister Shirdon addressing members of Kismayo interim administration.
The Prime Minister and his delegation are starting talks on reconciliation, federalization and stabilization with the Kismayo city interim administration, clan leaders and civil society groups in Kismayo. So far the “Listening Tour” has been a successful mission of state building for the Somali federal government.
On February 15, the government reached an agreement on regional stabilization with Ahlu-sunna Wal-jama in the central regions. And on March 13, the government negotiated a groundbreaking agreement on federalization, security, economic, and social issues with Puntland State of Somalia.
SOMALI MEDIA
PM Shirdon arrives in Kismayo
26 Mar – Source: Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu/Shabelle – 101 words
Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon on Tuesday made good of his earlier promises to the people of Kismayo that he will not exclude them from his Listening Tour. The plane carrying the PM touched down at Kismayo airport shortly after midday. He was received by several ministers and officials from the area’s interim administration.
U.S. Ambassador to Somalia meets with Puntland President
26 Mar – Source: Garowe Online/Bar-kulan – 89 words
U.S. Special Representative to Somalia James Swan leading a European democratization committee visited Garowe to meet with Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole. President Farole and Ambassador Swan alongside the Democratization Programme Steering Committee (DSC) that included British, Swedish and Italian officials met at the presidential palace on Tuesday to discuss a number of issues particularly the democratization process in Puntland.
Somali minister dies in Kenya
26 Mar – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 101 words
Somalia’s State minister for Social Development has died in Kenyan coastal town of Mombasa on Tuesday morning. Mohamoud Ismail Barqadle died suddenly Tuesday due to a heart failure, Social Development Minister Maryan Qassim has told radio Mogadishu, a state-owned broadcaster. Qassim extended her heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and the relatives of Mr. Barqadle. Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon also sent his condolences to the bereaved family and the nation at large.
President Silanyo meets with Sheik Mohamed Bin Sayid Al Nahyan, Crown Prince Of UAE
26 Mar – Source: Somaliland Press – 83 words
Somaliland President Ahmed Mohamed Mahmoud (Silanyo) met with the crown prince, the defense minister Sheik Mohamed Bin Sayid Al Nahyan and Sheikh Manssor bin Sayid Al Nahyan UAE minister of Presidency in Abu Dhabi, the capital of UAE. During the meeting President Silanyo discussed ways to strengthen existing cordial relations and to expand a long-standing economic and security partnership. The Somaliland leader urged UAE leaders to invest in the country with the intent of solidifying economic and bilateral political relations with the United Arab Emirates.
Natural Resources minister visits Beledweyne
26 Mar – Source:Radio Bar-kulan – 72 words
Natural Resources minister Abdirizack Omar Mohamoud on Tuesday visited the central Somali town of Beledweyne, where he held talks with local leaders. The minister visited a centre sheltering diarrhea-hit patients outside the town where he promised government support for the patients. He also visited the area’s main hospital. Upon his arrival, the minister was received by AMISOM and government officials who later briefed him on the outbreak of the disease in the area.
Association of Somali community in South Africa’s plea to the government of Somalia
26 Mar – Source: Raxanreeb – 114 words
The association of Somali community South Africa has called on the government of Somalia to do something about the problems they face inside South Africa. The association’s chairman Abdirahman Ahmed Omar said,” the Somali community is faced with a lot of problems including killings and theft in their business premises”. According to Abdirahman , since the year 2006, more than 900 Somali citizens lost their lives in different incidents.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Musicians take their songs to Somalia
26 Mar – Source: Africa Review – 162 words
A dozen singers and artists that included Somalis and foreigners arrived at Mogadishu’s Aden Abdulle International Airport on Sunday. They included musicians from war-torn countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Mali and other African countries. Somali musicians in the tour are members of the Waayaha Cusub, a popular group based in Kenya. Shine Abdullahi Ali alias Shine Aqyaar of Waayaha Cusub told Nation that the amalgamated groups were in Mogadishu to stage theatrical displays. “We are going to hold musical shows,” said Ali. He added that some of the artists were based in United States, Afghanistan, Ethiopia and Kenya.
people.”
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Suspect tied to African, Yemen militants pleads guilty to U.S. charges
26 Mar Source: Reuters – 119 words
A Somali man who was a high-level liaison between al Qaeda affiliates in Somalia and Yemen and later became a U.S. government informant and witness has pleaded guilty to multiple U.S. terrorism-related charges, the Justice Department said on Monday. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan unsealed a guilty plea by Ahmed Abdulkadir Warsame to nine U.S. criminal charges. They alleged he once commanded hundreds of fighters for the Somalia-based militant group Al-Shabaab.
Drone war: 54% of Britons support targeted killing of terrorists – poll
26 Mar – Source: RT News – 150 words
A majority of British citizens support their government helping the US locate and eliminate known terrorists with drone strikes abroad and in the UK, according to a new survey, despite growing controversy over civilians killed by drones. 54 percent of those surveyed said they support killing individual terrorists abroad, and 31 percent indicated they were against it. The joint survey was conducted by the University of Surrey’s Centre for International Intervention and defense think tank the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), in collaboration with YouGov.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“Recent gains by the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and Somali forces against the Al-Shabab insurgents have given the government some breathing space. Members of the Somali diaspora are now returning due to the increased stability.”
Briefing: In Somalia, relative peace belies rocky road ahead
26 Mar- Source: IRIN-1384 Words
Since the August 2011 withdrawal of Al-Shabab insurgents from the Somali capital, Mogadishu, security has improved, allowing for the gradual resumption of government functions. But sporadic suicide attacks, conflict-related population displacement and socio-economic problems persist, exemplifying some of the daunting challenges still ahead.
On 18 March, for example, a car bomb in Mogadishu left several people dead. Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud responded in a statement: “We can only presume at this stage that this cowardly attack is the work of Al-Shabab. They have been severely weakened and now resort to terrorism and murder of innocent Somali citizens… Al-Shabab/Al-Qaeda forces have no place in this world, and we will not allow them to have [a] place in Somalia.” Al-Shabab has since claimed responsibility for the attack.
IRIN provides an overview of Somalia’s recent progress and the many challenges that remain.