March 7, 2014 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

SNA Chief pledges to wipe out al Shabaab

06 Mar – Source: Radio Shabelle – 88 words

General Daahir Aadan Elmi (Indha Qarshe) Chief of the Somali National Army stated that the Somali National Army will wipe al Shabaab from the country’s region. General Indha Qarshe stressed that the Somali citizens on their side need to take part in cooperating with the Somali National Army on fighting al Shabaab. The speech by the Chief was delivered at a ceremony held ending training for the some soldiers from the Somali National Army in Jazeera.

Key Headlines

Somali president meets delegates from EU (Radio Mogadishu)
US-trained Somali commandos raring to go (Africa Review)
SNA Chief pledges to wipe out al Shabaab ( Radio Shabelle )
Turkey ambassador to Somalia arrives in Garowe (Horn Cable TV)
Jubaland warns of new security threats following federal state elections (Garowe Online)
Somalia’s al Shabaab ‘defeated’ in Rabdhure town (BBC News)
New Initiative Enables Somali Farmers To Become WFP Suppliers (WFP)

SOMALI MEDIA

Somali president meets delegates from EU

06 Mar – Source: Radio Mogadishu – 109 words

The president of the federal government of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had closed door meeting with high level delegates from European Union, IGAD and senior officials from the federal government including the Minister for Interior and Federal Affairs. They discussed issues concern including the parallel conferences in Baidoa, the headquarters of Bay region. They both agreed to support the establishment of three regional federal state, protect and support Addis Ababa agreement and strengthen security. Speaking after the meeting the special representative of IGAD to Somalia Mohamed Abdi Afeey said that IGAD will fully support the federal government and creation of three regional federal state in South West Somalia.

SNA Chief pledges to wipe out al Shabaab

06 Mar – Source: Radio Shabelle – 88 words

Turkey ambassador to Somalia arrives in Garowe

06 Mar – Source: Puntland TV/Horn Cable TV – 100 words

The ambassador of Turkey to Somalia Koni Turan and delegates arrived in Garowe, the headquarters of Puntland regional state. He was warmly welcomed at the airport by senior officials of Puntland regional state. Mr. Turan will meet the president of Puntland Abdiweli Gass and his vice president Abdihakim Amey and discuss wide range issues including bilateral relations between Puntland state and the republic of Turkey and how Turkey can take part in the development activities in Puntland. Turkey gives direct cash to the federal government of Somalia and humanitarian aid and continues to build hospitals, roads and schools in Somali capital.

Jubaland warns of new security threats following federal state elections

06 Mar – Source: Garowe Online – 83 words

Somalia’s Jubaland administration rebuffed the election of Madobe Nunow as the President of Baidoa-based federal state, warning of new security threats, Garowe Online reports. Jubaland Spokesman Abdinasir Serar Mah said that the formation of an autonomous state consisting of six regions would be potentially dangerous and may lead to armed violence in southern Somalia. “We [Jubaland officials] consider that administration illegal and its founders went beyond the constitution [Provisional Federal Constitution],” noted Mah. “[Madobe Nunow] is fomenting violence since Jubaland enjoys wider recognition”.

Ministerial level delegation to embark on working visit to Australia

06 Mar – Source: Somaliland Informer – 82 words

Somaliland expatriates living in Australia are expecting a delegation led by Hon. Dr Saad Ali Shire the Minister of Planning and National Development accompanied by the right Honorable Mohamed Behi Yonis the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation that will embark on working visit Australia on the 25th of March 2014 and the visit is expected to last for a week. Somaliland Ministerial level delegation that will be visiting Australia will meet The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

REGIONAL MEDIA

US-trained Somali commandos raring to go

06 Mar – Source: Africa Review – 162 words

A squad of 100 newly-minted Somali commandos are ready to hit the streets following the end of a nine-month training course run by American trainers. Nicknamed Danab (lightning) due to their newly-acquired skills, the commandos are expected to significantly beef up the security effort in the capital Mogadishu which has in recent weeks grappled with a spate of terror attacks. The squad on Wednesday at the Jazeera Military Academy received military equipment from the Americans including an assortment of light weapons and army transport vehicles. Somali army commander Gen Abdirizak Khalif Elmi, who presided over the passing out ceremony, said the US assistance in training and equipping the squad was welcome. “This specially trained cohort will play a unique role in the improvement of the security of Mogadishu,” said Gen Elmi. The Somali capital has in recent weeks seen a rise in terrorist attacks, including a brazen attack on the presidential palace on February 21 that left at least 15 people dead.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Somalia’s al Shabaab ‘defeated’ in Rabdhure town

06 Mar – Source: BBC – 103 words

Ethiopian and Somali government forces have seized a key town in central Somalia from the Islamist militant group al Shabaab, officials say. At least 12 people were killed in heavy fighting for control of Rabdhure town in Bakol region, residents said. The attack may signal the start of a new offensive against al Shabaab, according to a BBC reporter in Somalia. Ethiopian troops are part of a 22,000-strong African Union (AU) force battling the militants in Somalia. The BBC’s Mohamed Moalimu in the capital, Mogadishu, says the fall of Rabdhure is significant, as it was a major al-Shabab base for attacks across the region.

New Initiative Enables Somali Farmers To Become WFP Suppliers

06 Mar – Source: WFP – 170 words

A new initiative backed by the European Union, the government of Austria and two United Nations food security agencies has helped Somali farmers achieve this major agricultural breakthrough in a region of the country that was gripped by famine less than three years ago. With the support of the EU and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), small-scale farmers in south-central Somalia have boosted the yields and quality of their maize grains, allowing them to sell 200 metric tons of high-quality maize to the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP), which purchased the grain with funds supplied by Austria. The food assistance will be provided to people working to build and restore community infrastructure in WFP food-for-asset projects. Agricultural communities – especially in south-central Somalia, the country’s grain basket – have, over the last two decades, been severely affected by conflict and recurrent drought, which has resulted in the widespread failure of crops and poor yields. The EU, Austria, FAO and WFP are working with local farmers to change that.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“In the West, people tend not to call their friends and colleagues nicknames that pick on negative physical traits. But in Somalia, people have a love of such nicknames.”

The Somali love of ‘rude’ nicknames

7 Mar- Source: BBC- 786 words

When I got my ID badge for the president’s office in Mogadishu the other day, I knew I had finally been accepted. It had taken a year. There it was – International Media Advisor, Office of the President, and next to my name the two Somali words in brackets, Timo Cadde, which literally translates as White Hair. At last, I had a nickname. Somalis are inveterate givers of nicknames but for the past 12 months the closest thing I had to one was Gaal – or Infidel – and, let’s face it, there is little distinction in that. It is routinely used to refer to any non-Muslim, black or white. Gaal, come here. Where is the gaal, and so on. Now Timo Cadde, or White Hair, may not be the most flattering nickname in the world, but I will take it any day over Infidel. The first time I came across Somalis’ love of nicknames was when the cleaning lady in our house asked where was Faroole, the young man who delivered our lunch. “His name’s Abdifata,” I said, thinking she had made a mistake. She shook her head vigorously and held up a couple of fingers. “No, Faroole,” she said stubbornly. Now Faroole means No Fingers. Abdifata lost two fingers a few years ago during a mortar attack on the presidential compound by al Shabaab, the local al Qaeda franchise.