March 9, 2018 | Daily Monitoring Report
Arab League Releases Statement On Disagreement Between The Federal Government of Somalia and DP World
09 March – Source: Hiiraan Online – 213 Words
As a result of the disagreement between the Somali government and DP World, the Somali government has sent a letter of complaint to the Arab League. The federal government has pointed out the recent agreement between Somaliland, DP World and the Ethiopian government over the port of Berbera as an illegal roadmap that has not been implemented according to the law and was not approved by the constitutionally mandated institutions of the country.
A statement from the Arab League, which consisted of four articles first welcomed the talks that are already ongoing between the Federal Somali Government and Somaliland authorities, and urged both sides to continue to resolve matters that are between them on the future of the country.
The Arab League has also expressed its support for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in support of the restoration of peace and stability in Somalia. “The control of the borders of land, its airspace and the sea are the responsibility of the federal government of Somalia, and the Arab League warns against interfering with Somalia in any kind,” the statement from the Arab League said. The League of Arab States also said that it will continue to support Somalia’s constitutionally mandated institutions, particularly in the areas of peace and reconstruction of the nation.
Key Headlines
- Arab League Releases Statement On Disagreement Between The Federal Government of Somalia and DP World (Hiiraan Online)
- US Designates Al-Shabaab Leaders As Most Wanted Terrorists (Radio Mustaqbal)
- Famous Businessman Killed In Mogadishu (Jowhar.com)
- Kenya Fights UN Resolution That Seeks To Reduce Number Of Troops Serving Under AMISOM (The Standard)
- AMISOM Female Peacekeepers Celebrate Women’s Contribution To Global Peace (AMISOM)
- Pillaging Somalia: The Dubious DP World-Ethiopia Deal (Hiiraan Online)
NATIONAL MEDIA
US Designates Al-Shabaab Leaders As Most Wanted Terrorists
09 March – Source: Radio Mustaqbal – 162 Words
The US government has added to the list of most wanted terrorists two leaders of the Al-Shabaab group. The two, Ahmed Iman Ali and Abdifatah Abukar Abdi have been recognized as international terrorists. The US State Department has termed them as dangerous individuals and a threat to the security of US citizens, national security, US foreign policy and its commercial interests.
The US government has said Ahmed Iman was the leader of the Al-Shabaab wing in Kenya and was the organizer of the groups attacks in Kenya. According to a statement from the US State Department, Iman is said to have planned the attack on Kenyan troops on El Adde. On the other hand, the US government said it added to the list of terrorists in 2015, Abdifatah Abdi who is said to have been an advisor for Al-Shabaab in Kenya and is accused of carrying out the deadly raid in Mpeketoni in 2014 which killed more than 60 people.
Famous Businessman Killed In Mogadishu
09 March – Source: Jowhar.com – 100 Words
Armed gunmen last night killed a famous businessman in Koodka area in Mogadishu’s Hamar Weyne district. The slain businessman was named as Muse Mackow. Report says pistol wielding gang shot and killed the businessman in his shop. The incident took place near the Benadir regional headquarters which is heavily guarded. At night, the area and its building is secured. The Hamar Weyne district administration said it has launched an investigation in to the incident. The incident brings to three the number of murders in the same area over a period of three months.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Kenya Fights UN Resolution That Seeks To Reduce Number Of Troops Serving Under AMISOM
09 March – Source: The Standard, Kenya – 308 Words
Kenya will demand that the United Nations (UN) rescinds a resolution that seeks to reduce the number of troops serving under Amisom in Somalia. Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Monica Juma said yesterday that the stability and development of Somalia was key for Kenya’s and the region’s prosperity, and that was why the country remained a strong voice for Somalia on the international arena. “In view of this, we shall along with the other Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) and the Somali Government petition the UN Security Council to reconsider the resolution on drawdown of Amisom troops, restore the previous troop levels and stay any further reduction to allow recovery of territory still under control of Al-Shabaab and other terrorist groups,” Dr Juma said.
Peace and security She also revealed that Kenya had commenced campaigns for a seat at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), during an election that will be held in two years. UNSC plays a crucial role in maintenance of international peace and security. Kenya, which has served twice as a non-permanent member of UNSC in 1973-1974 and 1997–1998, wants to return to the organ to push the country’s agenda, according to Juma.
AMISOM Female Peacekeepers Celebrate Women’s Contribution To Global Peace
9 March – Source: AMISOM – 686 Words
Female peacekeepers serving under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) yesterday marked the International Women’s Day with a call on governments to enlist more women in peacekeeping missions. The women drawn from all the Troop and Police Contributing Countries (TCCs) and Somali national security institutions, gathered in Mogadishu to take stock of their contribution to peace in Somalia, Africa and the world and also press for the deployment of more women in peacekeeping missions.
Wearing red, white and blue t-shirts with the imprinted words ‘women in peacekeeping; 50/50 by 2030’, the peacekeepers kicked off the daylong activities with a march to celebrate the positive contribution being made by women to global peace and conflict resolution. The march culminated in a conference on leadership, which focused on this year’s campaign theme, ‘press for progress’ that seeks to commit the world to a gender equality mindset.
The conference was attended by AMISOM’s senior leadership among them the Deputy Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (DSRCC) for Somalia, Simon Mulongo; the AMISOM Deputy Force Commander In Charge of Operations and Plans, Maj. Gen. Charles Tai Gituai, and the Acting Police Commissioner, Daniel Ali Gwambal. Also present were Somali National Army representatives and keynote speakers Brig. Gen. Gertrude Bili Mwale, a Defence Advisor accredited to the African Union and Dr. Ngaite Nkomo Mgeni, an international consultant on leadership.
OPINION, ANALYSIS & CULTURE
“For some time now, there have been credible anecdotal information that United Arab Emirates (UAE), the government behind DP World, has been sabotaging Somalia.”
Pillaging Somalia: The Dubious DP World-Ethiopia Deal
07 March – Source: Hiiraan Online – 1370 Words
On March 1, 2018, the Dubai-owned DP World and the government of Ethiopia concluded a dubious deal with the unrecognized secessionist region of Somaliland. This happened without notice to or approval from either the fledgling Parliament or the Executive branch of the Somali Federal Republic (SFR). Despite a Faustian pact between an African neighbor and a petrodollar Arab company across the Gulf of Aden, each being awarded 19% and 51% of the ownership of the Berbera Port, respectively, leaving only a trifling 30% for Somaliland, the deal is both illegal, and injurious to the interest of Somalia.
The Ethio-DP World deal was signed in a makeshift office in Dubai. No one can have so far explained why and how Ethiopia garnered 19% of the ownership of a prime real estate (Berbera Port) that it neither owns nor invested any capital for the construction and modernization of said Port. The only public explanation thus came from Mohamed Hure Buba, a member of one of the opposition parties in Hargeisa, who in an interview said that DP World gave that 19% share to Ethiopia.
The Ministry of Ports and Marine Transport of Federal Republic of Somalia issued a press release on March 2, 2018, declaring the dubious deal null and void, and warned that “the so-called agreement is defective and detrimental to the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Somalia (SFR) and the unity of the country.” Moreover, the Prime Minister of Somalia, Hassan Khyre, issued a stern repudiation of the deal and pronounced it dead on arrival .
In response to the FGS position, the acentric DP World CEO, Sultan Ahmed bin-Sulayem, burbled with unstately statements and said that Somaliland is “an independent country” that has the right to enter into bilateral agreements. Somaliland leaders have gone rogue on this matter and violated an understanding between Villa Somalia and Hargeisa, which was Somaliland will approach international agreements that seek economic development with the consent of the Federal government. As to the Ethio-DP World, their action is part of a web of foreign entities pillaging Somalia’s resources.
TOP TWEETS
@Somalia4IGAD: It’s been 32 years since IGADD (the predecessor of IGAD) was created. Somalia, a founding member, has never held the position of Executive Secretary. It’s Somalia’s time now.
@HarunMaruf: Alleged UAE govt surrogates and ‘fake accounts’ on social media are involved in a relentless personal attacks and all sorts of name-calling against Somali federal Govt leaders in particular @M_Farmaajo. Relations between the two countries appear to be spiralling out of control.
@Islaweyne: Do you want Somalia’s leaders to be independent? Full Sovereign State headquartered in @TheVillaSomalia in Mogadishu? Do you want the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, USA, China and any other foreign State ambassadors to Somalia marched out of the country? Pay TAXES!
@AfricaMedia54: Kenya fights Somalia troop cutback planhttp://ift.tt/2FrUjV5 #Kenya #KOT #Africa
@HarunMaruf: BREAKING: Somali refugees in one of the Dadaab refugee camps say they’ve been informed by UNHCR that IFO 2 will be closed by the end of this month. Residents in the camp will either be relocated to other camps or have option to return to Somalia voluntarily, refugee leaders say
@Vatescorp: Worst kept secret in #Somalia, Ex #Alshabaableader Mukhtar Robow eyeing Southwest State Presidency
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Somalia Prime Minister, Hassan Ali Khayre meet with the US Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs David Malpass to discuss the US support to Somalia on the nation’s economy and recovery process.
Photo: @SomaliPM