May 11, 2017 | Morning Headlines

Turkey Aims To Win Exclusive Fishing Rights Off The Coast Of Somalia

10 May – Source: Garowe Online- 343 words

Turkish government is persuading the Somali Federal government to approve a deal for an exclusive fishing rights off the coast of Somalia for 18 years, Garowe Online reports. According to close sources, the past government led by former President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud has agreed with the Turkish government on the deal. However, the details of the agreement were not disclosed to Somalia’s Federal Parliament or the public.

President Mahmoud’s close allies were pushing to ink the deal earlier for financial gains, but postponed by the Turkish government as the Federal government mandate ended during the past electoral election, added the source. Garoweonline has learnt that Turkish President has discussed about the agreement with Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmajo during their meeting in Turkey last month.  Sources in the meeting said that Turkish President has requested from his Somali counterpart to sign the deal during his state visit, but President Farmajo noted that details of the agreement needed to be submitted to the government prior to the endorsement. The draft agreement lacks details about the exchange of benefits between the two sides, however, Turkey will acquire exclusive fishing rights in Somalia’s waters for 18 years, according to the source who read the document.  Additionally, it is not clear whether Turkey is exchanging the humanitarian and financial aid giving to Somalia with the proposed deal.

In the past five years, Turkish companies have won rights to manage Mogadishu’s Aden Adde Airport and Mogadishu port, important sources of national revenues for the Federal government, and endorsed during the tenure of former Somali President Mahmoud. Turkish government is also expected to inaugurate the newly established $50-Million base, which occupies 400 hectares and houses three military schools, dormitories and depots, to support the Somali government in its bid to rebuild the national army forces.Nevertheless, pundits are expressing worries toward Somalia’s international partners competing to utilize country’s natural resources and infrastructure amid lack of strong government institutions to oversee such deals that was caused by the absence of rule of law and good governance over two decades.

Key Headlines

• Turkey Aims To Win Exclusive Fishing Rights Off The Coast Of Somalia (Garowe Online)
• Uhuru Alarms Premature AMISOM Troops Withdrawal (Shabelle News)
• Gunmen Kill Somali Elder Involved In Election (Shabelle News)
• Italian Police Arrest Somalis Suspected of Human Trafficking Ties To Islamists(Sputnik News)
• Turkish PM Flies To London For Somalia Conference (Anadolu Agency)
• Strong Partnerships and Further Funding Key to Beating Back Famine (Africa Newsroom)

NATIONAL MEDIA

Uhuru Alarms Premature AMISOM Troops Withdrawal

09 May – Source: Shabelle News-366 Words

On the eve of the Third London Conference on Somalia, President Uhuru Kenyatta insists that it would be catastrophic for the African Union Mission in Somalia to exit before realising the extermination of the Al Shabaab terror group. As the United States, a funder, sets its sights on a full hand-over of security functions to Somalia’s own forces, President Kenyatta is adamant that AMISOM – whose drawdown was projected to commence next year – must be adequately facilitated to complete its mission. “We can hurry to leave but what happens when an inadequately prepared Somali force is left to its own devices? A vacuum is left and the root of the problem will re-emerge.”

He maintained that it is in the best interest of Kenya to take the fight, as it were, to the enemy and not risk compromising regional stability. “It is not a Somali problem. It is in essence our problem.”His position is shared by the AMISOM Force Commander Lieutenant General Osman Noor Soubagleh who at the conclusion of the African Chiefs of Defence Conference said, “the draw-down will be depend with (sic) some conditions.” “We need to first help to degrade and contain Al Shabaab, to bring levels of violence to levels that are acceptable that can allow for the government as such to be present and exercise its functions all throughout the country.”

Kenya has towards that end led in the push to secure assessed contributions for the fight from the wider United Nations as opposed to voluntary contributions; with the backing of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. “It’s my belief that there is a responsibility of the international community to fund AMISOM.”A push that was given further impetus by a reduction in funding from the European Union despite a spirited campaign by President Kenyatta.The US has opposed the UN assuming full ownership of the Mission in Somalia and given its significant financial contributions to the organisation, it’s a deciding vote.“Given the severity of remaining security challenges in Somalia, we do not believe it is appropriate at this time to transition to a UN peacekeeping mission,” US Deputy Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Michele J. Sison said.

---

Gunmen Kill Somali Elder Involved In Election

09 May – Source: Shabelle News – 113 words

Gunmen believed to be Al-Shabaab members have shot and killed a well-known Somali elder in Mogadishu on Wednesday morning, witnesses said.The witnesses, speaking to Radio Shabelle identified the elder as Mr. Abdulkadir Sheikh Hussein Farey, saying he was killed by two gunmen at close range outside his house in Waberi district.The killers managed to escape the scene after the shooting. It is yet unclear the motive behind the killing of the elderly man, but, Police said investigation is underway. Mogadishu saw a wave of assassinations and suicide bombings for the past three months of 2017, as the new government is trying to drive out Al shabaab from the whole country.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Turkish PM Flies To London For Somalia Conference

09 May – Source: Anadolu Agency – 301 Words

Turkey’s prime minister Wednesday travelled to London to attend a major conference on Somalia.“Turkey is one of the major countries that provides tremendous support, without any expectation of recompense, for peace and tranquility in Somalia,” Binali Yildirim told reporters at Ankara’s Esenboga Airport before flying to Britain. The three-day conference, which will discuss Somalia’s future through 2020, lasts through May 12.

The Somali government and international partners, including Turkey, are attending the conference to plan new international partnerships for increasing peace and prosperity, political stability, and development in the Horn of Africa nation. Yildirim noted that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 2011 visit to the war-torn country was the first by a leader from outside Africa in almost 20 years, and served to put the world spotlight on the sufferings from a terrible drought.Following that visit, the international community started working to solve the crisis in Somalia, the Turkish premier said. He added that the London conference will review that work and take measures for further peace and development. Yildirim said that the new administration in Somalia should tackle several problems, including security, the fight against terrorism, constitutional reforms, and establishing public order.

Italian Police Arrest Somalis Suspected of Human Trafficking, Ties To Islamists

10 May-Source: Sputnik News -161 Words

The Italian police in the course of an operation in the south of Italy on Wednesday detained a group of Somali citizens suspected of trafficking undocumented migrants and ties to the militant Islamist groups.The citizens of Somalia allegedly brought undocumented migrants to Italy and then transported them to the Northern Europe.According to the Italian police, some of the members of the group were in contact with suspected Islamists and supporters of Somali militant group Al-Shabaab that at one time pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda terrorist group, outlawed in Russia.

The arrests were made based on suspicious money transactions from the families of migrants to the people responsible for the transportation scheme.The police are also looking into alleged cooperation of an official in the commune of Bari, who may have been bribed to deliver falsified residence permits to the newly arrived migrants.Al-Shabaab is considered a terrorist organization by a number of countries around the world, including the United States.

OPINION/ANALYSIS/CULTURE

“The UN Secretary-General and Somalia’s President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed will present a revised humanitarian response plan to prevent famine in Somalia, to international partners at the London Somalia Conference tomorrow.”

Strong Partnerships and Further Funding Key to Beating Back Famine

09 May – Source: Africa Newsroom – 419 words

On the eve of the London Somalia Conference, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called today for further scale-up of the humanitarian response in Somalia and strengthening of the partnership between the international community, the Federal Government of Somalia and humanitarian partners to avert famine. Somalia is facing prolonged drought which has left 6.7 million people — more than half the population of the country – in need of humanitarian assistance.

The situation continues to deteriorate and the possibility of famine in 2017 remains very real, despite an already massive scale-up of assistance since the beginning of the year. Over 680,000 people have been displaced due to drought in Somalia since November 2016, bringing the total number to 1.8 million. Major disease outbreaks are spreading, with over 36,000 cases of AWD/Cholera and 7,000 cases of suspected measles so far this year. Acute malnutrition is increasing in most parts of the country.“Since my visit to Baidoa in March, authorities and humanitarian partners have worked together to make extraordinary strides to rapidly reach millions of vulnerable Somalis with water, food and critical health and nutrition services,” Mr. Guterres said. “Thanks to early generous funding provided by countries across the globe, we have managed to avert a famine so far. But the level of suffering is unimaginable and we fear the worst.”

The UN Secretary-General and Somalia’s President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed will present a revised humanitarian response plan to prevent famine in Somalia, to international partners at the London Somalia Conference tomorrow. The revised plan seeks US$1.5 billion to reach 5.5 million people with life-saving assistance in 2017. In response to the early alarm that Somalia is at risk of famine, donors have generously provided $672 million since the beginning of the year, leaving a gap of $875 million.
With the resources received thus far, there has been a massive scale-up of the response and millions of people at risk of starvation and disease are being reached with assistance and protection. Further funding is still required to reach millions of people in urgent need of assistance as the current rainy season is expected to produce below-normal rainfalls, necessitating a sustained response through December.The London Somalia Conference is hosted by the United Kingdom and convenes international partners to  accelerate progress on security sector reform, build on the international response to the ongoing drought and humanitarian crisis and agree the new international partnership needed to keep Somalia on course for increased peace and prosperity.