May 30, 2016 | Daily Monitoring Report
Somali Leaders To Wrap Up NLF On 2016 Elections
30 May – Source: Shabelle News – 113 Words
Somali leaders are holding, for the second day, a high-level national leadership forum at the State House in Mogadishu to discuss the forthcoming general elections due to be held in August this year.The meeting is focusing on security and political issues, including the delicate matter touching on electoral representation for Mogadishu. Reports reaching Shabelle News indicate that deliberations on the Mogadishu question have hit a deadlock. The National Leadership Forum comprises the country’s top political leaders – President and Prime Minister of the Federal Government and presidents of regional administrations.These leaders are expected to release a joint communiqué after the meeting, which is expected to come to a close later today. Somalia’s international development partners have already warned over delays in the planning of the forthcoming elections and have urged Somali leaders to work on a peaceful transition process.
Key Headlines
- Somali Leaders To Wrap Up NLF On 2016 Elections (Shabelle News)
- Several Al-Shabaab Fighters Killed In Heavy Fighting In Bakool Region (Goobjoog News)
- Ahlu Sunna: No condition On Galmudug Talks (Shabelle News)
- Food Aid Distributed To Over 2000 People In Central Somalia (Goobjoog News)
- Dar-based Trader Eyes Presidency In Somalia Poll (The Citizen Tanzania)
- KCB And CBA Take First Steps To Enter Somalia (The StarKenya)
- DP World Eyes Further Africa Expansion Following Somaliland Deal (Arabian Business)
- A Week In The Life Of Michael Keating ( World Today Magazine )
NATIONAL MEDIA
Several Al-Shabaab Fighters Killed In Heavy Fighting In Bakool Region
30 May – Source: Goobjoog News – 223 Words
Several Al-Shabaab fighters were killed on Sunday in heavy fighting between the group and Somali National Army forces at a military base near Hudur town, 372 km southwest of Mogadishu.Deputy district commissioner of Hudur Abdulle Hassan told Goobjoog News that two Al-Shabaab fighters, who attempted to attack their base, were killed during the battle: “Al-Shabaab attacked the army base near Hudur town in Bakool region but were overpowered by SNA forces, who shot dead two members of the militant group on the spot,” Hassan said.
He said SNA thereafter carried out security operations in several villages in the region targeting the Al-Shabaab fighters.“The main operation occurred at Yab-yab village. The SNA soldiers arrested several Al-Shabaab fighters. They are being questioned at the moment,” he said. He further observed that local residents contributed immensely in the latest operation by volunteering useful information which led to its success. The administrative officer, however, declined to give numbers of casualties on both sides.
Nonetheless, the Al-Shabaab militants claimed victory in the attack, declaring that they had taken over the army base.The group claimed it had captured the SNA base and killed several government soldiers. The SNA forces, backed by the African Union peacekeeping troops, have stepped up security operations against Al-Shabaab in the south and central Somalia this year.Hudur town is the administrative headquarters of Bakool region in Somalia.
Ahlu Sunna: No condition On Galmudug Talks
30 May – Source: Shabelle News – 113 Words
The moderate Islamist group of Ahlu Sunna in central Somalia says it did not set any condition on the proposed peace talks with its main rival Galmudug state of Somalia.
Speaking with Radio Shabelle, the deputy leader of Ahlu Sunna Prof Abdullahi Hersi Da’ad said they welcome the Ethiopian-brokered peace initiative to end the rivalry in central Somalia.Somali Federal government, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and Ethiopia have called on Ahlu Sunna to open direct talks with the interim Galmudug administration. Ahlu Sunna, is an anti-government armed group that controls large swathes of territory, including Dhusamareb, the headquarters of Galgadud region in Central Somalia.
Food Aid Distributed To Over 2000 People In Central Somalia
30 May – Source: Goobjoog News – 89 Words
The administration of Beledweyne has begun distributing food to hundreds of flood and war-affected victims in Eel-Jaale village of central Somalia. Hundreds of beneficiaries from the region waited in long queues at an open field to receive the food aid donated by the First Lady of Djibouti, Khadra Mohamed Hayd. Djibouti ambassador, Dayib Dubad Rooble, said the exercise targeted some 1000 affected families: “This donation is a gift from the First Lady of Djibouti and is meant to assist the needy.”
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Dar-based Trader Eyes Presidency In Somalia Poll
30 May – Source: The Citizen – 450 Words
A Dar es Salaam-based businessman says he will vie for presidency in Somalia in September this year. Mr Mohamed A. Nur, who is the CEO of City Garden Group of Companies, told The Citizen yesterday that he would present his name to the country’s parliament, which would elect the head of state. “In Somalia there is no functioning political party system. The names of independent presidential candidates are presented to the lower and upper parliaments which elects the president,” he said.
The 45 year old Nur came with his family to Tanzania in the mid1980s, shortly before the Horn of Africa country plunged into lawlessness followed by two decades of civil war and without any effective administration until 2012 when a formal central government was established.
He said it was not strange for him to vie for presidency in his home country, saying a significant number of the current leaders were in diaspora before they took up political posts back home. Mr Nur added lately he had been to Mogadishu several times to lay ground for his campaign for the highest office in his troubled country. He was born there in 1971.
He remarked that although Somalia has been saddled with what he described as “terrible” leadership and terrorism, he was optimistic about his country’s future. For many years, Somalia topped the list of failed states in the world due to instability and violence. “Due to multiple crises, Somalis had to ensure decades of wasted years of poor leadership. To make it worse, nearly 60 per cent of Somalis will not live to see their 40th birthday due to poverty,” said Mr Nur, who is currently the chairperson of the 25,000 member Somali community in Tanzania.
KCB And CBA Take First Steps To Enter Somalia
30 May – Source: The Star, Kenya – 325 Words
Two local banks are among 12 international lenders that have applied for licences to operate in Somalia, the country’s Central Bank governor Bashir Ali has said.Kenya Commercial Bank and Commercial Bank of Africa are seeking to set shop in Somalia, although the country has faced a two-year moratorium on licensing new banks to enable the financial and banking systems stabilise, said Ali.“Others are from the gulf region… we are cautious though, in case a bank opens shop, collects deposits and runs off,” he said.
Only six banks currently operate in Somalia,whose security situation has improved in recent years according to Ali.He assured those eyeing the market that the stay on licensing new banks will be lifted once the situation improves further.New entrants will however not be allowed to operate solo but will instead open subsidiaries in partnership with local investors or the existing banks.He was speaking on Friday when the bank received $2.5 million (Sh250 million) from a group of donors including the World Bank to set up a robust IT platform.The platform known as the Financial Accounting Controls and Transaction System is being implemented by consultant Sofgen, which has also set up IT systems for various lenders in Kenya.
DP World Eyes Further Africa Expansion Following Somaliland Deal
29 May – Source: Arabian Business – 320 Words
The chairman of DP World is “bullish” about growth plans in Africa, it was reported last week, after the ports operator signed a deal to develop and operate a trade and logistics hub in Somaliland.DP World last week signed a $442 million agreement with the government of Somaliland to operate part of the Port of Berbera on the eastern coast of Africa.The two parties agreed to form a joint venture company that will “invest and manage” and transform the port into a “regional and logistic hub,” DP World said in a statement.
DP World chairman Sultan bin Sulayem was quoted as telling The National in Somaliland: “I am very bullish about Africa and believe it still has a very huge potential.“The reason why we go to Africa is because we get a lot of knowledge and experience and they are the two factors for success.”
DP World already operates in Egypt, Djibouti, Algeria, Senegal and Mozambique. In its statement, the company said it had added 2,275,000 twenty foot equivalent units (TEU) of capacity at its terminals in Africa over the past three to five years, bringing the total annual capacity to 6.2 million TEU.
The Somaliland project involves the setting up of a free zone and is part of a larger memorandum of understanding between the Dubai and Republic of Somaliland governments to strengthen strategic ties.The Port of Berbera is intended to become a hub and sea route for the Ethiopian market mainly, one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. Investment in the port will attract more shipping lines to east Africa, and also complement DP World’s services in Djibouti, according to Bin Sulayem.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“I clear my head by walking or bicycling along the beach next to our compound. The ‘Beware of sharks’ signs are intimidating but in the unremitting heat, I cannot resist an occasional quick dip in the ocean. I get to bed aroundmidnight after a 15-hour day and after calls to family, I sleep well,” – Michael Keating, SRSG, Somalia.
A Week In The Life Of Michael Keating
June /July 2016 – Source: World Today Magazine- 815 Words
My day starts with some exercise, breakfast in my room, then an 8am planning session. The schedule typically includes meetings in town with politicians, receiving Somali or international visitors, and seeing colleagues working on issues such as elections, security sector reform, rule of law, child protection, gender, human rights, food security, displacement and reconciliation.
There are around 500 international UN staff in Somalia, the majority in Mogadishu. Many more are based in Kenya. The Somali authorities would like the diplomatic and aid communities to shift entirely to Somalia, but security concerns, logistical practicalities and the cost of maintaining staff are deterrents.Getting around can be a major operation. A close protection team accompanies me day and night, plus local security teams when I move around Mogadishu. I long to shop in local markets, linger in the tea houses and seaside restaurants serving lobster but they are off bounds. I do make quick impromptu visits – for example to the fish market in the capital and the livestock market in Hargeisa.
I occasionally visit the regions to meet authorities, elders, business people, women and youth groups. The UN has well protected compounds in six locations and staff in several outposts, from Bosasso and Garowe in the north to Kismayo and Baidoa in the south. Sometimes we have to fly our own bullet-proof vehicles with us, landing on murram airstrips cleared of goats and camels.
TOP TWEETS
@TheVillaSomalia:National Leaders Forum approves#Somalia‘s National Security Policy (NSP).
@HarunMaruf:#Somalia: More than 45,000 high and middle school students are taking their exams this week.#putdowngunpickuppen
@stability_fund :Understanding feminism in #Somalia means focusing on masculinity first http://bit.ly/1OQtiO8 @GuardianGDP #Gender
@Aynte:Thanks 4 comprehensive assistance 2 #Somalia. Artifical boundary between humanitarian & Dev Assistance must b closed
@OCHASom:In Belet Weyne in #Somalia which have experienced flooding, ppl have limited access to assistance via@JustinTBrady
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Leaders cut a cake during the celebration of Ethiopian national day in Mogadishu.
Photo: AMISOM