May 7, 2013 | Daily Monitoring Report.
President: Somalia is ‘moving in the right direction’
07 May- Source: BBC- 02:32 min
UK Prime Minister David Cameron is to host an international conference in London to help Somalia end more than two decades of conflict. The conference will focus on rebuilding its security forces and tackling rape – a largely taboo subject in Somalia. The BBC’s Mary Harper spoke to Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who said that he expects the world to view Somalia through “different lenses” at the conference.
Key Headlines
- Somalia Conference 2013: Opening Speech (gov.uk)
- Al Shabaab attacks Somali border of Dhobley (Radio Bar-kulan)
- University graduates volunteers as teachers for IPDs and the poor (Radio Ergo)
- Al Shabaab assassinates retired Somali politician in Lower Shabelle region (Raxanreeb)
- Al Shabaab attacks will not derail progress in Somalia says PM (Hiiraan Online)
- Somaliland’s Ministry of Commerce Benefits from USAID Partnership for Economic Growth Program(Somalilandpress)
- Five soldiers injured in Galkacyo explosion ( Radio Bar-kulan)
- Security crucial to Somalia’s success (CNN)
- Police arrest suspected al Shabaab terrorists ( Daily Monitor)
- U.N. urges support for new Somali leaders before donor meet (New Vision)
- Nairobi to host investment talks on Somalia (Business Daily Africa)
- African Union seeks involvement from Somali diaspora at London conference ( Sabahi Online)
- President: Somalia is ‘moving in the right direction’( BBC)
- Somalia: Cameron Pledges Post-Conflict Support (news.sky)
PRESS STATEMENT
President Hassan arrives in London to co-chair Somali conference
06 May- Source: Office of the Somali President -308 words
The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, H.E Hassan Sh. Mohamud has arrived in London to Co-Chair the second Somalia Conference with Prime Minister David Cameron.
The President was accompanied by the Deputy PM / Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Fowziya Hagi Yusuf Adan; Minister of Finance, H.E Mohamud H Suleiman; Minister of Defence H.E. Abdihakim Mohamud Haji Fiqi;Minister of State for the Presidency, H.E. Farah Sh. Abdulkader, and senior advisors from the Presidency ,and the office of the Prime Minister.
The President will tell Leaders and representatives from over 40 countries and many non government organisations that progress in Somalia over the past year has defied the skeptics but that the peace in Somalia must be won with “unflinching commitment”.
The President will lead a team of Ministers in presenting detailed plans for the reform of security, justice and finance management sectors and will ask the international community to assist them in the implementation of their plans. “We are here today to begin a four-year process that must begin with considerable investment and support but which I hope will finish with very little,” the President will say.
President Hassan brings the hopes of the Somali people for a positive outcome from the conference and confirmed that he will also hold bilateral discussions with leaders and donors centered on the work and resources required to implement the Six Pillar Policy.
The President will tell delegates tomorrow, “People may ask why Somalia matters at this time but there is a huge amount at stake right now:the future of our country, the security of the region and the wider world, and the removal of the piracy stranglehold on the Gulf of Aden. I know you all understand this and I fully appreciate the political capital being invested to support Somalia.”
LONDON CONFERENCE SPEECHES
Somalia Conference 2013: Opening Speech
07 May- Source: gov.uk -1216 words
The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, H.E. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud gave the opening address at the Somalia Conference today.
This is the text of the President’s speech as drafted, which may differ slightly from the delivered version delivered today in London.
A few weeks ago, I planted a young sapling in the garden at Villa Somalia to raise the issue of deforestation, and it got me thinking – what does a young sapling need for it to grow into a strong, healthy tree?
It needs to be supported with a strong stake; it needs to be watered and fed; and it needs to be protected from animals that try to eat its soft bark and kill it.
And so it is with this young sapling we have all planted, called Somalia. We need support; we need assistance and investment; and we need protection from those who try to knock us over.
The first period of growth is always the most hazardous; where the most support and protection is needed. But as the bow thickens and strengthens, the tree needs less and less support, until finally it stands proud and tall and strong all on its own.
My vision is for a Federal Somalia at peace with itself and its neighbours and which poses no threat to the world; a Somalia with a resurgent economy, thriving small and medium sized business ventures and sustainable employment so that families are properly provided for; a Somalia with values of kindness, respect and human rights, all underpinned by an education system that harnesses our intellectual spirit.
So we are here today to begin a four-year process that must begin with considerable investment and support but which I hope will finish with very little.
Heads of State and Governments, Excellencies, Ambassadors, Special Representatives, Honored Guests – the Prime Minister and I welcome you to the second Somalia Conference in London.
Mr. Prime Minister, I wholeheartedly thank you and your government for your personal engagement in shaping our future and for your support in hosting this Conference. I particularly congratulate you for re-opening your Embassy on our soil in Mogadishu after more than two decades absence.
People may ask why Somalia matters at this time but there is a huge amount at stake right now: the future of our country, the security of the region and the wider world, and the removal of the piracy stranglehold on the Gulf of Aden.
I know you all understand this and I fully appreciate the political capital being invested to support Somalia.
Since the last meeting held here in London more than one year ago, more has been achieved than anyone would ever have imagined. In just one year the cornerstones of a new Somalia have been successfully and peacefully laid.
The political transition has ended and I stand here as the elected President of a sovereign nation, with an elected Speaker leading a new Parliament representative of all the regions and all communities and with a legitimate and effective government delivering our Six Pillar Policy Framework. Progress has defied the skeptics. Somalia has rejoined the world community.
Under my leadership, we offer the world a legitimate partner you can trust, hard at work to deliver an integrated national security plan; economic reform and new financial management systems; rule of law and judicial reform; and an environment conducive to commercial growth. We are achieving real progress week by week, month by month. But challenges do remain.
Despite being militarily defeated, al Shabaab have melted into society and begun a new phase of insurgency and a campaign of terror – an experience I know that Great Britain comprehends as well as any other. Our Constitution is only partially complete. Piracy must come to an end. Millions of Somalis still live in desperate conditions as refugees in neighbouring countries or as internally displaced persons in their own country. And we lack developed government institutions, schools, hospitals, roads, sanitation and other basic services.
As you will hear over the coming hours, however, we come to London to share with you our detailed plans to address these challenges.
We are rebuilding our armed forces. We are restructuring and developing our police force. We are reforming our justice sector. And we are revolutionizing our public finance management systems. We are driving Somalia from emergency to recovery; and from recovery to development and reconstruction.
Ultimately, however, it will be a Somali owned solution that will fix Somalia, but no country has ever recovered from such social and economic collapse without the help of the world. And so in partnership with our endeavors, we respectfully ask for your total and unflinching commitment, partnership and support. We hope that you will agree how you can support the implementation of our plans and put an end to our dependence on the international community.
The Federal Government of Somalia has now laid down the foundations for a new public finance management mechanism, which we believe will give enable our donors to agree funding arrangements with the confidence that funds will reach their intended recipient.
The progress that has been made in Somalia over the past three years would not have been possible without the courageous support of IGAD, African Union and our brothers and sisters in AMISOM and the ultimate sacrifice paid by many brave African soldiers. We owe to it their memory to ensure that we do not take one single step backwards.
The progress that has been made in Somalia over the past three years would also not have been possible without the committed support of the United Nations, the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union. We owe it to the publics who contribute to these governments and institutions to see this process through to a successful conclusion.
We are also indebted to the kindness and generosity of countries like Turkey, Norway, the Arab League member states and other countries. Your assistance over the past few years has spread hope and belief among our people.
We welcome UNSOM, the new United Nations Mission in Somalia, and we are grateful for the consultation offered in agreeing both the mandate and the appointment of the SRSG. We congratulate His Excellency Mr. Nicholas Kay on his appointment as SRSG. We are looking forward receiving him and the new UN mission in Mogadishu. I wish to thank Ambassador Mahiga, the outgoing SRSG, for his relentless and determined efforts in leading the design of the roadmap and seeing the transition through. Our best wishes and tributes go to him. The people of Somalia are eternally grateful.
Winning the war in Somalia has been proved. Winning the peace in Somalia will take patience and great skill. We are at a critical junction. The time is now.
We have little time today and lots to achieve. All of us, especially those in the background who have worked so hard to make this conference happen, will want to depart with a real sense of progress.
I thank you all for coming, and for your dedicated support. Together we can make Somalia strong again. A tree standing tall in the African bush with deep roots binding it securely to its region and offering shade and protection to its people as they rebuild their lives.
Speech of Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
07 May- Source: Somali Channel – 10:04 min
Somali President’s speech at Somali conference currently underway in London, which aims to provide international support for the Government of Somalia’s recovery efforts
Speech of UK Prime Minister David Cameron
07 May- Source: Somali channel- 9:09 min
UK Prime minister `s speech at Somali conference currently underway in London, which aims to provide international support for the Government of Somalia’s recovery efforts.
Speech of Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn
07 May- Source: Somali Channel- 10:06 min
Ethiopian Prime minister’s speech at Somali conference currently underway in London, which aims to provide international support for the Government of Somalia’s recovery efforts.
Speech of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni
07 May- Source: Somali Channel- 3:05 min
Ugandan president’s speech at Somali conference currently underway in London, which aims to provide international support for the Government of Somalia’s recovery efforts.
Live stream of the Somalia conference
07 May- Source: Universal TV- 10 words
A live stream of the Somalia conference currently underway in London, which aims to provide international support for the Government of Somalia’s recovery efforts.
SOMALI MEDIA
Al Shabaab attacks Somali border of Dhobley
07 May- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 139 words
The al Qaeda allied militant of al Shabaab is reported to have attacked Dhobley town of Lower Jubba region in southern Somalia which is in the border between Somalia and Kenya.
The joint troops of Somali Federal Government troops and Kenyan troops under the command of AU Peacekeeping forces are in control of the border town of Dhobley.
It’s not currently possible to get details about al Shabaab’s attack since the communication in the area is not available, the causality caused by the attacks is not yet known as well.
Unconfirmed reports indicate that al Shabaab had taken control of some parts of the town for a short period of time before being driven out by joint troops.
No government official in Lower Jubba region has yet commented on this incident.
University graduates volunteers as teachers for IPDs and the poor
07 May- Source: Radio Ergo- 225 words
A number of graduates from universities inside the country and abroad, together with some current students at Mogadishu University, are volunteering to teach IDPs and poor families.
Abdukaadir Mohamed Ali is leader of the youth group called Dhalinyarrada Isbadel-doonka Soomaaliyeed (DHISO), meaning ‘Build it yourself.’ He told Radio Ergo the group has established five centres in Mogadishu alone to teach displaced people from the regions hit by drought and conflict. Some of these centres are located inside Koranic schools in the IDP camps.
Abduqaadir Mohamed Ali said have nine other free education centres run by the group in the regions of Lower Shabelle, Middle Shabelle, Bay, Bakool, Hiran, Galgadud and Mudug.
Around 1,500 people aged five to 60 are benefitting from the DHISO teaching programme. Children are offered various basic courses at primary and secondary school level. Adults benefit from literacy courses tailored for their needs.
DHISO also organize special weekend teaching sessions (i.e. Thursday and Friday) for working people who are busy on other days.
Abdifitah Abdullahi Omar, popularly known as Dhoodaan, who is a member of the DHISO group, explained that their main objective was to spearhead the youth to fill the educational void left by the civil war, and to take over the voluntary education the government used to provides for people.
Al Shabaab assassinates retired Somali politician in Lower Shabelle region
07 May- Source: Raxanreeb -349 Words
Al Shabaab militant group in Somalia assassinated a retired Somali politician and member of former Somalia parliament between 1964 and 1969, RBC Radio reports.
Late Ahmed Gure, aged 95 was killed and then his body tortured and burnt by al Shabaab fighters late on Sunday evening (May 5th, 2013) at his residence in Buulo Sheekh village, 35-km away from Qoryooley district of Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region.
According to family members al Shabaab fighters came into late Gure’s residence where banana-grown farm belonged to him locates and killed him together with his grandson Mahad Gure, aged 28 on the spot.
The bodies of the pair were seen badly tortured and burnt by the militants as they left away. Family members went to the place and buried the bodies on Monday.
The motive of the assassination was not clear as the militants did not comment about the killing.
Relatives say they did not know what the retired and old man was killed for while he was not in any political activities since he has left politics in mid 1976.
Five soldiers injured in Galkacyo explosion
07 May- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 119 words
Five soldiers are reported to have injured in a grenade attack targeted to Puntland police post in Horumar neighborhood of Galkacyo’s northern side.
Confirming the incident, Mudug region police commander of Puntland administration Jama Mohamed said that the injured is among the deputy police commander in the region Abdillahi Bihi Matan.
The attack which occurred on Monday evening comes days a hand grenade was killed a Puntland administration soldier while another was injured.
Horumar neighborhood residents told Bar-kulan that they heard series of explosions.
Medical officials said that the injured soldiers were admitted to Galkacyo general hospital where they are now undergoing medications.
No group has yet claimed the responsibility of the attacks.
Somaliland’s Ministry of Commerce Benefits from USAID Partnership for Economic Growth Program
07 May- Source: Somalilandpress/Universal TV- 319 words
Somaliland Ministry of commerce unveiled new investment climate unit offices while at the same time receiving an assortment of office equipment, courtesy of USAID which provided the funds through the Partnership Fund Grants Program and was implemented by Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI) at the ministry headquarters.
The Speaking during the well-attended handover ceremony took place at the Somaliland ministry of commerce headquarters; Hon Abdirisaq Khalif Ahmed thanked both Dai and USAID for funding the new projects which are expected to enhance both local and foreign investor confidence and their generosity in the continued funding of the various projects.
The Minister of National planning Dr. Sacad Ali Shire thanked USAID for promoting growth and stability through the empowerment of a vibrant business sector and development projects across the country.
Somalia Conference in London will be focused on four main issues
06 May- Source: Raxanreeb- 187 words
The Federal Government of Somalia is expected to address a set of four major points plan, among them country’s Six Pillar Policy announced by the president in his election of last September, for rebuilding the country to the London Conference.
The UK and Somalia will co-host a Conference in London on 7 May to provide international support for the Federal Government’s plans.
According to senior Somali government official, the Somali Government will share its plans to the participants and donors gathering at the meeting for developing the country’s security forces, the reform of justice, the public financial management system and a political stability reform
.
The plan set by a joint committee from Somalia and UK will address time frames of executing the plans brought by Somalia government and to what extent will be the help role of the international community.
The international community is expected to agree how it will support the implementation of those plans; and for the Somali Government to outline how it intends to resolve the outstanding political issues within Somalia.
Al Shabaab attacks will not derail progress in Somalia says PM
06 May- Source: Hiiraan Online/Radio Bar-kulan- 163 word
Somali Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon has condemned yesterday’s attacks in Mogadishu against a convoy carrying Qatari humanitarian delegation. The deadly suicide attack which was claimed by al Shabaab militants led to the death of 12 people and injured 25 more. “These terrorist attacks will not derail the remarkable progress Somalia has made in the past months” said the Somali Prime Minister in a statement.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Police arrest suspected al Shabaab terrorists
07 May- Source: Daily Monitor- 336 words
The Inspector General of Police, Lt. Gen. Kale Kayihura, has said that the Force have arrested suspected terrorists who wanted to carry out terror attacks in Uganda.
Gen. Kayihura, who declined to give details of the number of the arrested suspected terrorists and their nationalities, said detectives are interrogating them. “The terror is real and people shouldn’t take it lightly. We got intelligence reports that there is a cell of al Shabaab terrorists who want to attack Uganda and Burundi. But we have made some arrests and our officers are interrogating them,” Gen. Kayihura said yesterday. He made the revelation at the opening of the 15th council for the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation (EAPCCO) aimed at combating terrorism in Kampala.
U.N. urges support for new Somali leaders before donor meet
07 May- Source: New Vision-606 Words
The United Nations has given strong backing to the new leadership of Somalia ahead of a donor conference in London on Tuesday that will seek pledges to rebuild the East African country torn apart by two decades of civil war.
Deputy U.N. Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said the United Nations wanted to shift more of its efforts into development projects and away from humanitarian aid as Somalia begins to recover from years of lawlessness, violence and famine.
“The main reason we have hope now, more than ever …. is we now have a leadership which has a sense of responsibility,” Eliasson told Reuters in London.
“I was in Somalia in 1992 in the deepest of starvation, the deepest of mass death, and for me to go there now and meet with a government which has legitimacy … is something that we on the outside world would want to support,” he added.
Eliasson was speaking a day before the conference which is aimed at bolstering stability in Somalia, raising pledges of aid and signalling international support for Somalia’s new president, who was elected last year.
Nairobi to host investment talks on Somalia
07 May- Source: Business Daily Africa- 417 words
The first regional investment conference on Somalia will be held in Nairobi at the end of the month, it was announced on Monday as President Uhuru Kenyatta arrived in London for a similar international forum.
The Somali Reconstruction and Investment Conference and Exhibition (SORIC) is expected to bring together key policymakers from Somalia and Somaliland, international and regional development organisations to showcase opportunities in the country working to rebuild itself after years of internal strife.
“We are telling the region that Somalia is open for business and ready to participate in the region. There are opportunities in the country and we want to showcase them and invite the region to be a part of rebuilding the country,” said Mr Haasan Noor, chief executive of HanVard Africa, the event organisers, in a phone interview with the Business Daily.
Museveni in London for Somali conference
07 May- Source: New Vision- 175 words
Ugandan Yoweri Museveni is in London for the International Somali Conference which kicks off today (Tuesday) at Lancaster House.
The President who is accompanied by the First Lady, Minister for Karamoja Affairs Janet Museveni was received at Luton International airport by the Special Representative of the Secretary of State in the Protocol Directorate Nicholas Jarrold and the acting High Commissioner Isaac Sebulime.
The conference that will be attended by various heads of states in the region is being co-hosted by the government of the UK and aims to provide international support for the Government of Somalia as they rebuild their country after two decades of conflict.
Embattled Somalia looks to overcome divisions
07 May- Source: Al Jazeera English- 02:37 min
UK Prime Minister David Cameron is preparing to host an international conference in London to help Somalia end more than 20 years of conflict.
The country has been divided into a patchwork of self-governing regions, and many of them are hostile to the central government. Coming up with a constitution everyone is happy with will be the first obstacle.
Somali Foreign Affairs Minister Adan: Somalia is open for business
06 May- Source: Sabahi Online- 795 words
Somalia’s first woman Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Fawzia Yusuf Haji Adan spoke to Sabahi about the progress her ministry has achieved since she took office last November.
She expressed the need for Somalia to rebuild and strengthen diplomatic relations with its neighbours and spoke about her expectations for the three-day London conference on Somalia, scheduled to begin Tuesday (May 7th). Adan hailed contributions the international community is making to stabilise the country, but said Somalia must be at the helm of that effort for it to be sustainable.
She also welcomed a statement from the Intergovernmental Agency on Development (IGAD) on May 3rd recognising the need to support the Somali federal government’s leadership in the stabilisation process, calling it a diplomatic victory for her ministry. Adan said the message her government wants to share with the world is simple: Somalia is an independent country and it has re-opened for business.
African Union seeks involvement from Somali diaspora at London conference
06 May- Source: Sabahi Online-209 Words
Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for Somalia Mahamat Saleh Annadif expressed optimism for the upcoming Somali diaspora meeting in London, scheduled to take place May 9th-11th. Annadif said he hoped the meeting would encourage Somalis in the diaspora to play a key role in implementing the federal government’s six pillar policy agenda, join the peace-building process in Somalia and return to help rebuild the country.
“Somalia has reached a very critical stage in its political and economic history,” he said in a press release. “Through the Somali Diaspora meeting, therefore, we in the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) seek to provide a platform through which skilled professionals from the diaspora can be mobilised to provide the much needed skilled manpower for the rebuilding of their country.” This will be AMISOM’s first initiative to engage with Somali diaspora. Although AMISOM has interacted with stakeholders inside Somalia, Annadif said there has been limited interaction with Somalis living abroad.
Nato forces antidote on piracy in Horn of Africa
06 May- Source: Daily Nation- 355 words
Nato forces have drastically reduced piracy cases at the Horn of Africa. The number is said to have declined from 129 in 2011 to almost zero this year with the help of countries in the region.
But this does not mean their mission is over, at least according to Rear Admiral Antonio Natale from Italy, who heads the Standing Nato Maritime Group assigned to oversee counter piracy operations along the huge Somali coastline. For the past five months, naval officer Natale has dealt with only one incident of a Panama-flagged merchant ship from Salalah to Mombasa early in the year.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
President: Somalia is ‘moving in the right direction’
07 May- Source: BBC- 02:32 min
UK Prime Minister David Cameron is to host an international conference in London to help Somalia end more than two decades of conflict.
The conference will focus on rebuilding its security forces and tackling rape – a largely taboo subject in Somalia.
The BBC’s Mary Harper spoke to Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who said that he expects the world to view Somalia through “different lenses” at the conference.
Somalia: Cameron Pledges Post-Conflict Support
07 May- Source: news.sky- 632 words
David Cameron is to warn that failure to properly support the rebuilding of Somalia will lead to “terrorism and mass migration” as he hosts an international conference on the country’s future.
Almost 50 governments were due to attend the meeting – which the Prime Minister is co-hosting in London with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud – alongside the IMF, World Bank and other global bodies. Mr Cameron will hail progress in stabilising the African nation after it was ripped apart by two decades of brutal civil war, but demand action to ensure the momentum is maintained.
Cameron calls for better governance in Somalia
07 May- Source: ITV-157 words
Prime Minister David Cameron will praise Somalia’s president for the work he has done to improve governance and tackle corruption in the country, and will ask international donors to support him to develop a “transparent” and accountable budget.
Opening the international peace conference on Somalia in London today, Cameron will say:
“We need to help Somalia develop a transparent and accountable government with an honest, accurate budget.
“Under the previous government Somalia struggled with endemic corruption. So I very much welcome the commitment to public accountability that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has made and the plan he is setting out at this conference.
Cameron: We must not fail Somalia
07 May- Source: Independent-375 Words
David Cameron is set to warn that failure to properly support the rebuilding of Somalia will lead to “terrorism and mass migration” as the international community gathers in London to discuss the country’s future. Almost 50 governments are expected to attend the meeting – which the Prime Minister is co-hosting with Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud – alongside the IMF, World Bank and other global bodies.
Mr Cameron will hail progress in stabilising the African nation after it was ripped apart by two decades of brutal civil war, but he will demand action to ensure the momentum is maintained. That will allow many Somalis who fled the bloodshed to the UK and elsewhere to return home, he will point out.
A year on from the first such UK-hosted meeting of international backers, a government has been installed and more territory grabbed back from the control of al Shabaab Islamist militias.
Security crucial to Somalia’s success
07 May- Source: CNN- 04:00 min
A new Somalia is emerging after decades of lawlessness, and security is on everyone’s mind. CNN’s Nima Elbagir reports.
Mixed results for Somalia’s new government
06 May- Source: Deutsche Welle-884 Words
As donors gather in London for the International conference for Somalia, a quick glance before the conference begins shows that Somalia’s security situation remains precarious. British Foreign Secretary William Hague reopened the British Embassy in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu last week, after two decades of diplomatic absence. The re-opening of the embassy was a clear message to the Western community that they should have confidence in the new Somali National Government, and it was just in time for Tuesday’s (07.05.2013) Somalia Conference to be held in London.
The United Nations recently approved a new mission to Somalia. Under the UNSOM (United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia), the UN will send experts to advise the government and local authorities. “The resolution would help to improve the security situation of the Somali government,” Ahmed Abdi Hassan, a security expert and former senior official of the national security forces said. Up to 200 experts are to be sent to Somalia.
Former president Sheikh Sharif Ahmed’s transitional government was regarded as being highly corrupt. After his election victory in September 2012, successor Hassan Sheikh Mohamud seems to be on the right track.
Somalia needs a Marshall plan, president says before aid meeting
06 May- Source: Financial Time-701 Words
Somalia needs its own Marshall plan to recover from decades of poverty, civil war and terrorism, says the country’s president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
Mr Mohamud made his appeal for a large-scale, comprehensive aid package as more than 50 nations and organisations, including the US, Turkey and the African Union, meet in London on Tuesday to discuss Somalia’s future.
The conference is intended to secure and co-ordinate international support for seven key areas, including administrative and security improvements in a country whose instability has damaged global trade and given Islamist militants territory to operate.
“In Somalia today we have the level of destruction of Europe in 1945 – the same level of displacement, the same level of shattered economic aspects,” Mr Mohamud told the Financial Times during a flight from Mogadishu on his way to co-host the London conference, adding that two million Somalis had fled their homes.
Somalia’s struggle for unity far from over
07 May- Source:BBC- 869 words
It’s a bumpy half hour’s drive inland from Mogadishu – with its furious traffic, its ruins, and its vast camps of displaced families – to the sleepy farming town of Afgoye. After the dust and frenzy of the capital, Afgoye is almost shockingly green, surrounded by lush, well-irrigated fields. Trucks piled high with bananas rattle past us..
It is striking to note that most of the work in and around the town seems to be done by women – bent double in the fields, tending to cattle, and running the tiny makeshift shops that line the muddy roads.
Somalia: Optimism Endures Among The Rubble
07 May- Source: Sky News-499 Words
The customers at Ahmed Jama Mohamed’s restaurant in the Somali capital Mogadishu sip lattes just yards from the rubble caused by another suicide bomber.
But despite the constant physical reminder and the barbed wire surrounding the restaurant, they are stoic and mostly optimistic about what the future holds for their war-ravaged country.
Some are returning exiles, finally coming home after years of being away because of the instability and dangers of staying at home.
Sonkor Geyre left his job in Chicago to restart his career in Somalia 14 months ago. “As soon as I got the chance, I took it and I don’t regret it,”he said.
He now teaches at the city’s university. He’s sharing a meal with another who fled the extremists to live in America – but Abdullah Jama is only visiting Mogadishu.
Somalis express cautious hope about London Conference
07 May- Source: Xinhua/Global Times-465 Words
As the last of Somalia’s delegations left the country for London to attend the International conference in the British capital, residents of the capital Mogadishu expressed hope about the outcome of the talks that will kick off on Monday.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and a delegation comprising cabinet ministers, lawmakers and senior government advisers left Saturday. President Hassan will co-chair the conference with British Prime Minister David Cameron.
London Conference will focus on assessing the needs of the Somali government and supporting it in the reform of the country’s security apparatus, the judiciary, reconstruction and investment in the Somali economy, said Somalia’s foreign Minister Fawzia Haji Yusuf.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“Unfortunately, this summit does not involve civil society. While their absence is deeply regrettable, the international community and Somalia authorities must agree ways to ensure that civil society and the public are able to participate in peace and reconstruction plans in future.”
Somalis should have a say in rebuilding their country
07 May- Source: The Guardian-567 Words
The latest high-level summit on the future of Somalia will be held in London on Tuesday. Co-hosted by the federal government of Somalia and the UK, it will be attended by more than 50 representatives of Somalia’s donors, and representatives from international organisations including the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the EU and the African Union. Their engagement reflects the increasing commitment of the international community to the stabilisation and rebuilding of Somalia.
But both the Somali authorities and the international community must engage with Somalis themselves on the decisions that directly affect their lives if they want to make real, sustainable progress towards reconstruction.
Consultations carried out in April by the Puntland Non-State Actors Association (Punsaa) and the Somalia Southern Central Non-State Actors (Soscensa) – with a range of representatives from NGOs and the media, business leaders, traditional elders, professional associations and women’s groups – showed that civil society in Somalia has a number of concerns and recommendations on strengthening and rebuilding the security services and justice system, as well as strengthening the political system and reducing financial mismanagement. They have a vital role to play in the decision-making processes and redevelopment of Somalia, and their voices need to be heard.
“If all the stars align, Somalia might well be ‘The Next Big Thing.’ which is what the Somalia delegate at the Horn of Africa said it would be more than a year ago at the Horn of Africa Investment Conference.”
Somalia Could Be Africa’s Next Big Thing
06 May- Source: The Star (Kenya)-763 Words
Her Excellency Paola Imperiale the Italian ambassador to Kenya whose surname is a linguistic clue to her style of diplomacy, invited me to a party over the weekend on the San Marco, in Mombasa.
As I surveyed the crowd, I said to Nishet, it is clear that Paola’s invitations are not turned down lightly. I attended the ‘Presser’ in the morning and was invited by the Rear Admiral Antonio Natale to join his crew on an exercise out on the Indian Ocean on Sunday and then be flown back to Mombasa via one of their helicopters. So as I write this, I cannot help wishing I could communicate with my ancestors who came to Africa on a dhow and I am sure would have appreciated the speedier transport of the Italian navy.
Rear Admiral Natale is the Commander of Standing NATO Maritime Group (SNMG2) assigned to NATO’s counter piracy mission, Operation Ocean Shield. And during his press conference he confirmed that so far in 2013 there were no attacks, approaches or disruptions in the area [The area covers the Horn of Africa, including the Gulf of Aden and the Western Indian Ocean up to the Strait of Hormuz.
An area greater than 2 million square miles or approximately the size of Western Europe]. With the consent of Somali authorities, NATO vessels may enter the territorial waters of Somalia.
“As president of Somaliland I wish the conference well, but we cannot attend an event that ignores our history and our reality.”
London’s Somalia conference does not recognise Somaliland – we cannot go
07 May- Source: The Guardian-708 Words
The Horn of Africa has for too long been one of the world’s most troubled regions. It has been defined, for good reason, by conflict, repression, famine, terrorism and piracy.
So it is a sign of hope that 50 countries and organisations will meet in London this week to discuss how to help the new government of Somalia forge a better future for its citizens. This high-profile conference shows Somalia is getting international attention.
The new government needs support in rebuilding state institutions and its shattered economy. Britain’s re-opening of its embassy last month shows security is slowly improving although recent terrorist attacks in Mogadishu show the scale of the challenge.
Somaliland wishes the conference well. Increased international attention and support for Somalia and the wider region is in everyone’s interest. But with real regret, we will not be attending.
“Mogadishu is a much changed city. New buildings are coming up and damaged ones are being rebuilt and rehabilitated. Cafés and restaurants have sprung up all over the place and the sound of gunshots has almost disappeared.”
Bistros, beaches and book launches: Mogadishu revives forgotten culture
06 May- Source: Hiiraan Online/Daily Nation-689 Words
A few months after my first visit to Mogadishu in 2011, I met the Somali writer, Nuruddin Farah, who predicted that I would try and return there because “once you have tasted the water of Mogadishu, you always go back”.
An opportunity to do so presented itself last week when the mayor of Mogadishu, Mr Mohamoud Nur, invited me to his city to launch the book, Mogadishu Then and Now, which I co-authored with Ismail Osman and Mohamud Dirios, Somalis based in the US, who have been yearning to go back home since they fled the country at the start of the civil war in the 1990s. (Osman finally returned to his beloved city early this year.)
It was a dream come true for all of us. Mogadishuans have not witnessed a book launch, and certainly not a book about their own city, in decades.
Most of its current youthful residents have no recollection of the city when it was a beautiful cosmopolitan metropolis.
Mogadishu Then and Now aims to restore the lost glory of the capital city in the Somali people’s collective memory. I think the book and the accompanying photo exhibition succeeded in doing that.
Singing for Somalia from the diaspora
06 May- Source: BBC-2:30mins
Aar Maanta is a singer and songwriter who fled Somalia’s civil war in the 1980s and has spent much of his life in the United Kingdom.
His lyrics are deeply personal, encapsulating lost childhood dreams and striving for peace and reconciliation.
But he is also critical of how Muslims are sometimes treated in the West, especially in his song Deeqa which refers to his interrogation by UK immigration officials.
He spoke to BBC Africa’s Sophie Ikenye ahead of an international conference on Somalia that will take place in London on Tuesday.
Top tweets
@ukinphilippines Follow the #Somalia Conference online – we will be covering it live on social media and the @foreignofficewebsite: http://bit.ly/129vNPG
@amisomsomalia View pics & videos on #Somalia‘s security forces http://on.fb.me/YJ6HUd one of the main issues to be discussed at #somaliaconference w
@johnmyersart Photo: ahmedcarter: Old house in #somalia#xamar photo by me http://tmblr.co/Z_jgFykQnub1
@GlenysKinnock #Somalia Women in Somalia who suffer terrible violence and discrimination must play a central role in any future transitional process
@t_mcconnell On #Somalia‘s undoubted improvements, and their fragility http://ind.pn/13Z4Z4F by @howden_africaand Mohamed Dahir for @Independent
Image of the day
British Foreign Secretary William Hague with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and Somali Foreign Minister Fawzia Yusuf H. Adam in London, 6 May 2013. Somalia Conference kicks off Tuesday. Photo: FCO Flickr