November 10, 2015 | Daily Monitoring Report
Somali Prime Minister Says Ending Yemen Conflict Crucial To Stop Extremists
10 November – Source: Times of India – 495 Words
Somalia’s prime minister urged an end to the conflict in Yemen on Monday, calling it “crucial” to prevent Al-Shabaab rebels from exploiting their recent allegiance with the Islamic State extremist group and threatening Somalia and the region again. Omar Sharmarke told a ministerial meeting of the UN security council that its support is needed more than ever before “to stand with Somalia against this terror network.”
Last month, the UN envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, said extremist groups including the Islamic State are taking advantage of the conflict between the US-allied president and Iranian-backed Shia Houthi rebels, and becoming a serious threat. Sharmarke said resolving the crisis in Yemen – just across the Gulf of Aden from Somalia – “will go a long way” in keeping Al-Shabaab from getting support from the Islamic State group and using Yemen “as a conduit or launching pad.”
Key Headlines
- Somali Prime Minister Says Ending Yemen Conflict Crucial To Stop Extremists (Times of India)
- Jalalaqsi Administration Expresses Concern Over Imminent Floods (Goobjoog News)
- The Technical Committee Of Hiiraan And Middle Shabelle State Formation Is Dissolved (Shabelle Media)
- Somali Government Welcomes The Establishment Of UNSOS (Horseed Media)
- Russian Diplomat Calls For Stepping Up Fight Against Al-Shabaab Terrorist Group In Somalia (Tass-Russian News Agency)
- Top Chinese General Visits Djibouti Amid Base Speculation (AFP/Capital FM)
- UN Cites Improvements In Somalia Looks Ahead to 2016 (Voice of America)
- Cutting Support For Somalia Would Risk New Refugee Exodus – U.N. (Thomson Reuters Foundation)
PRESS STATEMENT
United Nations Launches Support Office In Somalia – UNSOS
09 November – Source: UNSOA – 254 Words
Mogadishu, Somalia – 9 November 2015: Today, the Security Council adopted Resolution 2245 (2015) establishing the United Nations Support Office in Somalia, UNSOS. UNSOS replaces the United Nations Support Office for the African Union Mission in Somalia, UNSOA established in 2009, has been providing critical logistic and life support to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), Somali National Army (SNA), the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) and the Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group.
Director of UNSOS Mr. Amadu Kamara said that the new mandate of UNSOS reflects the United Nations’ ongoing commitment to Somalia by providing enhanced support to AMISOM, UNSOM and the SNA in joint operations with AMISOM. “A nimble and strengthened UNSOS will help make AMISOM and UNSOM more effective, which in turn will allow for further erosion of Al-Shabaab’s capacity, creating the space needed for political reconciliation, state formation, and extension of Government authority in the whole of Somalia, ”he said.
NATIONAL MEDIA
Jalalaqsi Administration Expresses Concern Over Imminent Floods
10 November – Source: Goobjoog – 201 Words
The administration of Jalalaqsi has expressed concern over River Shabelle which is about to burst its banks and cause severe flooding.There is high fear that the river might fill to the brim. Heavy rains has been experienced in several riverine areas including downpour in the Ethiopian highlands which may also cause the level of the river to rise, said Mohamed Abdi Fiidow, Jalaqsi District Commissioner. He noted that the river has not yet flooded but people are cautious about the imminent danger.
“The administration is working hand in hand with residents who have piled up bags of sands along the river bank to prevent further floods as the river’s water started to percolate the banks” he said. He also pointed out that the administration distributed hundreds of empty bags which are to be filled with sand, however the bags are not enough. People who were previously affected by the floods are now facing yet another disaster in the face of other challenges in life.
The Technical Committee Of Hiiraan And Middle Shabelle State Formation Is Dissolved
10 November – Source: Shabelle Media – 127 Words
The newly established technical committee for the state formation of Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle regions has been dissolved by the interior and federal affairs ministry following a disagreement among the stakeholders. Confirming the incident, Sheikh Hussein Osman Ali, the Deputy Governor of Hiiraan administration said that the committee was dissolved after the residents of Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle regions opposed its structure. He said the ministry of interior of the Federal Government of Somalia will take over the responsibility and carry out the work of state formation for the two regions. President Hassan Sheikh has endorsed the dissolution of the technical committee and called for speeding up the state formation of Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle regions. However, the location of the conference is yet to be agreed.
Somali Government Welcomes The Establishment Of UNSOS
10 November – Source: Horseed Media – 250 Words
H.E. Mohamed Abdi Hayir (Maareeye), the Minister of Information, Culture & Tourism of the Federal Government of Somalia welcomes the adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution 2245 for the establishment of the United Nations Support Office for Somalia (UNSOS). Minister Maareeye said “The establishment of UNSOS is a testimony that the UN Security Council takes leadership role on strengthening UN operations and for improving the peace and stability of Somalia. The Federal Government of Somalia welcomes the UN Security Council Resolution 2245 for the establishment of the United Nations Support Office for Somalia (UNSOS) that replaced the United Nations Support Office for AMISOM (UNSOA).”
The Minister stressed the importance of coordination and cooperation in the fight against terrorists in Somalia. He said “There is huge progress in Somalia and the establishment of UNSOS will strengthen the coordination, cooperation and the support to the Somali Security Forces and AMISOM in the fight against terrorists.” Minister Maareye added that Somalia is grateful for the support of the UN and international partners, however, he emphasized the importance of providing timely resources to all enablers for the security forces in order to eliminate the threats posed by Al-Shabaab. The Minister said that they hope that UNSOS will support the information war against the terrorists that the Ministry of Information, Culture & Tourism of the Federal Government is leading in order to win the hearts and minds of the people.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Russian Diplomat Calls For Stepping Up Fight Against Al-Shabaab Terrorist Group In Somalia
10 November – Source: Tass – Russian News Agency – 160 Words
The tense situation in Somalia requires stepping up efforts in fighting against the Al-Shabaab terrorist group through building up the potential of the country’s security forces and African Union (AU) mission stationed there, Russian Deputy Permanent Representative to UN Peter Ilichev said on Tuesday. “We think that tense military and political situation in Somalia requires stepping up efforts in fighting against Al-Shabaab through strengthening the potential of the AU mission in Somalia and Somalia’s security forces. This in turn confirms the necessity to further broaden support from UN, including material and technical assistance,” Ilichev said at the UN Security Council special session.
Russia is concerned with increasing activities of Al-Shabaab in Somalia and its coordination with other terrorist organizations in Africa, including Nigeria’s Boko Haram, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Ansar Dine, Ilichev added. He stressed that Al-Shabaab militants have intensified their attacks in neighboring countries, particularly in Kenya. He also noted the growing terrorist threat in Ethiopia and Djibouti.
Top Chinese General Visits Djibouti Amid Base Speculation
10 November – Source: AFP/Capital FM – 218 Words
A top Chinese military officer visited Djibouti at the weekend, official media reported, prompting a state-run newspaper Tuesday to downplay concerns Beijing is planning to establish a base in the strategically vital African entrepot. The chief of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) general staff, General Fang Fenghui met Djibouti’s president at the weekend, the official PLA news source China Military Online reported.
Fang told President Ismail Omar Guelleh that China was willing to “deepen pragmatic cooperation between the two countries and two militaries”, the report paraphrased. Beijing is expanding its military heft and reach as China becomes more powerful, with annual double-digit defence budget increases and its first aircraft carrier entering service. A former French colony, Djibouti guards the entrance to the Red Sea and, ultimately, the Suez Canal, and has been used by international navies — including China — as a base in the fight against piracy from neighbouring Somalia.
UN Cites Improvements In Somalia, Looks Ahead to 2016
09 November – Source: VoA- 422 Words
The United Nation’s’ top diplomat in Somalia, Nicholas Kay, says the country is steadily transforming from a failed state to a recovering one, as he addressed a special session of the U.N. Security Council on Somalia.In his final briefing to the Council after more than two years as the U.N.’s envoy in Somalia, Kay told the council that the transformation in Somalia is “well advanced” and said the country is moving away from the chaos that it has experienced for more two decades.“At last, Somalia is facing the problems of a country coming together rather than falling apart,” Kay said.
While Kay highlighted some of the successes the country has seen in recent years, he said that next year will be a decisive year on several fronts.He said elections in 2016 will be a test of the country’s ability to keep improving and said the vote must be conducted on time and be more inclusive than 2012’s vote. Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud told VOA in July that it is likely his government will not hold popular, direct, elections next year, due to continuing insecurity in the country. He said that “one person, one vote” elections will not be possible under the current circumstances. However, he said “there are different phases and different models for elections, and we are aiming for the next best option, but we have not yet agreed on a format to transition in 2016.”
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“Kay said that the overall situation in Somalia had improved considerably in recent years, while cautioning there was “still a long way to go.” He hoped a nationwide election planned for next year would be held “on time and be more inclusive than in 2012.”
Cutting Support For Somalia Would Risk New Refugee Exodus – U.N.
09 November – Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation – 399 Words
Somalia has transformed itself from a “failed to recovering state” in recent years, but any cutbacks in support for it could spark a new exodus of refugees from the conflict-torn Horn of Africa nation, the U.N. Somalia envoy said on Monday. The Western-backed Somali government is battling to rebuild the impoverished country after more than two decades of bloodshed. Islamist al Shabaab militants ruled much of Somalia until 2011, when it was driven out of the capital Mogadishu by African and Somali troops. It remains a potent force.”Somalia has to compete for attention and resources in an ever more troubled world,” United Nations special representative for Somalia Nick Kay told the Security Council.”But scaling back now will crush the hopes of millions of Somalis, endanger peace and security in the Horn of Africa and East Africa, bolster violent extremism globally and risk a renewed exodus of refugees,” he said. “Reducing effort should not be an option.”
Kay said that the overall situation in Somalia had improved considerably in recent years, while cautioning there was “still a long way to go.” He hoped a nationwide election planned for next year would be held “on time and be more inclusive than in 2012.”U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s chief-of-staff, Susana Malcorra, said that some 3.2 million people in Somalia rely on humanitarian assistance in order to survive. She also warned that the number was expected to increase while promised aid pledges have yet to materialize.”The dire situation is growing worse,” she told the 15-nation Security Council.”We are expecting dangerous flooding and drought,” Malcorra added. “Our Humanitarian Response Plan (for Somalia) is only 36 percent funded, so we cannot carry out our life-saving programs. Donors can make the difference between life and death.”
TOP TWEETS
@Daudoo : #AlShabaab bomber, Abdullahi Omar claims he was trained by #US troops in #Uganda & #Djibouti as commander of #Somalia forces, but defected.
@TheVillaSomalia: We welcome establishment of the #UNsupport office for #Somalia to strengthen coordination &support for Somali security forces & #AMISOM
@US2SOMALIA : #Somalia PM said ending crisis in #Yemen is crucial to prevent #IslamicState jihadists from shoring up Somalia’s weakened #alShabaab
@Cidilibaax : #Somalia Govrnt/Regional should stop intimidating the Journalist instead address the challenges effecting the country @UNSomalia #Puntland
@HarunMaruf: #Somalia: Gunmen raped 3 women in Gobweyn, north of Kismayo, Sunday; attackers also killed a man who tried to protect the victims – reports.
IMAGE OF THE DAY
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud Meets with Ugandan President in Entebbe to discuss security and cooperation.
Photo: @TheVillaSomalia