November 22, 2018 | Daily Monitoring Report
1500 Hormuud Staff In Fear After 11 Die In Targeted Killings
22 November – Source: Radio Dalsan – 266 Words
Eleven employees of Somalia’s leading telecommunication company, Hormuud, have been killed over the last two weeks by suspected members of ISIS militia group, sending panic among the more than 1500 staff in the country’s second highest employer after the government. Only yesterday, two Hormuud employees were shot dead in Mogadishu’s Bakara Market area.
Initial investigations by telecommunication company and Somalia security agents link the killings to the pro Islamic State militia group in the group. The group, which in the past has been swift to claim responsibility for similar attacks through the Syria based ISIS media agency, is yet to issue a statement on the latest developments.
Similarly, Hormuud company is yet to issue an official statement but a staffer at a managerial level told Radio Dalsan that the 11 victims so far, were killed after the telecommunication company declined to pay extortion fees demanded by the militia group, which has an operating cell in the Somali capital, Mogadishu. Radio Dalsan has learnt that a number of Hormuud staffers have been forced to relocate from their residences because of their safety.
Owing to the latest security threats, an emergency meeting was recently recently held by the company’s board seeking to protect its employees and end the serial killings targeting Hormuud staffers. The ISIS wing in Somalia is led by a British Somali cleric, Sheikh Mumin, with a set of fighters mainly based in the remote mountainous regions of Puntland. Over the last one year however, the group has been engaged in a supremacy battle with Al Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab, particularly in Mogadishu and neighbouring Afgoye town.
Key Headlines
- 1500 Hormuud Staff In Fear After 11 Die In Targeted Killings (Radio Dalsan)
- President Farmaajo Meets Somalis In Italy (Halbeeg News)
- Al-Shabaab Raid Beled Hawo Kill Prominent Elder And Abduct His Two Sons (Kismaayo.com)
- UN Police Officer Recognized For Protecting Vulnerable Somali Women From Abuse (UN News)
- What is Somali’s Finance Guru Up To? Something Big Or Selling Snake Oil (Wardheere News)
NATIONAL MEDIA
President Farmaajo Meets Somalis In Italy
22 November – Source: Halbeeg News – 231 Words
Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo on Thursday called for unity among members of the Somali community living in Italy. Addressing the Somalis in Rome on Thursday, Mr. Farmaajo urged them, and others living in parts of Europe, to take part in the rebuilding of the nation, which is recovering from a two decade long conflict.
The President assured the nationals of the government’s commitment in addressing the interests of the diaspora community and those back at home. Mr. Farmaajo hailed those in the diaspora for supporting their relatives and friends economically. “We are alive to the role you as Somalis abroad in helping those back in the country. We appreciate the support and we want you to keep up and take part in the process of rebuilding our country,” he said.
The President is expected to conclude his three-day state visit to Italy, following the invitation of his host, President Sergio Mattarella. During his tour of Italy, Farmaajo met with Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and discussed ways of advancing strong bilateral relations anchored on historical ties, mutual respect, common economic aspirations and deep bonds of friendship between Somalia and Italy.
In the meeting, President Farmajo touched on Somalia’s progress on security, economic reform and Somalia’s role in advancing integration of the Horn of Africa as part of his administration’s foreign policy. The President acknowledged Italy’s continued support of Somalia’s development agenda.
Al-Shabaab Raid Beled Hawo, Kill Prominent Elder And Abduct His Two Sons
22 November – Source: Kismaayo.com – 141 Words
Reports from Beled Hawo town indicate that a prominent traditional elder was last night murdered by members of the Al-Shabaab militia group. The Al-Shabaab militants raided the border town briefly taking control of Beled Hawo after a fierce fight with government forces stationed there.
The slain elder Dhaqane Qasim Amin or “Dhaqane War Cadde” as he was popularly referred to, is a vehement critic of the Al-Shabaab movement. He was killed in his home hours after arriving from Mogadishu city. Speaking on conditions of anonymity, a resident told Kismaayo.com that the fighters beheaded the elder and drove away with his two sons. The incident comes days after local administration and security officials ordered wives and children of the Al-Shabaab fighters to vacate from the town. The authorities also warned area residents against seeking legal redress and justice from the militants.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
UN Police Officer Recognized For Protecting Vulnerable Somali Women From Abuse
21 November – Source: UN News – 331 Words
United Nations Police Officer Phyllis Osei has been awarded the 2018 UN Female Police Officer Award, in recognition for her outstanding work with the UN Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), at a ceremony in New York on Monday. Since joining UNSOM in February, Ms. Osei – who holds the rank of Superintendent with the Ghanaian police force – has swiftly made a direct and positive impact on the community and host state police in Jubbaland.
Superintendent Osei has played an important role in enhancing the protection of women and girls, sparking initiatives to promote women’s rights in the Jubaland state police force, and successfully initiating adult literacy training for 49 female police officers: Ms. Osei also formed a Female Peacekeeper Network to support female peacekeepers working with the UNSOM and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
UN Police Adviser, Commissioner Luis Carrilho, praised Superintendent Osei for her exemplary conduct. “Ms. Osei was deployed to Somalia earlier this year in February 2018”, he said. “By April, she had already identified and trained two [staff to tackle gender issues] in AMISOM who went on to mentor and advise police officers in the host state police. Soon after, Ms. Osei established four gender desks in the host state police, facilitated a training on sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), and initiated a proposal that called for the establishment of a police post near the community thus ensuring access for SGBV survivors”.
Nominations for the Award are requested annually from all peacekeeping and special political missions where UN police are deployed. Based on criteria for high performance, a selection committee, comprising policing and peacekeeping experts, evaluate the conduct and achievements of the nominees with an emphasis on impact of policing service delivery. The Award aims to establish a role model for women police peacekeepers and to promote the UN Secretary General’s Gender Parity Strategy and DPKO’s Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy, through encouraging Member States to deploy more female police officers to peacekeeping and special political missions.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“There is evidence that some improvements have been recorded. There has been a slow but steady progress in the implementation of agreed fiscal and policy reforms. Domestic revenue mobilization has registered modest increase, partially contributing to the 24% increase in the 2019 budget reported by the Ministry of Finance”
What is Somali’s Finance Guru Up To – Something Big Or Selling Snake Oil?
21 November – Source: Wardheere News – 2410 Words
One of the most prominent and most visible members of Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire’s cabinet is the Minister of Finance, Abdirahman Duale Beileh. The webpage of the Federal Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the Minister’s Twitter account are filled with the images and stories of a man in a hurry. High-level partnerships, conferences, workshops, expert meetings, consultations, technical missions, steering committees, specialized working groups, briefing sessions, press conferences, and interviews abound.
The narrative pushed, in unison and with singular determination, by the entire FGS, celebrates remarkable milestones already reached; and confidently predicts the imminent breaking of a new promise-laden dawn. In fact, Beileh’s ubiquitous presence, abundant promises, and enchanting projections seem to have acquired magical qualities.
The top leadership of the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), including the President, Prime Minister, and senior ministers, routinely repeat Dr. Beileh’s statements ad infinitum like mantra; and at times top them up with their own spin. Many Somalis, out of desperation, seem to imbibe his optimism wholesale, even at times coming close to believing that the promised future is already here. The unveiling of the National Economic Council (NEC) on 11 August 2018 is the latest episode of this captivating drama.
So, what is Somalia’s finance guru up to? Are the prospects of solid and sustainable fiscal reforms and rapid economic turnaround predicted and promised by the Finance Minister and company real, credible, and realistically deliverable? Is the project informed by and reconcilable with the country- and context-specific realities on the ground? What exactly has been achieved to date vis-à-vis stated goals, expected outcomes, and target areas and beneficiaries? Is something big, unprecedented, and transformative in the works for Somalia? Or is the good Doctor a juju medicine man selling snake oil?
The Ministry of Finance’s project is not completely devoid of positive elements. For starters, the Finance Minister himself is its biggest asset and attraction. The principal task of the Finance Ministry, maintaining both micro and macro-economic stability in the country, is more like a distant dream than a realistic prospect. However, the Minister seems remarkably at ease and undeterred in his self-contained and hermetically sealed enclave in Mogadishu. At times, he appears quite candid in a Cabinet steeped in regimentation, secrecy, and strict pecking orders. The Finance Minister has a modicum of support from his bosses in the Capital, and more importantly the ringing endorsement of his international backers.
TOP TWEETS
@Halbeeg_News: Forum on African Migration concludes in Djibouti https://en.halbeeg.com/2018/
@Goobjoognews: SOMA OIL and Gas survey cost in Somalia inflated-Petroleum PS via @goobjoognews.
@UKinSomalia: The #UK is pleased to have participated in the@somaliappd and proud to support via @DFID_UK contribution to the IFC Trust Fund for #Somalia. The forum reviewed progress made at the 2017 London Conference & identified priorities for strong public-private cooperation #SomaliaPPD.
@DalsanFM: 1500 Hormuud Staff In Fear After 10 Die In Targeted Killings https://www.radiodalsan.com/
@FinnishEmbNBO: Deputy Minister Samuli Virtanen met Interior Minister of #Somalia Abdi Mohamed Sabriye. The Deputy Minister reaffirmed #Finland‘s continuing commitment to supporting national #reconciliation efforts in Somalia.
@DalsanFM: BREAKING Residents report renewed clashes between Alshabaab militants and government forces in Gendershe town near Marka.
@UKinSomalia: The British Government is committed to supporting the next generation of Somalis; through our #UKaidsupported Girls’ Education Challenge programme, we are supporting marginalised and hard to reach girls in in #Somalia.
@GuledWiliq: Unfortunately this is the road to #Jowhar; the bread & basket of #Somalia
So why FGS @MoPIED_Somalia can’t come up basic critical infrastructure prioritization for #Hirshabelle?
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Somalia Minister of Finance Abdirahman Duale Beileh with Deputy Minister of Finland Samuli Virtanen at a function in Mogadishu.
@FinnishEmbNBO