NATIONAL MEDIA
13 October – Source: Halbeeg – 201 Words
Two of the main candidates for the upcoming Galmudug state regional elections have opposed a technical committee to spearhead the process before the end of the year. Abdirahman Odowa and Kamal Gutale jointly released a press statement on their dissatisfaction concerning the 13-member committee named by the Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation for the task. The candidates said the list contains civil servants and individuals that closely work with their opponent in the upcoming regional elections. Former Interior Minister, Adirahman Odowa and Villa Somalia director at President Sheikh Sharif government, Kamal Gutale also argued lack of consultations with stakeholders from the state before the decision.
However, President, Ahmed Duale Gelle Haaf has welcomed the new technical committee. Galmudug leader vowed to closely work with them as they dispatch their duties. On the other hand, the chief of Galmudug cabinet and Ahlu Suna chair, Sheikh Mohamed Shakir also criticized the technical committee by the government. The statement from his office said the federal government has violated the earlier agreement by the move. The press statement said the decision is contrary to an agreement reached by the two sides in July this year and thus will not recognize the committee members.
13 October – Source: Halbeeg – 204 Words
Somali Prime Minister, Hassan Ali Khaire has appealed to political leaders in the country to shun self-interest and instead work towards national interest. The premier was speaking during an event to mark the Somali National Flag Day in Mogadishu. Khaire said history will judge those who got the opportunity to lead the country hence their role in safeguarding the unity, sovereignty, and independence of the Somali nation. “Each one of us in government or opposition regardless of his location will be documented by history on the role he/she played to protect the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of our nation.”……
Madobe Extends Olive Branch To Federal Government
12 October – Source: Garowe Online – 337 Words
Jubaland President Ahmed Madobe believes dialogue with the Federal Government of Somalia remains the only solution to end the country’s political crisis, Garowe Online reports. In his inaugural address in the southern port city of Kismayo on Saturday, Madobe made calls for genuine dialogue and consultation on national matters as he extended an olive branch to the government. Continuing, the regional state president called for unity and join hands in building the country to overcome the present day challenges and make Somalia a more prosperous and peaceful nation. Madobe highlighted the importance of compromise on the deadlocked issues between Jubaland and the Federal Government for the interest of the people and the nation in general and mending relations. The regional leader has invited President Farmajo in Kismayo to sort out the differences and pledged to reach out to opposition candidates to foster peace and reconciliation as he assumes office for 3rd time. He was commended for displaying unconditional readiness for dialogue.
Since 2018, the central Government of Somalia and the Federal States have been deadlocked on issues as Mogadishu has been accused of consolidating power ahead of the 2020/2021 general elections. Senator Farole who was among the key speakers at Jubaland’s inauguration blamed Somali president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo for turning a blind eye to mediation efforts aimed at ending the standoff. Former Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has shed light on massive corruption within the current government’s institutions and accused the International partners of showing the misleading image. Former Southwest State leader, Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden urged Farmajo to work on creating an agreed-upon political system and heed the calls from the different Somali leaders. The inaugural ceremony was attended by two former Somali presidents, Puntland President, members of the Federal parliament, leaders of opposition political parties as well as a top Kenyan delegation. The delegation from Kenya led by the majority leader, Aden Barre Duale attended the occasion and left Kismayo as Somali civil aviation authority directed all flights from Nairobi to route via Mogadishu
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
13 October – Source: Standard Media – 745 Words
Eleven security personnel from the elite General Service Unit were Saturday killed in a deadly blast after their vehicle ran over an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on the Degoh Road, Liboi, Garissa County. Their vehicle was extensively damaged in the 4 pm incident. The officers were from Harehare GSU camp were on patrol when their Toyota Land Cruiser ran over the IED believed to have been planted by Al-Shabaab militants operating there. It marked the latest incident to affect security personnel operating in the region. More than 30 have been killed this year alone in separate such incidents in attacks staged by the terror group.
On Saturday, Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai said a joint patrol team of Kenya Defence Forces, Administration Police, Rapid Response Police Unit and Kenya Police Service had been dispatched to the area to pursue the attackers. “The National Police Service regrets to inform the public that NPS officers were on patrol along Damajale-Harehare Road near the Kenya-Somali border when their motor vehicle ran over an Improvised Explosive Device,” he said in a statement. It was one of the deadliest to affect the GSU personnel. Garissa Governor Ali Korane condemned the incident as the killing of our security officers by the enemies of humanity. “Saddened by the news of the death of 10 police officers killed in an IED attack along Liboi-Damajale road, Garissa County. I extend my condolences to their family, relatives, and colleagues,” Korane said in a statement. Their bodies were flown to Nairobi yesterday (Sunday) and received by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i and Mutyambai. Matiang’i said he was saddened by the deaths. “I extend my deepest sympathies and profound solidarity with the families of our gallant officers who lost their lives in Garissa last night. Their selfless patriotic sacrifice to serve Kenya renews our resolve in the fight against terror,” he said.
The area has been experiencing a lull of attacks from the militants who cross from neighbouring unstable Somalia. This baffled intelligence officers who predicted a planned attack. The terrorists have been targeting security agencies in the area by planting bombs on their way. The border is porous and allows the gang to roam. The incident also brings to question why the personnel were not using Armoured Personnel Carriers that were bought by the government for their use. The APCs are however at times badly damaged and cause deaths when hit. For instance, eight police officers were killed on September 10 when their APC was hit by a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) in Elwak area, Mandera County Police said then the APCs acquired from China cannot withstand a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) attack.
Spokesman Charles Owino said they are however equipped with Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles which can resist such a bomb. “We wish to clarify that the attack was not in any way due to the unsuitability of our equipment,” said Owino. He said both APCs and MRAPs are used for specific assignments as they have different firepower to resist an attack. “Armoured Personnel Carriers can resist specific calibers of ammunition while MRAPs resist mines and RPGs,” said Owino……
11 October – Source: AMISOM – 196 Words
As Somalia recovers from decades of civil war, there is a need to create opportunities that enable women to participate meaningfully in economic development through income generation activities. Female soldiers from the Kenyan contingent under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) were in unison when they donated equipment to support livelihood improvements of women in Dhobley town, located in Lower Juba region of Somalia. They included gardening, hairdressing, and tailoring equipment ranging from wheelbarrows, rakes, spades, gloves, hair dryers, and sewing machines. The Commander of the AMISOM Kenyan contingent, Brig. Gen. Dickson Ruto, said the donations were part of efforts partner and build good relations with women groups under the ‘female engagement initiative’. He said six women group would benefit from the donation. The Administrator for Dhobley, Siyad Mohamed, thanked the AMISOM Kenyan contingent for going beyond their mandate of fighting terrorists groups, to supporting local development initiatives. Lt. Mwanaisha Mahu, the AMISOM Gender Officer, who manages the ‘female engagement project’, noted the donation was in response to identified needs presented by the women groups. “We first met with the women groups to understand their needs and how we could support them,” Lt. Mahu said.
11 October – Source: Anadolu Agency – 255 Words
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced on Friday nearly $50 million in education funding in Somalia. In a statement, the U.S. embassy in the Somali capital of Mogadishu said the five-year program “aims to increase access to quality education and support accelerated learning for out-of-school children and youth who have been persistently left behind.” Dubbed “Bar Ama Baro”, or Teach or Learn, the program brings funding for Somali education by USAID to $65 million. “USAID is currently supporting a $10 million project implemented by UNICEF and a $5 million contribution to the Girls’ Education Challenge program managed by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development,” the statement added. Somalia welcomed the announcement, saying: “More goodies & goodwill when governance is well driven.” …..
7 October – Source: UNSC – 1667 Words
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Humanitarian Situation
The humanitarian situation in Somalia remains fragile owing to the impact of recurrent climate shocks, including the prolonged drought in 2016 and 2017, poor deyr rains in 2018 (October to December), unusually hot and dry conditions during the jilaal season in 2019 and the erratic and abnormal performance of gu rains in 2019 (April to June). Climate shocks, combined with other persistent drivers of need, such as armed conflict and protracted and continued displacement, have left millions of Somalis in need of assistance and protection.
According to the 2019 post-gu assessment results, released on 2 September by the Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, cereal production was up to 70 per cent below average in southern Somalia during the gu 2019 cropping season. The resulting harvest shortfall is linked to abnormally high prices of sorghum throughout the season. The situation is likely to be even worse in conflict-affected areas, where people are displaced from their land or face involuntary and illegal taxation by Al-Shabaab, reducing incentives for agricultural production. The results of the 2019 post-gu assessment indicate that, in the absence of humanitarian assistance, up to 2.1 million people across Somalia will face severe hunger by December 2019, which will bring the total number of Somalis expected to be food insecure to 6.3 million by the year’s end.
Huge food and nutrition gaps remain largely among poor agropastoral, marginalized and displaced communities, where many vulnerable people have been pushed into the most severe food and nutrition insecurity phases. Severe acute malnutrition rates among children are increasing, mainly among internally displaced persons, with preliminary assessment results indicating that 10 out of 33 population groups surveyed demonstrate critical levels of acute malnutrition, with a global acute malnutrition rate exceeding 15 per cent. Interventions to address high levels of acute malnutrition, mainly among children, must be scaled up. Without response, from July 2019 to June 2020, an estimated 1 million children will be acutely malnourished, including 180,000 children with severe acute malnutrition. The prevalence and increased risk of acute malnutrition, coupled with a serious lack of access to clean water, is further heightening the risk of waterborne disease outbreaks and is exacerbating existing fragilities……..
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“Implementing efficient clean cookstoves and clean fuels in our rural areas is critical for improving the health of poor women and children as well as improve the environment, adds Mr. Omar. Universal clean cooking access requires finance, technological innovations, new delivery models and improved affordability. Access to clean cooking is essential to achieving SDG7 by 2030 everyone must have access to affordable, reliable & sustainable energy, with women as part of the solution as highlighted by Clean Cooking Alliance CEO van der Lans through her twitter handle on the importance of eliminating household air pollution and ensuring that no life is limited by how they cook.”
13 October – Source: Goobjoog – 1301 Words
Just like the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, so is the need to light a fire to prepare a meal in rural Garowe as cooking is a life-sustaining activity. But did you know that not all cooking saves lives? About 4 million people globally are dying each year out of indoor pollution as a result of using dangerous dirty fossil fuels, charcoal or wood, bringing a whole bunch of problems which causes a huge health burden to families and the governments. However, there seems to be some sight of white smoke going by the accelerated recent campaigns by world leaders to adopt clean cooking methods and that number could reduce significantly.
In the recently concluded United Nations General Assembly in New York, speakers from governments and non-state actors called to join efforts in coming up with a lasting solution that will reach more than 3 billion people around the world with little or no access to clean cooking methods. Thousands of miles away from New York, Solar Energy Consulting and Construction Company (SECCCO) in Garowe Puntland Somalia has already heeded that call. “Since we started operations in 2013, we have produced over 16,000 pieces of clean cookstoves most of which have been distributed to the internally displaced people. We work with our partners UNDP Somalia, European Union and Ministry of Environment Puntland to make it possible to achieve this,” says Omar Mohamoud Irbad SECCCO founder
SECCCO is spearheading narrative change; a narrative so entrenched in rural Somalia where 100% of our people in rural areas cook using open fire which loses 50% of the heat because of the openings between the stones,” observes Omar. “This translates to a lot of firewood needed to make a meal in comparison to cookstoves which use less fuel and produces less smoke. Moreover, cook stoves have less risk to the possibility of houses getting fire.” “A clean cook stove is the beginning of a better life for thousands of women and children in Somalia who expose themselves to smoke every day from open fire while preparing meals for their families,” says Said Mohamoud, the Business Development Manager at SECCCO. A quick visit to SECCCO Cook Stoves production unit paints a picture of a bright future going by the ongoing works. “We are in the process of making 10,000 pieces which will be ready soon and women in the IDPS can enjoy smoke free cooking,” commented Omar.
WHO says that exposure to indoor air pollution from charcoal, firewood and other solid cooking fuels causes premature deaths of 4.3 million people yearly from pneumonia chronic lung disease and lung cancer. Continuous exposure to these emissions, the UN health body adds, also leads to pregnancy complications and stunted growth of children who are exposed to high risk in the kitchen while their mothers prepare meals particularly in rural areas. “In Somalia 99% of folks in rural areas use open fire for cooking. Somalia had a lot of forest cover prior to collapse of the government in early 90s but that situation has now changed. Illegal charcoal trade and export to Arab countries has decimated forest cover which makes it very difficult for the remaining forest to cope with the demand,” Omar says “At SECCCO we want to bridge the gap between the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their implementation especially SDG7 on the call for deliberations to accelerate universal access to clean cooking by 2030 that’s why we are calling on development partners including the World Bank’s Clean Cooking Fund to back our efforts as we have put clean cooking in our agenda by making sure that no woman or child dies as a result diseases from smoke inhalation,” noted Mohamoud…… |
