October 17, 2014 | Morning Headlines.
Burundi to send investigative team to find alleged sexual exploitation by AU soldiers
16 Oct – Source: RBC Radio – 168 Words
Burundi government which is the second largest troop contributor country of the African Union Mission in Somalia has said it will send an investigative team to find the recent allegations of the sexual exploitation and abuse by the African Union soldiers serving in Somalia.
The announcement was made by the Burundian President during meeting with Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed who is in his official visit to Bujumbura, Burundi. According to sources close to Somali Premier’s office who spoke with RBC Radio, the team will comprise of military and non-military personnel so that they probe up the alleged sexual exploitation by the AMISOM soldiers.
The Human Rights Watch report released last month mentioned a heartbreaking sexual exploitation and abuses by AMISOM soldiers, particularly the Burundi soldiers in Somalia. Burundi has provided the second largest peacekeepers to the African Union Mission in Somalia.
AMISOM also on its side has announced its own investigation on the alleged rape and sexuall exploitation made by the HRW report While the Federal Government of Somalia also appointed ministerial committee to probe up the alleged rape and other abuses by AMISOM.
Key Headlines
- Burundi to send investigative team to find alleged sexual exploitation by AU soldiers (RBC Radio)
- Baladweyne elders turn down government appointed committee (Radio Goobjoog)
- Puntland president lays foundation stone of new road (Radio Goobjoog)
- Puntland leader to attend Global African Investment Summit (Garowe Online/Mareeg.com)
- Statement from the president the signing of the agreement with Puntland (Radio Dalsan/Wararkasomalia.com /Mustaqbal Radio)
- Kenyan Somali leaders call for the Kenyan government to do something about the fear in
- Mandera (Radio Dalsan)
- UN claims Al-Shabaab freely exports charcoal from KDF controlled Kismayu Port (The Nation)
- Tourist arrivals to Kenya tumble (Fin24 – S Africa)
- UN Report Finds Gulf Financiers Aid Somalia Islamist Insurgency (Bloomberg)
SOMALI MEDIA
Burundi to send investigative team to find alleged sexual exploitation by AU soldiers
16 Oct – Source: RBC Radio – 168 Words
Burundi government which is the second largest troop contributor country of the African Union Mission in Somalia has said it will send an investigative team to find the recent allegations of the sexual exploitation and abuse by the African Union soldiers serving in Somalia.
The announcement was made by the Burundian President during meeting with Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed who is in his official visit to Bujumbura, Burundi. According to sources close to Somali Premier’s office who spoke with RBC Radio, the team will comprise of military and non-military personnel so that they probe up the alleged sexual exploitation by the AMISOM soldiers.
The Human Rights Watch report released last month mentioned a heartbreaking sexual exploitation and abuses by AMISOM soldiers, particularly the Burundi soldiers in Somalia. Burundi has provided the second largest peacekeepers to the African Union Mission in Somalia.
AMISOM also on its side has announced its own investigation on the alleged rape and sexuall exploitation made by the HRW report While the Federal Government of Somalia also appointed ministerial committee to probe up the alleged rape and other abuses by AMISOM.
Baladweyne elders turn down government appointed committee
16 Oct – Source: Radio Goobjoog – 139 Words
Some of the traditional elders in Hiran region have blamed the federal government for creating an incompetent committee to solve the ravaging clan clashes in Defow and Kabhanley in the region.The elders who held press conference in Baladweyne the headquarters of Hiran region stated that formed committee are part of ongoing clan clashes adding, that some of the ministers have incited the crisis.
Ahmed Abdi one of the elders said that they would not allow the committee to visit and start peace process in the area. The elders urge the clan militia to cease fire without condition and resolve their differences in systematic manner through negotiation and dialogue.
This remarks comes while, Somali federal government formed committee to end the clashes that left a number of innocent people dead and forced many people to flee from their houses.
Puntland president lays foundation stone of new road
16 Oct – Source: Radio Goobjoog – 141 Words
The president of semi-autonomous regional state of Puntland Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas has laid foundation stone of new road that links Puntland presidential palace to some parts of the Garowe. The ceremony was attended by senior Puntland officials, Puntland highway authority and the company that implements the project.
Speaking during the ceremony, the head of Puntland highway authority Mohamud Abdinur Adan said this will be the first highway of its kind built in Somalia adding that it will ease the movement of the people and transportation.
Public works minister of Puntland Abdirashi Mohamed Hersi stated the administration is willing to construct and repair other roads that leads to the state’s centers. Puntland president Abdiweli Gaas said it is thrilling to note that the construction of the highway is funded by Puntland and speaks out the state’s efforts to rely on itself.
Puntland leader to attend Global African Investment Summit
16 Oct – Source: Garowe Online/Mareeg.com – 151 Words
The President of Somalia’s Puntland Government Abdiweli Mohamed Ali has departed the state capital of Garowe for London for the Global African Investment Summit that will be held on Thursday, Oct 20 Garowe Online reports.
Vice President Abdihakin Abdullahi Haji Omar Amey, Parliament Speaker Saed Hassan Shire, cabinet ministers and parliamentarians saw Ali off at Garowe International airport where he addressed reporters. Puntland President said the summit will focus on investment opportunities in the continent and business partnerships.
Somalia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Ahmed Abdisalan later today welcomed Ali at Bole International Airport in Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa ahead of his departure for London on Saturday. Access to finance and mega projects in agriculture and power sector would dominate agendas over the course of the summit.
Among the highest level participants are Ghana, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda presidents who will attend the international conference along with their respective ministerial delegations.
Statement from the president the signing of the agreement with Puntland
16 Oct – Source: Radio Dalsan/Wararkasomalia.com /Mustaqbal Radio- 239 Words
The Federal Government of Somalia and the State of Puntland signed an agreement to resume relations and work together to build a federal state. I welcome this agreement and congratulate everyone for their willing and constructive input.
We have been through many difficult years as a nation. Inclusive political settlement, built upon nationally-led reconciliation activities and Somali – Somali dialogue, is the way forward to ensuring a peaceful, stable Somalia.
I recognize the impressive work Puntland has achieved over the past 16 years as it has strengthened and built the capacities of its state institutions. Puntland has much to contribute to building a strong, democratic and united Somalia.
Over the past two years, Somalia has made significant political progress, but we must do more. Vision 2016 sets out the goals and means of our political transformation. In the coming weeks, I expect progress on a number of key issues: the formation of the Boundaries and Federalism Commission and the National Election Commission.
We must endorse the structures that will allow the Federal Government to continue reaching out to interim and emerging states through broad consultations as the federal state formation process continues. I expect the work to review and implement our Federal Constitution to gain speed as we prepare ourselves for legitimate and inclusive elections in 2016. Today, as a nation, we have taken a positive step forward and I ask that we stand united for a better future.
Kenyan Somali Leaders Call for the Kenyan Government to Do Something about the Fear in
Mandera
16 Oct – Source: Radio Dalsan – 159 Words
The leaders in Mandera Kenya called for the Kenyan Government to take on the issue of dealing with terrorism seriously. They said so in a press conference held at Kenya’s parliament building in Nairobi.
They have shown concern about yesterday’s explosive attack against Mandera Governor Ali Roba at a time his entourage was bound for his office in Mandera. Senator of Mandera, Billow Keerow spoke at the press conference and said that there are some people who don’t want the county government to succeed.
He added that the failure of the government to apprehend the perpetrators of these acts installs fear and suspicion within the people of Mandera. Senator Billow Keerow said there is need for effective investigations at this time round when anti terror police units are in Mandera. The senator said the aim was to kill the governor, Ali Roba in yesterday’s attack. However, there is no group who claimed to have perpetrated yesterday’s attack.
REGIONAL MEDIA
UN claims Al-Shabaab freely exports charcoal from KDF controlled Kismayu Port
16 Oct – Source: The Nation – 480 Words
Al-Shabaab is shipping large quantities of charcoal from a port in Somalia controlled by the Kenya Defence Forces, United Nations monitors say in a report released Wednesday. Revenues collected by Al-Shabaab from the export of charcoal, in violation of a UN ban, have increased in two years since the Kenyan army took control of the Somali port of Kismayu.
According to the UN Somalia-Eritrea Monitoring Group, more than a million bags of charcoal are being shipped from Kismayu each month. The findings are based on information from local sources as well as analysis of satellite imagery.
The report estimates charcoal worth at least $250 million (Sh22 billion) was shipped to the international market from Somalia in 2013 and 2014.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Tourist arrivals to Kenya tumble
16 Oct – Source: Fin24 (S Africa) – 268 Words
Nairobi – International tourist arrivals to Kenya fell 13.6% in the first half of this year, following a string of attacks blamed on Somali Islamist insurgents, official figures showed Thursday. Official data from Kenya Tourism Board said arrivals totalled 428 585 in the six months to June compared to 495 978 visitors over the corresponding period last year.
Compared to 2012, the total arrivals for the January-June period fell 24%. “The numbers have spoken; we performed very badly due to the insecurity experienced, especially at the Kenyan Coast,” Sam Ikwaye, executive officer of the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers, told AFP.
UN Report Finds Gulf Financiers Aid Somalia Islamist Insurgency
16 Oct – Source: Bloomberg – 914 Words
Key financiers of Islamist militants in Somalia are operating with impunity in Gulf states, undermining efforts to end an insurgency in the Horn of Africa country, a United Nations monitoring group said.
Traders in the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are fueling the illegal trade in charcoal from Somalia that was banned by the Security Council in 2012, according to a UN Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea report published on the UN’s website.
“Poor cooperation from state members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, notably in terms of a lack of response to requests for customs documentation,” has hampered the group’s investigations, according to the report. The monitoring group found that weapons flows have also continued in Somalia unabated, even though there is an embargo on the supply of arms to the Horn of Africa country. That’s impeded efforts by multinational forces to contain the insurgency, the group said.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“Within Somaliland, the pursuit of international recognition has become a sort of national obsession. The government has addressed little else in its foreign policy efforts over the years, and several non-governmental lobby groups among Somalilanders at home and abroad have dedicated themselves to the cause. Hardly a week goes by without the topic appearing in the local media.”
Somalia: Somaliland a ubiquitous delusion
16 Oct – Source: RBC.com – 147 Words
Is it conceivable for our people and government of Somaliland after twenty-three and half years that we are unable to intelligently quantify how far or near we are to an independent state recognised by the international community?
What’s more profoundly troubling is our inability, as a nation-state, to evaluate what the impact of all those years of intensive international diplomacy has accomplished for our recognition issue. Or, is it because such an evaluation will signal a mixed bag of home truths not to our likings!
How can we know we are not deluding ourselves today, if we cannot assess the progress of our nation’s quest for full diplomatic recognition? Maybe, we believe it’s better to be deluded than lose sight of such that bonds us together as a nation.
Fourteen years down the road, you’d think this is not the same Somaliland Matt Bryden wrote about. Today, we and our current government seem all but unconcerned any more about Somaliland’s recognition. Why is it we seem to be somewhat, bit, indifferent today, to an issue that’s topped our nation’s foreign policy agenda for more than two decades?