September 14, 2016 | Daily Monitoring Report
Direct Flights From Somalia To Nairobi To Start In December
14 September – Source: Goobjoog News – 341 Words
Flights from Somalia will fly directly to Nairobi cutting off the stop over at Wajir starting December this year, both countries announced yesterday. Addressing a media briefing after the IGAD Summit in Mogadishu on Tuesday, Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Minister Amina Mohamed said the Presidents of both countries had agreed direct flights will start in three months’ time.
“They agreed to work together towards removing the Wajir stopover by establishing security measures in both Mogadishu and Jomo Kenyatta airports. The two presidents agreed this will take full effect in the next three months. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud welcomed the move noting the issue was of common interest to both countries.
“I am very much grateful that the Republic of Kenya has understood our concerns and as the Minister said we will soon address those concerns in the best interests of both countries,” said President Mohamud. The agreement is expected to ease flight movement from Somalia to Kenya which currently all flights from Somalia have to stop at Wajir airport in Kenya’s north east for extra security screening.
The stop over takes an average of one hour in which case travelers heading to Kenya are issued with visas before proceeding to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Flight time from Nairobi to Mogadishu will take one and half hours instead of the three hours duration. A Joint Commission of Cooperation will meet soon to agree on a visa processes, said Mohamed.
Somalia has on several occasions requested the Kenyan government to allow direct flights. In a meeting at the sidelines of African Union meeting in Addis Ababa on February, Somalia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Abdusalam Omer and his Kenyan counterpart Amina Mohamed relaunched the Joint Commission of Cooperation noting both countries will work on promoting ties as well as enhancing future engagements.
President Mohamud said both countries will work together in institutionalising economic cooperation noting that the only way possible was for Kenya and Somalia to work together as neighbors for the betterment of their people.
Key Headlines
- Direct Flights From Somalia To Nairobi To Start In December (Goobjoog New)
- Mogadishu Main Roads Reopen After Five-day Closure (Goobjoog News)
- President Hassan Sheikh Expected In Jowhar (Jowhar.com)
- East African Leaders Commit To Securing Somali Election (News 24)
- Uhuru Asks IGAD To Sustain Somalia’s Stability (The Star)
- Somalia Has Turned The Corner Towards Stability And Progress (Daily Nation)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Mogadishu Main Roads Reopen After Five-day Closure
14 September – Source: Goobjoog News – 252 Words
After a five days lockdown, the Somali government on Wednesday opened up major roads to allow movement of commuters and vehicles in the Somali capital of Mogadishu. On September 9th, all major roads in Mogadishu were blocked by hundreds of Somali forces to secure the one-day IGAD Summit for heads of states and prevent attacks by the terrorist group Al-Shabaab.
Some of Mogadishu’s residents who spoke to Goobjoog News said the security operations hampered people and slowed down the businesses. “Today the major roads in Mogadishu have been re-opened following five days of lockdown which was the longest times the government has closed the city’s main roads,” Farah Abdi.
Somali government officials have confirmed that Somali forces reopened all the roads following the conclusion of IGAD summit which took place on Tuesday. Two days ago, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mahmud has appealed to Mogadishu residents to put up with total lockdown of vital Mogadishu roads which has hindered the movement and led to closure of business premises.
President Hassan Sheikh Expected In Jowhar
14 September – Source: Jowhar.com – 136 Words
President of the Federal Government of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is today expected to be in Jowhar town of Middle Shabelle region. Sources indicate his visit will seek to boost government and IGAD efforts to conclude the Hiiraan/Middle Shabelle State making process.
The Jowhar conference which was reconvened on Sunday is expected to go into the final rounds of the process although there were aggrieved clans unhappy with the process. Local elders will soon make public how they shared the 71 parliamentary positions on offer.
Secretary in the Ministry of Internal affairs Yahya Ali Ibrahim told local reporters the head of the upcoming state will be elected on October 3. There is however notable absence of the current regional administration of two regions with Hiiraan Governor Yusuf Dabageed publicly breaking ranks with the conference recently.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
East African Leaders Commit To Securing Somali Election
14 September – Source: News 24 – 206 Words
East African heads of states have called on the African Union to help ensure that upcoming elections in the country are conducted in a fair and peaceful manner. According to BBC, east African regional group the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) converged in the Somali capital of Mogadishu on Tuesday to conduct talks regarding issues affecting countries along the eastern region of the continent.
The high-profile meeting was represented by Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Foreign Affairs Minister of the Republic of Djibouti, Mohamed Abdelmannan and Sudan’s ambassador to Somalia, Mahboub Mohamed Maalim.
In a report circulated at the end of the one day summit, the heads of state pledged renewed commitment to war-torn Somalia, while encouraging the Somali government’s dedication to a credible and inclusive electoral process. “(We) encouraged all Somalis to participate in the 2016 electoral process and hope that free and fair elections are conducted within the timelines,” the report read in part, Kfm reports.
Due to take place on October 30, the culmination of Somalia’s presidential vote is set to be met with much anticipation as the African Union force has also been called upon to beef up security and monitor the poll closely.
Uhuru Asks IGAD To Sustain Somalia’s Stability
13 September – Source: The Star – 355 Words
President Uhuru Kenyatta has urged IGAD member states to continue engaging Somalia proactively in order to sustain the efforts towards stability of the country. The President commended the leadership and people of Somalia for their determination to address the challenges confronting them, particularly incidences of violent extremism and terrorism.
Uhuru spoke on Tuesday at the 28 th IGAD Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government held in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu. The special IGAD Summit, that was attended by President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, discussed the progress Somalia has made towards security and stability.
President Kenyatta observed that holding the IGAD Summit in Mogadishu is an attestation of the confidence the region has on the Federal Government of Somalia and its progress towards the restoration of peace and stability. He encouraged the Somali authorities to ensure the implementation of governance and state formation as envisioned in Somalia Vision 2016 as they head to elections next month.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“The Igad Summit in Somalia was more than symbolic: it is evidence of the Somali people’s resilience and determination to rebuild their home.”
Somalia Has Turned The Corner Towards Stability And Progress
13 September – Source: Daily Nation – 387 Words
As I looked around the conference room, I was overcome with emotion. I looked around again to take in the historic moments, feelings and thoughts. After this point there was only one genuine conclusion: Somalia has turned the corner towards stability and progress. Foreign Ministers are not known for being emotional, but when Heads of States and Governments from the Igad region are seated and actively participating in the historic Summit, in Somalia, there can be no reaction other than pride and joy.
The pride and joy is not just reserved for Somalia’s progress as it is also an appreciation and recognition of the collective effort and partnership it took to genuinely turn the corner from the difficult past. Igad and all its member states have contributed to Somalia’s progress and this is something that will never be forgotten as we go forward to achieve greater progress and prosperity.
Somalia chose to host the 28th Igad Extra-Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government to showcase the enormous progress our country has made and to reassure our brotherly neighbours and partners that there is no going back to the past: we will only continue to build on our successes from here onwards.
TOP TWEETS
@SarahKagingo: President #Museveni visits #Uganda-n contingent in AMISOM, Halane Base Camp #Somalia#IGADMog2016
@paul_okonji : Khat flights land in Somalia from Kenya after ban lifted http://bbc.in/2cMBSwu #Kenya #Somalia #EAC #Africa
@hisilow : @crscntstrafrica @africanews I think it was a wrong decision to lift ban on khat. It has fuelled conflict in #Somalia & created many ills.
@HassanIstiila : Somalia wins big in khat diplomacy#IGADMog2016 #Somalia http://www.radiodalsan.com/
@genesticco: New Bossaso port police handed over by Denmark, the Netherlands and UNODC #Somalia… by@UNODC_MCP
@kulanpost : The couple inspiring young Somalis to marryhttp://www.kulanpost.com/news/
IMAGE OF THE DAY
The 28th extra-ordinary session of the IGAD assembly of Heads of State and Government has concluded in Mogadishu, Somalia this evening with renewed commitment by member countries to continued support to the stability of Somalia.
Photo: @UKenyatta