September 19, 2014 | Daily Monitoring Report.

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Kenya has no interest in Somalia, says IGAD special envoy

19 Sept- Source: Standard Media- 392 words

Intergovernmental Authority on Development Special envoy to Somalia Ambassador Mohammed Abdi Affey has dismissed claims that Kenya is keen on creating Jubaland in Somalia as a buffer state against the al Shabaab militants.

The former Wajir South MP said the claims are misconceptions and ignorance fronted by persons who don’t wish for peace in war scarred Somalia.

Speaking to the Standard after attending the opening of a reconciliation conference for the communities in the Gedo, Middle Juba and Lower Jubba regions in Kismayo, Affey said Jubbaland is just of the many federal states being created in Somalia.

“It is the people of Jubaland that want to create a state and as IGAD we congratulate the people for embracing peace and solidifying Jubbaland”, he said.

He said IGAD participated in convincing the militia leader Bare Adam Shire Hirale to lay down weapons and participate in the reconciliation meeting, that will end unnecessary bloodletting of innocent Somalis.

Key Headlines

Somali PM joins international partners in London for security meeting (Radio Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu)
Somali president to meet Uhuru Kenyatta in New York over maritime boundary dispute (Radio RBC/Radio Goobjoog)
Somalia’s Population census may be conducted soon (Radio Dalsan)
ICJ to open first hearing of Somalia-Kenya maritime border dispute (Radio RBC)
AMISOM regrets accidental death of a child (AMISOM)
NUSOJ and Relief International Hold Consultation meeting on Media Development on Somalia (Somali Current)
Kenya has no interest in Somalia says IGAD special envoy (Standard Media)
Piracy cases have dropped by big margin says Somalia (Daily Nation)
Harassment haunts Somalis in Kenya a year after Westgate attack (AFP/GlobalPost)
Westgate Siege Anniversary Brings Back Painful Memories (VOA)

SOMALI MEDIA

Somali PM joins international partners in London for security meeting

19 Sept- Source: Radio Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu- 179 words

Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed on Thursday joined Somalia’s international partners in London for a meeting to discuss the rebuilding and the reforming of Somalia’s national army. Senior government officials including Minister of Defense, Mohamed Sheikh Hassan Hamud and the Chief of the National Army are part of the prime minister’s delegation in London.

Ridwan Haji Abdiweli, the spokesman of the Somali government told Bar-kulan that the meeting focused on rebuilding the capacity of the Somali National Army and the security sector. Senior military representatives from Britain, European Union, United Nations, IGAD, United Arab Emirates, Turkey and the United States participated in the security meeting.

During the meeting, Somali the prime minister reminded representatives of the unique window of opportunity in the fight against al Shabaab.

“Today’s meeting comes at a time where we have real momentum, militarily and politically. Al Shabaab has been dealt some crushing blows, both through the force of the current joint operations with AMISOM and through the death of Godane,” he said. “This presents a unique window of opportunity.” He added.

Somali president to meet Uhuru Kenyatta in New York over maritime boundary dispute

19 Sept- Source: Radio RBC/Radio Goobjoog- 321 words

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud will leave for New York next week to attend the UN General Assembly there where he will also meet the Kenyan President, Somalia’s Foreign Minister confirmed. President Mohamud will see President Uhuru Kenyatta on the sideline of the UN General Assembly in New York to discuss on the growing dispute between Somalia and Kenya over the maritime boundary.

According to sources in Mogadishu, the meeting of the two presidents was proposed by Kenya in an attempt to settle the dispute between the two nations as Somalia filed the case to the International Court of Justice in the Hague. Somalia Federal Government made complaints against Kenya’s claim to take 150kms from Somalia’s maritime boundary near the Lower Jubba Region where Kenya was attempting to secretly lease for foreign oil companies to conduct oil exploration.

The International Court of Justice will open the first session of hearing the case of the maritime border dispute between Somalia and Kenya next week, senior Somali government official told RBC Radio. The hearing will take place in the court’s headquarters in The Hague where Somali Government has filed its complaints against Kenya’s motive to steal part of Somalia’s maritime boundary.

“The hearing will commence on next week as there are international lawyers helping Somalia to defend its legal borders against Kenya.” Abdi Hassan, of Somalia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said. Somali Government said it will never accept Kenya’s efforts to seize part of the nation’s boundary even if the country has been in anarchy for more than two decades.

Last week President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has mentioned that despite Kenya’s attempt to claim 150kms of Somalia’s maritime boundary, that his government will continue to defend for Somalia’s maritime in a legal manner in front of international justice. Meanwhile Kenyan officials said on Wednesday that they hired a team of international lawyers to defend its claim to seize the maritime boundary of Somalia.

Somalia’s Population census may be conducted soon

19 Sept- Source: Radio Dalsan- 227 words

The Federal Government of Somalia says it has done a survey on the population of Somalia and its outcome is ready. At an event in Mogadishu, the outcome of a survey on Somalia’s population that was recently concluded was announced. The event was attended by government officials, UN officials and other important dignitaries. First and foremost, the Minister for Planning Said Abdullahi spoke and announced the outcome of the survey.

Hon. Said explained the fact that what they have at the moment is not the outcome of a real census but a preliminary survey on the human population in the country. “This is a population survey. The actual census to count every person is yet to come. We are indeed happy to have a preliminary estimate of the population in the country”, the minister said.

The Deputy Prime Minister of the federal government who is also the Minister for Religious Affairs and Endowment, Hon. Ridwan Hersi Mohamed said:

“The Ministry of Planning decided to lead that program. In a very short period of time, we have done the survey and it was one of the most important things. We thank God that today, we have the outcome of a preliminary survey”. Hon. Ridwan said. Somalia has one of the highest fertility rates in the world. Therefore, the population of Somalia may be much higher than anticipated.

ICJ to open first hearing of Somalia-Kenya maritime border dispute

19 Sept – Source: Radio RBC – 157 words

AMISOM regrets accidental death of a child

18 Sept- Source: AMISOM- 158 words

It is with huge regret that AMISOM can confirm the death of a child today in Mogadishu following an accident involving an AMISOM vehicle. AMISOM drivers are safe and responsible drivers. We assume this was purely accidental. AMISOM offers their heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased child and an immediate inquiry will take place to establish the full facts of the incident. AMISOM in collaboration with the Federal government of somalia will also address the issue of compensating the child’s family.

It is hugely sad and regrettable when accidents such as this occur. AMISOM is here to support the Somali people as they seek to re-build their country after over 20 years of disastrous conflict. Defeating Al-Shabaab is the only way to establish an environment in which the Somali Government can successfully fulfil its work to bring back normality of everyday life for all the people of Somalia.

NUSOJ and Relief International Hold Consultation meeting on Media Development on Somalia

19 Sept- Source: Somali Current- 488 words

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and Relief International, is an International American NGO based in the United State/UK and actively involved in the Somali media industry, held one day consultation meeting on Media development in Somalia in Mogadishu. The consultation meeting, which was held at Siyaad City Hotel on 9 September, was attended by the members of the NUSOJ Executive Committee, staff members and supreme council members and was supported by the European Union.

Relief International (RI) is a multi-sectoral organization founded in 1991 and operates more than 30 countries in the world. RI started media programs in northeastern and central Somalia from 2009—2013, by establishing the first Media Training & Resource Centre in Garowe (Puntland) and training 300 Journalists from Radio and Television centres in country. A generous funding from the European Union (EU) Relief International has expanded its Media program to southern and central Somalia and currently establishing a Media Training & Resource Centre in Mogadishu under a plot of land donated by the Mogadishu University. RI will soon begin training 10 ToT of Somali Journalists in partnering with the school of Journalism at Nairobi University. Those ToT will than work at the Media centre and train their colleagues.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Kenya has no interest in Somalia, says IGAD special envoy

19 Sept- Source: Standard Media- 392 words

The former Wajir South MP said the claims are misconceptions and ignorance fronted by persons who don’t wish for peace in war scarred Somalia.

“It is the people of Jubaland that want to create a state and as IGAD we congratulate the people for embracing peace and solidifying Jubbaland”, he said.

Piracy cases have dropped by big margin, says Somalia

18 Sept- Source: Daily Nation- 193 words

Piracy along the coast of Somalia has declined significantly, the Somali government has said. According to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Abdullahi Dol Mohamed, no ship has been hijacked along the Somali coast this year.

“Our government is pleased that no ship hijacking by pirates has taken place around Somalia so far this year,” said Mr Mohamed. He added: “Both anti-piracy interventions at sea and massive public awareness about the wickedness of piracy resulted in this positive outcome.”

Mr Mohamed made the statement at Mogadishu’s Aden Abdulle International Airport upon returning from an anti-piracy conference held at Cochi in India.

Firm to launch Virtual Banking Services in Somalia

18 Sept- Source: Capital FM Kenya-228 Words

Rapid Communications Limited, a fully owned Kenyan company recently acquired 16 percent shareholding in Nationlink telecom, a GSM operator, along with the license for banking services. This has enabled the launch of Virtual Banking Services in Somalia.

The service will allow the market in Somalia to access various banking products virtually through the mobile phone. Rapid Communications Limited currently manages the content management system (CMS) platform for Nationlink telecom.

With this new opportunity, Rapid Communications Ltd hopes to take advantage of Somali remittance business estimated to be over $2 billion annually. The service will run on the back of E-mal mobile wallet solution currently deployed in Somalia.

Speaking after the deal signing, Rapid Communications Ltd Chief Executive Officer, Anwar Hussein, said Rapid intends to tap into its network of over 5,000 outlets in Europe, Middle East and the US offering Diaspora market remittance and banking products.

Security agencies failed in the face of Westgate Mall attack

18 Sept – Source: Daily Nation – 111 words

The Westgate Shopping Mall attack last September in which 67 people were killed resulted from a catastrophic and systemic failure by Kenya’s security agencies, analysts believe.

Failure to detect the terrorist plot, to investigate and stop it were symptomatic of deeper failures of performance and coordination among security agencies, the analysts, some of them in government service, said. The victims were of 13 nationalities.

Two of the attackers are believed to have flown from Somalia to Entebbe and travelled by road to Nairobi. The weapons they used were hidden in Eastleigh, as were the terrorists themselves. On the day of the attack, they drove across the city with their weapons undetected.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Harassment haunts Somalis in Kenya, a year after Westgate attack

19 Sept- Source: AFP/GlobalPost-688 Words

Mass arrests, extortion, deportation and suspicion: one year since Somali gunmen staged a four-day massacre in Nairobi’s Westgate mall, Somalis in Kenya say the attack has left their community battling harassment and denigration.

“The Somali people in Kenya strongly condemned the attack on Westgate, but they were collectively punished for it,” said Aden Ahmed, a refugee living in Nairobi’s Eastleigh district, a largely ethnic Somali area of the city.

The crowded district crossed by dusty and bumpy streets is dubbed “Little Mogadishu”, after Somalia’s war-ravaged capital. Some 450,000 Somali refugees live in Kenya, many of them refugees from the bloody insurgency led by al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab, which claimed the Westgate attack in revenge for Kenya’s military role in Somalia.

But much of Kenya’s northeast is also ethnically Somali, including many savvy entrepreneurs and traders who play a key role in the economy.

Westgate Siege Anniversary Brings Back Painful Memories

19 Sept – Source: VOA – 148 words

One year after it happened, the survivors of the terror attack on Nairobi’s Westgate Shopping Mall still cannot shake the images of that tragic incident. Victims are still waiting for the answer to one question: ‘How could this happen?’

All is quiet at the now-empty Westgate Mall. Construction crews are working to restore the building that, a year earlier, was the scene of unimaginable horror.

At midday on Saturday, September 21, 2013, four gunmen from the Islamist al Shabaab militant group stormed the mall, firing at anyone in their path — killing 67 people and wounding hundreds more.

They say they did it out of revenge for Kenya’s military operations in Somalia. In a series of events that are still unclear, it took Kenyan forces four days to declare the mall free and clear. They say they did it out of revenge for Kenya’s military operations in Somalia

Against the Odds, Finding Refuge in El Paso

19 Sept- Source: New York Times-1170 Words

In a seafood restaurant where most of the wait staff and clientele preferred Spanish to English, Dekha Hassan-Mohamed mustered some dry wit that reflected how she was slowly adapting to her surroundings on the Texas-Mexico border. “I am becoming Mexican, no more Somalia,” she said, prompting a chuckle from her lawyer, Linda Corchado.

Ms. Hassan-Mohamed’s grasp of basic Spanish and border culture is a result of a harrowing journey that began in her native Somalia. It ended when an immigration judge granted her asylum in El Paso last month, bucking a national trend in which a majority of applicants do not receive asylum.

Ms. Hassan-Mohamed, 27, fled Mogadishu to Ethiopia, went to Brazil and then trekked through South and Central America — sometimes walking for more than 15 hours — before landing in an El Paso immigration detention center after crossing the border through Ciudad Juárez.

In 2010, a member of al Shabaab — a radical group that the United States designated as an official terrorist organization in 2008 — demanded that Ms. Hassan-Mohamed become one of his wives. “They wanted to get more wives to get more children to raise an army,” she said.

UK and Somalia host international talks on the future of the Somali National Army

18 Sept- Source: gov.uk – 201 words

Meeting at Lancaster House, London, the Somali delegation was led by Prime Minister Abdiweli. Prime Minister Abdiweli also held introductory talks with the Minister for Africa, James Duddridge, during his visit to the UK.

The Somali National Army (SNA) has a key role to play in bringing long term peace and security to the country. A wide range of international donors provide support to the SNA and this meeting was called to ensure that support was being effectively coordinated and targeted to address immediate requirements.

During a productive day of discussions, the Federal Government of Somalia outlined its vision for the future development of the SNA. They set out associated plans for issues that will be fundamental to the SNA’s success, including the integration of regional militias, arms embargo compliance, fiscal planning and human rights compliance.

Attendees agreed the path for development of the SNA up to 2019 and agreed that current donor support should be focused on the SNA’s operational capacity during the current offensive against al Shabaab, which is being carried out by the SNA in partnership with the African Union Mission in Somalia.

Young diaspora Somalis rediscovering entrepreneurial roots

18 Sept- Source: BBC-920 Words

Two siblings are on a quest to revive the entrepreneurial streak once associated with Somali communities abroad. Asli and Yassin Ciyow want to dispel the image that young diaspora Somalis are often unemployed, involved in gangs, or linked to Islamist militants.

The duo, born to a Somali father and a French mother, are bringing together 32 aspiring young British-Somali entrepreneurs to share ideas at a convention in London on Sunday. It’s also about demonstrating to young Somalis the possibilities open to them in the world of start-ups”

The gathering will build on the “enterprising nature” of Somalis and “showcase a new wave of young Somalis getting the start-up bug”, says Asli Ciyow, 27. She began planning the Fiiri Bandhiga convention almost a year ago and came up with the idea while she was organising a separate charity event to build water wells in Somalia.

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS

“For the future, parents, religious leaders and society must reach out to victims of radicalisation and give them an alternative vision of life, one of security and freedom, rather than death and pain. The world will never submit to religious dictatorship, but races and religions can exist side by side in peace.”

Terror master Godane is dead; now let us save the poor deluded children

19 Sept- Source: Daily Nation-723 Words

Ahmed Abdi Godane, former al Shabaab boss, had total contempt for Kenyans; they represented everything he hated and saw himself as superior to.

Not only were they unbelievers, they were also a corrupt, materialistic, soft and un-martial people. In his self-righteous, fanatical gaze, they must have appeared like a whole mess of smelly, black goats, suitable only for the knife.

When Kenya Defence Forces crossed the border in 2011, the outrage in al Shabaab was best expressed by Godane after the Mpeketoni massacre. You can’t fight us, he said. You can’t survive a war with us. If you fight us, you will swim in a river of your own blood and your economy will fall.

The glorification of violence and the religious justification offered for bloodletting are succeeding in creating a sub-set of the human race, one that is young and angry, is not interested in a career or life, only in dying and killing.

“The security in the region will continue facing challenges posed by threats from al Shabaab even if the leader has been killed even though the general observations from different ideas entail power struggle within al Shabaab leaders still could make possible to fall in apparent way.”

Critical Security review – Somalia, After Death of al Shabaab leader

18 Sept- Source: Somali Current-1443 Words

United States said the strike inside Somalia on 01/9 had been targeted to al Shabaab leader but reality is that they did not know whether he had been killed or not in the attack. However, around 4-5 days later US pentagon held press brief by confirmed that al Shabaab leader and the co-founder of al Shabaab has been killed. As all knows, al Shabaab is fighting to topple Somalia’s western-backed government and regularly launches bombings and gun attacks against state targets and civilians.

Godane’s death could now lead to an internal power struggle. The air raid came days after African Union (AU) troops and Somali government forces launched an offensive called “Operation Indian Ocean”, a major offensive aimed at seizing key ports from al Shabaab and cutting off one of their key sources of revenue: multi-million dollar exports of charcoal. AU forces were targeting al Shabaab on several fronts, with Ugandan troops leading the offensives against the main port of Barawe, south of the capital, Mogadishu.

After al Shabaab confirmed the death of the leader, they immediately named a new leader. The unanimously selected leader who known Ahmad Umar Ubaidah had reported been elected undisclosed location as result they also stated that it remains aligned with al Qaida, according to the Site intelligence group, that monitors statements by Islamic militant groups. But immediately, there had been speculation that al Shabaab would be shaken by power struggle over the selection of a new leader and that perhaps the Somali rebels would change alliance and become allied to the Islamic State group.

“If a significant number of Somalis see strong legitimacy of the new government, that it maintains relatively less corrupt image, respects its own laws and pronouncements, provides improved security and basic public services, that will have far greater impact on the future of jihadism than the killings of key leaders who become victims of drone airstrikes.”

Somalia: The Death of a Terrorist: A turning point?

18 Sept- Source: Hiiraan Online-1007 Words

On Sep.1, 2014, [7th of Dhul-Qa’dah 1435 Hijri] Ahmed Godane, the “Sheikh of the Slaughterers,” was killed inside a small vehicle at an encampment just north of Barawe, 105 miles south of Mogadishu, where al Shabaab trains its fighters, by U.S. drones and bombs. The Pentagon confirmed today he died as a result of the airstrike.

“Godane’s removal is a major symbolic and operational loss to the largest al Qaeda affiliate in Africa and reflects years of painstaking work by our intelligence, military and law enforcement professionals,” a White House statement said. “Even as this is an important step forward in the fight against al Shabaab, the United States will continue to use the tools at our disposal – financial, diplomatic, intelligence and military – to address the threat that al-Shabaab and other terrorist groups pose to the United States and the American people,” it added.

Top tweets

@Somalia111 Communiqué on support to the #Somali National Army following this week’s London conference:http://bit.ly/1o86vdV

@MinisterHashi We in #Somalia must learn from #Scotland, defend our unity and forge a “new deal” that addresses d genuine grievance of d North.#Unityisgood

@UNLazzarini Good to see @WFPSomalia and partners distributed food to >7,000 people in #Xudur town, Bakool in#Somalia this week pic.twitter.com/xTbbfd7g72

@SomaliPM Thank our international friends for continued support to Somalia, including additional pledge of $5m from US Govthttp://bit.ly/1tpyMSE

@SomaliaEU Somalia’s partners and #EU at London to support building of #Somalia national army shows international commitment pic.twitter.com/wcwmwQE46c

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Image of the day

Image of the day Foreign Office Minister for Africa, @JamesDuddridge holds talks with #Somali Prime Minister in London. Photo: @UKinSomalia