European Union Training Mission

PRESS SUMMARY 17th April 2018

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Somali forces carry out massive security operation in

April 16, 2018 - Somali government forces have conducted a massive security operation in Mogadishu, the Somali capital on Sunday night amid a rise in killings and attacks.

The security sweep targeted Yaqshid, Deynile, Howlwadag and Heliwa districts in the capital during the night, and arrested dozens of people linked to Al-Shabaab militants.

Police and Intelligence officers did not specify the number of the people detained in the overnight operation, however, the local residents confirmed the troops seized youths.

The security operation came hours after Somali PM Hassan Ali Khaire held meeting with security chiefs in Mogadishu, and urged them to tighten the city’s security and protect people. http://radioshabelle.com/somali-forces-carry-massive-security-operation-mogadishu/

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Uganda deploys over 1,800 troops to Somalia

By Jerry Owilli

April 15, 2018 - Uganda has sent fresh troops to serve in the African Union the peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

1,822 soldiers will replace an equal number deployed in that country for the past year.

The soldiers were flagged off this week, and will make part of the over twenty thousand soldiers based in Somalia under AMISOM.

The troops will be based in Arabisca, about thirty kilometres outside tha capital Mogadishu.

Before their deployment, they underwent six-month’s training in basic combat.

Uganda is the largest contributor to the mission, with more than 6,000 troops.

AMISOM peacekeeping mission in the Horn of African nation continues to be threatened by al-Shabaab terrorists. Early this month, Uganda’s army reported eight UPDF soldiers had been killed and six injured in an attack in lower Shabelle.

There have however been significant gains made with building the capacity of a Somali security forces one of the top priorities. https://africa.cgtn.com/2018/04/15/uganda-deploys-over-1800-troops-to- somalia/

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Somalia says will work with UAE as Gulf nation halts military support

April 16, 2018

The move by UAE to cut funding to Somali military now means the government will have to find alternative source of funds to pay the salaries of 2,407 soldiers who were hitherto under UAE payroll.

Somalia has sought to de-escalate the diplomatic fall out with UAE noting it had received satisfactory response regarding the $9.6 seized last week at Mogadishu airport even as the Gulf nation struck a retaliatory note Sunday night cancelling military training and financing of Somalia military.

In a statement to newsrooms Monday, the Foreign Affairs ministry said the government will work together with the UAE in the utilization of the funds but maintained the country’s territorial integrity was not subject to question. “After lengthy deliberations between the two governments on the recent incident involving funds that were intercepted at the Aden Adde International Airport on 8th April 2018, the UAE has explained the purpose and the utilization of the said funds and the Federal Government will work together with the UAE on their utilization.”

But that statement seems to have come late in the day as UAE said a few hours earlier it was ending military training and payment of salaries for the soldier as a result of the airport incident.

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“The UAE has decided to disband its military training programme in Somalia which started in 2014 to build the capabilities of the Somali army,” the Emirati government said in a statement through its official news agency, WAM. “The decision,” UAE said, “Comes in response to Somali security forces’ seizure of a UAE-registered civil aircraft at Mogadishu Airport and confiscation of money destined to pay the soldiers.”

NO FIRM POSITION

This comes even as Defense Minister Mohamed Mursal indicated his remarks last week regarding ending UAE support for Somalia appeared to have been taken out of context. “My statement last week was not properly understood,” Mursal told Goobjoog News. “We have to look at the bigger picture; we have the responsibility as a government to train and pay our soldiers.

The minister however remained cagey on whether the government was officially cutting off the UAE support. “We are still on this matter and I will respond adequately later.” Somalia added Monday it welcomes UAE’s support in countering terrorism and as a trade partner. “Somalia hopes the UAE can be a contributing partner to these efforts as a counterterrorism and trade partner.” The move by UAE to cut funding to Somali military now means the government will have to find alternative source of funds to pay the salaries of 2,407 soldiers who were hitherto under UAE payroll.

GULF CRISIS

Relations between Somalia, and in particular the Federal Government have been rocky since the onset of Gulf dispute June last year when Somalia declared it would maintain a neutral stand.

Months later however, Federal Member states among them , Puntland and HirShabelle besides the break-away region of Somaliland chose to stick with the Saudi Arabia-UAE axis leaving the Federal Government to fend off an internal rift while balancing its neutrality status. But the government’s dalliance with Qatar, now an arch-enemy of UAE appears to have made Somalia the proxy war battle ground for these Gulf powers. http://goobjoog.com/english/somalia-says-will-work-with-uae-as-gulf-nation-halts-military- support/

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Puntland differs with Fed Govt, insists UAE military ‘here to stay’

April 16, 2018

We apologise for any inconvenience that may have inadvertently faced them (UAE) in Somalia

By T. Roble - The UAE is here to stay and no other country can replace it, Puntland has said barely 12 hours after the Gulf nation said it was ending its military support to the country heralding what could turn out into another tug of war between the eastern state and Mogadishu.

Puntland President told journalists Monday at the Bosaso maritime base supported by the UAE the Gulf country was an indispensable ally to Somalia and particularly Puntland dismissing claims the Emirati trainers were leaving the state.

“UAE is an indispensable ally of Somalia,” Gaas said. “No other country can replace them in their support to Puntland.”

The Puntland leader’s remarks come amid an escalating diplomatic row between Somalia and UAE. Mogadishu announced last week it no longer needed the support of UAE and that it was readying to take charge of its military who have been under training and support of UAE.

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The seizure of $9.6 million from UAE plane in Mogadishu seems to have broken the camel’s back in regards to relations between the two countries. UAE fired its first salvo Sunday evening formally ending its military training and salary support for some 2,407 Somali soldiers citing its displeasure with the seizure.

APOLOGIES

But Gaas said Monday the Emirati forces who have providing support to Puntland maritime force since 2010 will not be leaving and went ahead to apologise for the tiff between the two countries.

“We apologise for any inconvenience that may have inadvertently faced them (UAE) in Somalia,” Gaas said in a media conference after visiting the Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF) base in Bosaso.“There were rumours UAE is leaving Puntland; that their airplane was denied departure from Bosaso. These are unadulterated nonsense,” Gaas charged rebuking social media users for spreading ‘false information’. “UAE is here to stay and they will not abandon Somalia in their hour of need,” the Puntland leader observed adding, “Somalia is going though difficulty period. We are at the proverbial cross-roads. We need the support of international partners particularly UAE.” Gaas who first broke ranks with the Federal Government declaring allegiance to the Saudi-UAE axis in the Gulf Crisis as Mogadishu declared neutral stance said the UAE had trained over 2,000 forces in Puntland. The UAE, Gaas added is a strategic partner in fight against piracy, illegal fishing and human trafficking besides the $336 million Bosaso port upgrade concession. “We ask our friend UAE not only to stay but to redouble its efforts in helping Somalia stand on its feet and help Somalia in fight against terrorism so that Somalia can protect its sovereignty and territory. But the Federal Government now sees UAE from a different lens- infringing on its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Gaas’ remarks come few hours after the Federal Government said it had received a satisfactory explanation from the UAE regarding the $9.6 million and that it would ‘work with the UAE in utilization of the funds’. http://goobjoog.com/english/puntlands-gaas-differs-with-fed-govt-insists-uae-military-here- to-stay/

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it.40332/

UAE Training Camp “Looted” As Emirates Trainers Leave

On Apr 16, 2018 - Nine UAE military trainers on Monday left Mogadishu for Abu Dhabi a few hours after the Gulf State announced that it had disbanded military assistance.

The trainers had left military equipment used in the training of Somalia National

Local media reported SNA soldiers were seen “looting” the equipment left by the trainers.

Radio Dalsan severally contacted the SNA commander of the UAE trained soldiers Ali Adan but our calls remained unanswered . http://radiodalsan.com/en/uae-training-camp-looted-as-emirates-trainers-leave/

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UK reaffirms African military commitments after five-nation visit

UK troops will continue to stand at the forefront of the fight to bring prosperity and security to Africa, the Minister for Armed Forces has confirmed.

16 April 2018 - The Minister for Armed Forces, Mark Lancaster, addresses members of the UK Task Force who are building accommodation and helicopter landing sites for the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Crown Copyright. The reaffirmation was made by Mark Lancaster following a week-long visit to the continent that took in a wealth of projects in Rwanda, Somalia, Kenya, South Sudan and Ethiopia.

Minister for Armed Forces, Mark Lancaster, said:

From tackling terrorist threats in Somalia, to the role we have played alongside our UN partners in South Sudan, I have been extremely proud to see the way Britain’s global influence is being exerted to support our partners in east Africa. At the start of the visit, in Rwanda, Mr Lancaster met with President Paul Kagame, to find out how UK aid – which has helped to lift almost two million people out of poverty since 2005 – can continue to support continued growth and prosperity. The Minister for Armed Forces, Mark Lancaster, meets the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame. Crown Copyright. He also paid his respects at a genocide memorial event in Kigali, which marks the start of 100 days of mourning for the hundreds of thousands killed in the mass slaughter of 1994.

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The Minister then travelled to Mogadishu to examine the work being done towards the African Union Mission in Somalia, to which the UK is the third-largest donor, tackling the threat posed by Al-Shabaab and rebuilding stability in the country. During the next leg of the trip, to Kenya, the Minister held talks with Cabinet Secretary for Defence Raychelle Omamo and senior Kenya Defence Force Officers. He also visited the British Army Training Unit Kenya, where he observed UK troops conduct training, and met the staff of Permanent Joint Headquarters’ East Africa Support Node, which provides support to our troops in Somalia and South Sudan.

The Kenyan leg finished with a brief from the British Peace Support Team (BPST), who coordinate much of the UK’s military training with African countries, including work to stop the illegal wildlife trade. The BPST also supports the Women, Peace and Security agenda and helps to counter sexual and gender-based violence on peacekeeping missions.

Whilst in Malakal, South Sudan, he met members of the UK Task Force who are building accommodation and helicopter landing sites for the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), to which the UK has pledged continued assistance until at least April 2020. In Bentiu, the Minister met personnel operating a UK-run field hospital for UN aid workers, where British medics deal with the complex range of injuries and illnesses that UN operations in this area might face. After meeting Mr Lancaster, UN Special Representative of the Secretary General David Shearer said: I admire the way UK troops in the UN mission in South Sudan have integrated themselves and that they are now fully part of the UNMISS team delivering excellent engineering and medical aid and supporting the UNMISS Headquarters too. In Juba the Minister met with the South Sudanese Minister of Defence Kuol Manyang Juuk where they discussed how peace could be brought to South Sudan and where Mr Lancaster reaffirmed the UK commitment to bringing an end to the violence in the country. The final leg of the visit, in Ethiopia, included a meeting with the Chief of The Defence Staff, General Samora Younis and a visit to The Ethiopian Peace Support Training Centre. Each provided an opportunity to reinforce the UK’s continued support to the Ethiopian National Defence Forces with training for peacekeeping support operations. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-reaffirms-african-military-commitments-after- five-nation-visit

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US Africa Command discusses IS, Boko Haram with continent's top brass

By Matthew Kay - 16-04-2018

US officer talks to a Nigerian counterpartCapt. James Sheehan / U.S. Army Africa

Boko Haram in Nigeria and Cameroon, the Islamic State group in the Sahel region and al-Shabaab in Somalia are all on the agenda of the sixth Africa Land Forces Summit in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, this week.

Hosted by US Africa Command and the Nigerian military on 16-19 April, it brings together defence force chiefs from across the continent.

The initiative, intended to support African defence forces in their fight against Islamist insurgency, began under former US president Barack Obama in 2010.

Since then, under President Donald Trump's administration, the US has continued to increase its military presence on the African continent.

“One bit of Trump’s administration that has benefited has been the US military in terms of Africa,” says Alex Vines, the head of the Africa Programme at Chatham House in the UK.

“Whereas there has been continual indecision in terms of the State Department and the cutback of its resources, the American military has had steady funding. A more securitised US response to Africa is emerging.”

Breeding ground for terrorism

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“The Americans feel the need for a higher level of preemptiveness,” says Adib Saani, a Ghanaian security analyst.

“American interest in Africa has increased as Africa became a breeding ground for terrorism,” he told RFI.

Military leaders from almost all African nations are participating, including top brass from Angola, Cameroon, Egypt, Kenya and Rwanda.

All will be keen to gain support and assistance from the most powerful military on earth - surprising perhaps, when you consider how many African governments are wary of US involvement on the continent.

Love-hate relationship

“That’s the irony of it all,” says Thomas Mandrup of the Royal Danish Defence College, currently based at the Faculty of Military Science at Stellenbosch University in South Africa.

“It’s a love-hate relationship. When you talk to African commanders and politicians and they are very reluctant – they talk about neo-colonialism and hidden agendas.

“Yet the Americans are the great military power, when it comes down to it they have a lot of resources which can help build and shape modern African defence forces.”

The United States has in recent years increased its presence on the continent, which had been in decline since the end of the Cold War.

Late last year Washington signed a deal with Chad, which allowed US Africa Command or Africom to use direct force against armed groups there.

And, when four US soldiers were killed while on "aid and assist mission" in Niger, many US lawmakers were surprised to learn how many US boots were on the ground - more than 6,000 American soldiers there in all. There is a growing consensus in hawkish policy circles in Washington that Africom should be given a greater remit and permanent troops, not just the “allocated” forces it currently relies on. http://en.rfi.fr/africa/20180416-us-africa-command-meets-africas-top-brass-boko-haram-islamic-state

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Somaliland Author Jailed for 18 Months For “Offending President”

On Apr 16, 2018 - A regional court in Hargeisa Somaliland on Monday sentenced author Mohamed Kayse Mohamoud to 18 months in prison over what is said was “offending the honour of the President”.

The charge sheet indicated that the charge is related to a Facebook post saying the “president is a local,”

The presiding judge said the post was offending since he is a “national President” and not “local” in reference to clan alignment in the breakaway region.

Mohamud was arrested on 7th February 2018 and was detained since.

Mohamud authored a book in praise of Somalia President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo to mark his first anniversary in office.

On Sunday the regional court in Hargeisa sentenced poet and activist Naema Ahmed Ibrahim to three years in prison over charges related to her quest for a “Greater Somalia”. http://radiodalsan.com/en/somaliland-author-jailed-for-18-months-for-offending-president/

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Somaliland is being freed from mines

As a result of the long civil war, large areas in Somalia are contaminated with mines. Mine clearance operations taking place in Somaliland and Somalia, supported by Finland, progress slowly but save human lives.

Red and white stones dot the routes cleared between thorn bushes. Having the white side of a stone up means that an area has been cleared, while there is no stepping on areas marked with a red stone. The sun is blazing down from a clear blue sky as Ahmed Hasani bends down on his knees in a minefield located in the central part of Somaliland.

A helmet protects the head and a demining vest the torso, but his arms and legs are missing any protection. The deminer marks off an area of half a metre with two plastic tubes and a rope. Sweat drips down his face as he uses scissors to clear the land of thorn bushes. Hasani stands up and runs a metal detector over the area. No pieces of metal are detected in this square, so he moves on to the next one.

Finland supports humanitarian mine clearance both in Somaliland and Somalia. The international HALO Trust organisation started the operations in Somaliland, an area more stable than the rest of Somalia, as early as in 1999. Finland has been supporting this work since 2004. The goal is to declare Somaliland free of mines in 2019. More than 580 trained deminers will, however, remain in the region to help in case any individual pieces of ordnance are still detected.

Saving children from mines

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Mahamud Iman Hasan has worked in mine clearance operations of HALO Trust for 12 years. He leads a team of deminers in Somaliland. Hasan and his family live just one kilometre away from the clearance site.

"The situation used to be bad. Camels and goats walked right into explosives, and it was not unusual to see children play with explosives. Many people have lost their leg because of mines," Hasan says.

Hasan used to work for the army of Somaliland. Local knowledge acquired during the war is helpful in the work. Soldiers remember where mines were laid, so their assistance is of great help in the operations of HALO Trust.

Mine clearance in 40-degree heat is exhausting, so the work is divided into 15-minute working periods followed by a 10-minute break.

"We cannot lose our concentration for a second, otherwise we put us all in danger," Hasan points out.

Thanks to mine clearance, all of Hasan's children can go to school, the oldest son is even studying at a university.

"The best thing is, however, that my children can play safely in our village thanks to the work we are doing."

Because the operations in Somaliland are coming to an end, HALO Trust has already moved on to clear mines elsewhere in Somalia, for example in the region next to the Ethiopian border. Mahamud Iman Hasan was training new employees for the region. The mine situation in Somalia is difficult. The decades-long civil war left the country with large areas contaminated with mines. In addition, weapons and munitions dating back to the British colonial era and the conflict with Ethiopia between the 1940s and 1980s are found in Somalia.

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Large areas in Central and Southern Somalia are still uncleared because of the poor safety situation. The situation is worsened by the terrorist organisation Al-Shabaab, which is constantly laying new mines and explosives in areas under its command in Central and Southern Somalia. Thus far, HALO Trust has managed to survey 114 minefields in Somalia, where 56 landmines and more than 2,000 items of unexploded ordnance have been destroyed.

In Somalia, mines have so far been cleared only from the most important places such as airports and main roads.

"After the civil war, a few commercial companies came to the country to clear the most important traffic routes. This work was important for the functioning of society, but it also made the subsequent clearance operations more difficult. As only some of the mines were removed, the placement lines of explosives were broken, which makes it difficult for us to find the rest of the explosives," says Edward Lajoie, Deputy Manager of the mine clearance programme in Somalia.

Women as deminers

A metal detector beeps to indicate that metal has been detected. Long ago, an army arsenal exploded in the clearance site of Somaliland, spreading pieces of metal to a large area in its surroundings. Abdi Rahman Dayib, clearing a square, marks off the area with white plastic laths. He digs a wall further away with a hoe and starts scratching dirt sideways towards the plastic laths. Doing an up and down movement could set off the possible explosive. Finally, he drags out a small piece of metal with a magnet. It is a harmless, two-centimetre piece of a projectile. If the finding had turned out to be a mine, it would have been left where it is and exploded later.

One of the objectives of humanitarian mine clearance is to support the employment of women in the area. Employing women has been easier than expected in Somaliland.

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"Women are our best deminers. They sustain longer, concentrate better and are committed to the work," says Edward Lajoie.

Many widows and single mothers who provide for their families alone and therefore are in need of paid employment work as deminers.

"It is important for us that our work benefits the entire community," Lajoie says.

Finland supports humanitarian mine action

In 2016–2020, Finland uses a total of EUR 12 million to support humanitarian mine action in Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Ukraine.

In addition to mine clearance, the work involves educating people, especially children, about the risks of mines and providing rehabilitation for victims of mines.

Finland has supported mine clearance in Somaliland through the HALO Trust organisation since 2004. The goal is to declare the area mine-free in 2019. Mine clearance operations have already moved on to new areas in Somalia.

Minttu-Maaria Partanen http://formin.finland.fi/public/default.aspx?contentid=374097&nodeid=15145&contentla n=2&culture=en-US

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Somaliland: Why we should be at the Commonwealth summit

April 16, 2018

Students in Hargeisa, capital of Somaliland. Credit: Teresa Krug

Somaliland shares the Commonwealth’s challenges and values. Its lack of participation is a missed opportunity, argues the Republic’s Foreign Minister.

By: Saad Ali Shire

This week, leaders from the 53 member-states of the Commonwealth are gathering in London for the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Representatives from across Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe, and the Pacific will work towards the laudable goal of delivering a fairer and more prosperous, secure, and sustainable future for all Commonwealth citizens, and particularly young people.

However, the Republic of Somaliland, despite being a former British protectorate that attained independence from the British Empire in 1960, won’t be afforded the opportunity to participate in these important discussions as a Commonwealth member-state. More than 27 years after Somaliland dissolved its political union with neighbouring Somalia, resuming its position as an independent state, and fulfilling all the requirements of a sovereign state, our country is still waiting for recognition as a sovereign nation.

Somaliland’s exclusion from the Commonwealth is particularly unfortunate because we have long embodied the core values on which the organisation was founded and have a storied track record of working to address the challenges we face.

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For example, the fundamental values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter are the cornerstones of Somaliland’s political culture. Our citizens have participated in six consecutive multi-party elections certified as free and fair by international observers since 2002.

With 70% of our population of 4 million people below the age of 30, we also share the strong focus on youth that will be a central theme of this year’s CHOGM. It is thanks to the concerted activism from groups across civil society, but in particular youth groups and women in Somaliland and the UK diaspora, that Somaliland is in the latter stages of passing new bills targeting sexual offenses and FGM, in line with international human rights norms. Youth participation in politics has also been expanded in recent years, with Somaliland now boasting of several young mayors and local councillors following a successful campaign to lower the age of participation in local government from 35 to 25 in 2011.

It’s not just at home that Somalilanders are making a positive impact, but also in the diaspora across the Commonwealth. From the UK and Canada to Uganda and Malaysia, Somalilanders living abroad and their dual-citizen children are opening businesses, attending universities, becoming elected officials, and generally contributing to the economic and social prosperity of their adopted or host nations. We consider ourselves very much part of the fabric of the Commonwealth patchwork.

Moreover, Somaliland stands tall as an able and willing partner for the international community, not only ensuring that terrorists and pirates find no refuge within our borders, but also helping to contain and weaken their impact within the as a whole. The fact that we do not have observer status or associate membership at the Commonwealth to enhance our engagement with the other member states in such areas is a missed opportunity to reward and build upon our valiant efforts to date.

Given this extensive alignment of values, it’s hardly surprising that the common challenges that Commonwealth member-states are gathering to confront are practically identical to those that the Somaliland government has designated as its top priorities. As CHOGM prepares to debate weak global trade and investment flows, cross-border security threats, and climate change, we are working to attract foreign investment that will drive economic development, combat the threat of international terrorism beyond our southern border, and

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We are therefore steadfastly committed to further developing our engagement with the Commonwealth, and with the UK in particular, as it succeeds Malta as ‘Chair-In-Office’ of the Commonwealth until 2020.

As the UK approaches a post-Brexit future, the Commonwealth is taking on a renewed importance, as a forum with which the country can translate its historic ties and position as a leading world force into a new international network of economic opportunity and diplomatic influence. Somaliland, with its century-long special relationship with Britain and enduring goodwill among its citizens, is just the sort of international partner that the UK and wider Commonwealth needs to forge this new order.

What better way to solidify this partnership than by welcoming Somaliland into the Commonwealth with open arms? http://www.horndiplomat.com/2018/04/16/somaliland-why-we-should-be-at-the- commonwealth-summit/

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Turkey teaches valuable skills through tangible projects

YUNUS PAKSOY

While facing decades of civil war, Somalia has also suffered from droughts and wide-spread poverty. For the past seven years, Turkey has been providing support for the country by offering various sustainable and tangible projects

For the past seven years the Turkish state has been mobilizing all governmental and nongovernmental organizations to lend a helping hand to Somalia, a country that has been reeling under the weight of a decades-long civil war, drought and poverty. Basic humanitarian needs, camps for internally displaced people, food and such efforts have been delivered.

While doing so, Turkey has distinguished itself by offering Somalia sustainable and tangible projects on the ground, staying true to the ancient proverb: "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

Starting off with then Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's historic visit to Somalia in 2011 during a time when the country was considered one with the highest risk of famine, Turkey's development projects have steadily continued. In a short time, the Turkish government has initiated plans for structures like hospitals, housing projects, schools, water wells and military training facilities.

The agriculture school project in the capital city of Mogadishu, for example, was also unprecedented. Unable to feed its own people through agriculture and farming, Somalia is

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Jointly realized by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and the Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) in late 2012, the project was only one course at first. In 2014, however, the popular program was turned into the Anatolian Agricultural School. Today, Somali students gather practical agricultural experience on a vast 2,000-square- kilometer section of land.

During the training period, students are equipped with practical agricultural training on issues such as seeding, irrigation, hoeing, spraying, harvesting and reseeding. Around 500 students have graduated so far. Furthermore, a master's degree opportunity in Turkey is offered to Somali students through the program.The TİKA also makes sure that Turkish agricultural experts monitor the training program and plants regularly so the project continues to be successful. The development agency has so far delivered tractors, prime movers, pulverizers, silage machines, plows, seeders and anchors to the Anatolian Agriculture School.

Another crucial aspect of the school is to introduce different vegetables and fruit to the people of Somalia. In total, melons, cucumbers, eggplant, beans, tomatoes, corn and green peppers are grown as part of the project. Students receiving training at the school are encouraged to return to their hometowns and help ease the poverty crisis due to the drought.

Turkey has also been at the forefront in delivering humanitarian aid and basic food to quench the urgent needs of Somalis since the unprecedented famine threat in 2011. The Turkish Red Crescent and the IHH have been very generous in reaching out to the poor in the country.

The Turkish Red Crescent is estimated to have spent nearly $40 million on Somalis since 2011. It has also provided more than 80,000 tons of humanitarian aid in this respect. Somalia was one of the four regions singled out by the U.N. in 2017 in a $4.4 billion aid appeal to avert catastrophic hunger and famine, along with Nigeria, South Sudan and Yemen. https://www.dailysabah.com/business/2018/04/17/turkey-teaches-somalis-valuable-skills- through-tangible-projects

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Somali people actually won but they don't see it

I hear pathetic Somalis crying about having terrible land and Somalis won't be existing by this century and all this other nonsense I keep hearing. They don't realize that their ancestors with such a small population conquered the most territory in Africa in terms of ethnic land.

I mean we live in a modern world where you can turn sand into a fertile soil while Somalia has no deserts but arid and luckily some of our land is fertile. In southern Somalia we have Jubba and Shebelle valleys and in between Bay and Bakool. The fertile lands in southern Somalia alone is bigger than Bangladesh and yet Bangaldesh can feed all their people with a small coast while southern Somalia can feed more than 300 million people and with their long coast it has trillions of fish.

Plus, southern Somalia is not the only fertile lands but you have for example in Somaliland like lowland Gabiley region and east Awdal region, highland Sanaag region with some fertile lands found in Sheikh mountains and odweyne lowland. Than you have parts of fertile land found in Nugaal region and alot in central Somalia specifically in Harardhere.

Gabiley farmlands

Sanaag highland farms Harardheere, Mudug

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Somalis don't realize that they have no deserts but only arid with some fertile lands. We can easily transform our arid lands into rich fertile lands very easily. I mean China said they will convert sand into soil and by 2030 china will be 100% fertile. If they can turn their sand into soil then we can easily turn our arid soil into rich soil even quicker since our land is not big as China. Look how China is converting western China (Desert lands) into fertile lands where agriculture can take place. We can turn our seasonal rivers into permaninent rivers and expand our major rivers like Jubba and Shabelle rivers and make it bigger than river Nile in width. If china can regreen an area that is bigger than Somalia in less than 30 years, and India can recreate dead rivers in 20 years, whats stopping the somali people to do the same?

Increase the Jubba and Shebelle river water flow. Turn the Togdheer to a longer lasting water body, creating cultivable land in the nugaal valley. Allowing terrace farming in the gulf of Aden and Daroor valley. Lakes in Galgudug feed from ogaden basin rivers. Lakes in central Sanaag feeding the Togdheer ,and Daroor rivers, making a lot of money for tourist destination that can rival the Maasai Maraand and Mombasa at the same time, since it's a natrue reserve for animals and has a beach and marine life.

Rivers can beautify cities too, making Hargesia, Burco and Garowe into mini londons with rivers cutting through, forests help the mini water cycle, can also cool down the climate around it. We need to plant more trees and that will help trap moisture and will protect the river from extreme evaporation.

I mean look how many dry rivers we have in Somalia. It's all over the place, we can turn them all into permanent rivers very easily.

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