European Union Training Mission

PRESS SUMMARY 15th June 2018

“In ‘Media’ stat virtus” EUTM - SOMALIA 15/06/2018

Puntland Minister of Information calls for Jihad Against

June 14, 2018

The Minister of Information of Somali regional administration of Puntland, Abdi Hersi Ali in an unusual press briefing described the Tukeraq conflict between Somaliland and Somalia as a struggle that all people from Puntland should join as they will be considered martyrs if they lost their lives in this war.

During the press briefing, the Minister spoke about the Islamic concept of Jihad and how it relates to the homeland defense and immediately went on describe to how Islam views those that wage Jihad and that it is the duty of every person in Puntland to join in the fight against Somaliland as it is considered to be a Jihad. Mr. Hersi called on the people of Puntland to participate in the war in Tukaraq against Somaliland and it represents a chance for them to go to heaven. “”Somaliland has managed to keep terrorism at bay and is excellent in securing it is borders”

Earlier this month, Al-Shabaab has overrun a major military base used by Puntland’s Maritime Police Force in Bali-Khadar where multiple casualties have been reported. Puntland regional administration officials have accused Somaliland of complicity in terrorism and support for Al-Shabaab without providing any prove to substantiate their assertion. Reached for comments, Somaliland Ministry of Information officials have declined to comment on the Minister’s call for Jihad but stated that “Somaliland has managed to keep terrorism at bay and is excellent in securing it is borders”. https://somalilandchronicle.com/2018/06/14/puntland-minister-of-information-calls-for- jihad-against-somaliland/

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The Newly Appointed Sool governor Announced his new plans for the Region

June 14, 2018 - The newly appointed governor for sool region Abukar Abdi Gelle interviewed by Goobjoog New said “he will first address to bring big changes in the region and also to make sure that puntland administration will work all over the sool region.”

He also pointed out that he will now start work in the small regions which Somaliland are not present currently, he expressed a full hope that in a period of short time his administration would take over Sool region.

Gelle, who spoke about the conflict between Puntland and Somaliland, said that “he will play a significant role to take overn the sool region and eliminate Somaliland from the region.“

Abuubakar Abdi Guelleh, one of the young people in Laascaanood was officially appointed last week by the Puntland President Abdiweli Ali Gaas as the Sool regional governor.

Somaliland claims Sool and Sanag because the regions fall geographically within the borders of pre-independence British Somaliland. Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991, but is not internationally recognized. http://goobjoog.com/english/the-newly-appointed-sool-governor-announced-his-new- plans-for-the-region/

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Former HirShabelle president calls for truce in Hiiraan and Galgadud regions

June 14, 2018

Abdullahi Ali Osoble

Former President of Hirshabelle state Ali Abdullahi Osoble has called for peace and urged end to conflicts in Hiiraan and Galgadud regions.

Osoble said, “There are new formationS of clan militias in the two borders of Hiraan and Galgadud regions and there is fear of possible fighting between the clans after the month of Ramadan.”

Osoble asked and Hirshabelle officials to quickly end and negotiate with the clan warlords in the regions to avert any bloodshed.

President Osoble also called on the ’s federal government Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo and Prime Minister Hassan Ali Kheere to take part in preventing conflicts in the two regions.

There has been tension in the border areas of Hiiraan and Galgadud in the recent past. http://goobjoog.com/english/former-hirshabelle-president-osoble-calls-on-peace-in-the- region/

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Yemen Portal

Galmudug parliament approves three projects from the State Department of Finance

ط باعة

The lawmakers of- 2018/ي ون يو/14 ال خم يس Galmudug regional parliament who held meeting at Dhusa-mareeb district have on Thursday approved bills submitted by the ministry of finance of Galmudug state. Today’s parliament meeting chaired by the first deputy speaker of Galmudug regional assembly Hareed Ali Hareed was attended by 128 MPs, after long discussions on the bills, the lawmakers voted for the bills and endorsed the bills unanimously. Announcing the results of the voting, the first deputy speaker of the parliament said that 126 MPs voted in favour of the bills while 2 MPs declined during the exercise. “This bills submitted by the ministry of finance was approved 126 MPs, two abstained therefore it will be a law” said the deputy speaker. The approved bills during the meeting include the bill of income collection, public finance bill and the budget of Galmudug state. The finance minister of Galmudug state, Said Siyad Shirwa’a thanked the parliament for their commitment to approve the bills prepared by his ministry. He assured that the endorsed bills will take a great role in the development of Galmudug state. The state is spearheading the developments in the region, yesterday, Galmudug state leaders Ahmed Dualle Gelle Haaf laid the foundation stone of new institutions including the building of information minister that will be a base to the new Galmudug TV

:ال عرب ى ال يمن ب واب ة ع لي األ ص لي ال مح توى شاهد http://www.alyamanalaraby.com/282664#ixzz5ITJzcTdU

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Mogadishu Mayor Receives World Bank Delegation At His Office

14th June 2018

The International Monetary Fund logo is seen during the IMF/World Bank spring meetings in Washington, U.S., April 21, 2017.

The mayor of and the governor of Benadir region, H.E Abdirahman Omar Osman Yarisow has on Monday, May 14 received a high-level World Bank delegation at his office in the capital. A delegation led by World Bank Country director, Bella Bird has arrived in Mogadishu barely a day after Somalia-World Bank conference concluded in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. The mayor and Bella Bird have discussed on wide range issues, including development projects to be carried out in Mogadishu starting from July this year and the rebuilding of the infrastructure. “I received World Bank delegation in my office led by Bella Bird and discussed the development of Mogadishu,” said Mogadishu mayor in a post.

Speaking to the local media after the meeting, Bella Bird said World Bank has built a partnership in Mogadishu to impalement road rehabilitation projects in the entire districts in the city this year. “We are very excited about the work to rehabilitate the roads across the city that will be starting in July this year,” said Bella Bird, World Bank’s Country director during the press conference. Since taking office in January, the mayor has done a momentous work in the capital, mainly in the fields development, rebuilding, humanitarian, security and bringing the services closer to the public.

Mogadishu is currently making greater transformation as the seaside city is recovering from the wounds of the conflict and regaining its former glory as one of the most beautiful cities in Africa. Source:Allafrica https://mareeg.com/mogadishu-mayor-receives-world-bank-delegation-at-his-office/

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Somaliland:Minister of Education Plans to Overhaul National Education Policy

06/14/2018 - Somalilandsun: The minister of education Prof.Yassin Haji Mohammud Hiir (Faratoon) opened a seminar for top ministry officials. The meeting was attended by head of different departments of the ministry. According to Somaliland Sun reporter at the venue the minister confirmed that the country education system isz in tatters and need a complete overhaul. He went on to state that the ministry is ready to look into every aspect of the national education policy papers and draft a new policy to sustain the country for the next five years.

The minister said that it was important for ministry employees to come up with tangible framework of educational policy that would link the different regions of the country to develop a workable system.

“The education system is suffering from myriads of problems these can only be solved through dialogue and consultations amongst stakeholders. We are open minded ready to listen to anyone with appropriate proposal to revamp the ailing education system.”

Minister Faratoon revealed the country teachers will sit an examination to rid the country quack masquerading as teachers who have let down the country education standard. http://www.somalilandsun.com/2018/06/14/somalilandminister-of-education-plans-to- overhaul-national-education-policy/

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Launching National Curriculum Textbooks

June 15, 2018

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Mogadishu(RBB)-Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Studies of the Federal Republic of Somalia on this week launched National Curriculum Textbooks specially the elementary books this week. http://radiobanadir.com/?p=1231

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Somali PM inspects police posts in the capital

June 13, 2018 - The Prime Minister of Somali Federal government has inspected several Police posts in Mogadishu on Tuesday night.

Accompanied by Police commander- in-chief General Bashir Abdi Mohamed, Minister of Security and other officials paid an assessment visit to the city’s security checkpoints.

PM Khaire has praised the work of the security agencies as they conduct routine operations across the capital on a mission to avert possible Al-Shabaab attacks during Ramadan.

The visit was part of the efforts to boost the collaboration between the security agencies of the Somali government and evaluate the work of the law enforcement officers.

During their tour, the officials have urged the public to work with the law enforcement agencies to restore peace and stability in the country. http://radioshabelle.com/somali-pm-inspects-police-posts-in-the-capital/

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Gunmen carry out assassinations in Mogadishu

June 14, 2018 - Unidentified gunmen have killed at least two civilians, including an elder in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Wednesday evening, witnessed and Police said.

Suspected Al-Shabab members have killed Hassan Ali Ibrahim who took part in 2016 election as an electoral college while on his way home in Dharkeynley district.

Ibrahim was shot dead near his home after armed men approached him as he walked out of the mosque. The assailants managed to escape from the crime scene.

The security officials arrived at the scene shortly after the murder but failed to arrest the culprits.

Separately, a district official was killed in Mogadishu’s Howlwadag district.

The local authorities say they are investigating the two incidents and blamed Al Shabaab for being behind the rising assassinations in the capital. http://radioshabelle.com/gunmen-carry-out-assassinations-in-mogadishu/

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Somalia: Two people killed in ambush attack in Baladweyne

14th June 2018 - Two people have been killed and three others injured in an ambush attack on military vehicle in Baladweyne town, some 335km north of Somalia’s capital Mogadishu.

The attack happened after heavily armed Al Shabaab fighters ambushed a military vehicle carrying soldiers in the town, leaving two militants dead, a military officer said.

He says two other militants and a soldier were also injured in the surprise assault.

The attackers escaped from the area, shortly after carrying out the attack.

There was no word from Al Shabaab over the military claims. https://mareeg.com/somalia-two-people-killed-in-ambush-attack-in-baladweyne/

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https://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/puntland/somalia-two-injured-in-rally-against- somaliland-in-las-anod

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Somali national accused of attempting to kill a politician seeks to leave the country

By Faith Karanja | Published Thu, June 14th 2018 - Appearing before senior resident magistrate Eunice Kimaiyo, Jamal Mohamed through his lawyers said he has served the Director of Public Prosecutions with the affidavit in which he is seeking to travel outside the country.

A Somali national accused of assaulting a politician outside a Mosque leaving him with serious injuries on the left leg now wants to leave the country to go and have a child through a surrogate.

Appearing before senior resident magistrate Eunice Kimaiyo, Jamal Mohamed through his lawyers said he has served the Director of Public Prosecutions with the affidavit in which he is seeking to travel outside the country.

“My wife is in the UK and we have been trying to conceive a baby through natural means for years but in vain, we have scheduled a procedure medically to be done in UK and we have to meet the surrogate mother on June 21”, Jamal told court.

He wants to travel to UK to try and have a child through surrogate.

The complainant a former Wajir south aspirant Hussein Mohamed said the accused is trying to sneak the application because they have not been served.

The application will be heard on June 28, 2018 and the magistrate said she will hear the matter on priority basis.

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After the parties appeared before a Makadara Court last week, the court allowed Jamal Mohamed to file an application on release of his passport.

Kimaiyo gave the orders following Mohamed’s plea that he need time to travel to the UK for medical checkup.

He added that he needs his passport and would appear in court whenever needed.

The prosecution had however opposed the application stating that he was a flight risk and was also a foreigner. They argued that if released, he would abscond court as he is facing serious charges of causing grievous harm.

ALSO READ: Minor accused of killing father yet to take plea

The court heard that the accused had not produced any documents to prove that indeed he was travelling for medical services.

Magistrate Kimaiyo however granted them the chance to file the application on June 14 and serve the prosecution. https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001284120/somali-national-accused-of- attempted-murder-seeks-to-leave-kenya

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https://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/world/africa/somali-national-behind-knife- attack-at-mosque-in-south-africa

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Somalia: fonti stampa, infermiera tedesca del Cicr rapita il mese scorso si trova nella regione di Mudug

Mogadiscio, 14 giu 12:11 - (Agenzia Nova) - L'infermiera tedesca del Comitato internazionale della Croce Rossa (Cicr) rapita il mese scorso nella capitale somala Mogadiscio si troverebbe nella regione di Mudug, nella Somalia centrale. Lo riferiscono fonti del Cicr citate dalla stampa somala, secondo cui la donna si troverebbe nelle mani di un gruppo armato composto da circa 10 uomini in un'area situata a circa cinque chilometri dal distretto di Hobyo. Finora non c’è stata alcuna rivendicazione per il rapimento. https://www.agenzianova.com/a/5b2240dc0d67e8.11814973/1961754/2018-06- 14/somalia-fonti-stampa-infermiera-tedesca-del-cicr-rapita-il-mese-scorso-si-trova-nella- regione-di-mudug

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AU’s support to the Somali Transition Plan and the upcoming AU-UN Joint Review of AMISOM

June 14, 2018 - The Commissioner for Peace and Security – Amb. Smail Chergui and the Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia – H.E. Hassan Ali Khayre exchanged views on AU’s support to the Somali Transition Plan and the upcoming AU-UN Joint Review of AMISOM. During the discussion, Amb. Smail Chergui made reference to the Communique of the Peace and Security Council adopted at its 769th Meeting held on Monday 30 April 2018 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia which commends the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) for the finalization of the Somalia Transition Plan. The Communique further appreciates the critical role of AMISOM in the transition process which should ultimately enable the FGS to take over primary security responsibility of Somalia. Relatedly, the Commissioner and the Prime Minister agreed that AMISOM should continue engaging and contributing to political processes in Somalia. In this regard, AMISOM will extend its civilian presence across AMISOM’s area of responsibility to provide support to inclusive political processes. It was also agreed that the role of the AU is critical in providing capacity building support, including training and mentoring, to the Somalia National Army (SNA) and Somali Police Force (SPF). Additionally, AMISOM will continue to support stabilization and other related activities as provided for in the Somali Transition Plan. Based on the above, it was reiterated that the upcoming AU-UN Joint Review of AMISOM as per UNSCR 2372, should consider enhancing the existing capacities and capabilities of both AMISOM and Somali Security Institutions to effectively facilitate the Transition. http://radiorisaala.com/aus-support-to-the-somali-transition-plan-and-the-upcoming-au- un-joint-review-of-amisom/

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AMISOM Fetes 68 Senior Military Officers

Maj. Gen. Charles Tai Gituai, the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Deputy Force Commander pins a service medal on a Ugandan military officer during a medal award ceremony for AMISOM staff officers in Mogadishu on Wednesday. Courtesy Photo

The officers from the Troop and Police Contributing Countries to AMISOM are drawn from Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Burundi, Zambia and Sierra Leone. posted onJune 14, 2018 - MOGADISHU. A total of 68 senior military officers serving under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), have received medals and certificates for their efforts to restore peace and stability in Somalia.

The officers from the Troop and Police Contributing Countries to AMISOM are drawn from Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Burundi, Zambia and Sierra Leone.

“You have done a commendable job and I want to thank you for a job well done,” AMISOM Force Commander Lt. Gen. Jim Beesigye Owoyesigire who decorated the officers on Wednesday said.

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Lt. Gen. Jim Beesigye Owoyesigire, the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Force Commander pins a service medal on an Ethiopian military officer during a medal award ceremony for AMISOM staff officers in Mogadishu on Wednesday.

The Force Commander noted that the officers had made an enormous contribution in enabling the Mission achieve its mandate.

“Some of the officers had their tour of duty extended because of their distinguished service to the Mission,” Gen. Owoyesigire noted.

AMISOM Deputy Force Commander in-charge Operations and Plans, Maj. Gen. Charles Tai Gituai and the military Chief of Staff, Brig. Gen. Kitila Bulti Tadesse, attended the medal parade ceremony.

Staff officers of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in a group photograph with Lt. Gen. Jim Beesigye Owoyesigire, the AMISOM Force Commander at the end of a medal award ceremony in Mogadishu on Wednesday.

https://kampalapost.com/content/africa/amisom-fetes-68-senior-military-officers

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Si rafforza la penetrazione turca in Africa

14 giugno 2018 - di Sigrid Lipott - L’ultima visita ufficiale di Erdogan in Africa Occidentale (Algeria, Mauritania, Senegal e Mali), avvenuta tra marzo ed aprile, ha concretizzato ancora una volta un interesse crescente di Ankara nei confronti del Continente Nero. Non si tratta certo di una novità della politica estera turca ma di un trend le cui basi erano state gettate nei primi anni 2000.

Il dinamismo che la politica di Erdogan ha assunto nei confronti dell’Africa subsahariana da qualche anno a questa parte e che trova culmine nelle recenti visite, è un fenomeno multidimensionale che vede come minimo comune denominatore un crescente protagonismo di Ankara negli affari africani.

Al contrario dell’Occidente, la Turchia viene percepita in Africa piuttosto come un attore politicamente più fresco e giovane, grazie ai principi che permeano le sue iniziative: gradualismo; dimensione umanitaria e promozione di uno sviluppo endogeno caratterizzati da aiuti economici non condizionati, tutela della proprietà africana e attenzione alla realtà locale.

Il 2003 era stato dichiarato da Ankara anno dell’Africa e aveva sancito il primo storico viaggio del Presidente turco mentre nel 2008 la Turchia è divenuta ufficialmente partner strategico dell’Unione Africana.

L’apertura all’Africa faceva parte degli obiettivi del Partito per la Giustizia e lo Sviluppo (APK) guidato da Erdogan già dagli inizi,

EUTM - SOMALIA 19 EUTM - SOMALIA 15/06/2018 promettendosi di andare oltre alla collaborazione con l’Occidente ma solo recentemente la politica turca in Africa ha acquisito una dimensione globale.

Nel 2015 il Presidente aveva visitato tre paesi del Corno d’Africa; nel 2016 è stata la volta dell’Africa occidentale, Kenya ed Uganda; nel 2017 ha visitato ben sei paesi, sempre accompagnato da una delegazione di uomini d’affari e diplomatici.

Negli ultimi cinque anni la presenza turca in Africa si è notevolmente rafforzata: il numero di ambasciate (saranno presto una trentina), le bandiere turche visibili nelle strade più internazionali delle maggiori città africane, assieme alle frequenti visite del Presidente, sono il segno che la Turchia sta cercando di incrementare la sua influenza nella regione.

Gli interessi turchi in Africa toccano vari aspetti, da quello degli aiuti umanitari a quelli più prettamente politici. Il fattore economico resta però il punto principale dell’agenda turca nella regione, e specialmente in Africa occidentale.

Le motivazioni economiche sono state ribadite senza infingimenti ad un incontro di vertice tra il Presidente Erdogan e rappresentati della commissione dell’Unione Africana lo scorso febbraio a Istanbul.

Da un alto la Turchia ambisce ovviamente ad incrementare le sue esportazioni e in ciò persegue una politica non dissimile a quella cinese in Africa.

Il volume degli scambi commerciali tra Ankara e l’Africa negli ultimi 15 anni è più che triplicato. Anche le iniziative di più ampio respiro volte a sigillare l’unione non mancano: a febbraio si è tenuto il primo forum economico Turchia/ECOWAS- CEDEAO mentre il prossimo anno si terrà il terzo forum sul partenariato Turchia-Africa.

Ma l’interesse turco nei confronti dell’Africa non è dettato esclusivamente da motivazioni economiche. Durante le visite di quest’anno, intese sono state raggiunte nel settore culturale, agricolo, energetico e universitario.

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Inoltre, verranno stanziati da Ankara 5 miliardi per un nuovo dispositivo militare congiunto tra i Paesi del Sahel (Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger e Chad). Dalla Mauritania, il Presidente ha affermato che «la Turchia è tra i Paesi che meglio comprendono i pericoli che devono essere affrontati nel Sahel».

I turchi in Somalia

Che la Difesa sia al centro di affari è evidente in particolare nel Corno d’Africa. In Somalia si sta giocando una guerra d’influenza tra monarchie del Golfo, Turchia e Iran.

La Turchia fin dal 2005 ha ricoperto un grande ruolo nella ripresa economica e sociale del paese ricostruendo porto e aeroporto di Mogadiscio oltre a illuminare e asfaltare le strade del centro della capitale. Ankara tiene a conservare ed estendere la sua reputazione nell’area e il modello somalo può essere un esempio di ciò che la Turchia sarebbe in grado di fare in altri paesi africani desiderosi di ricevere assistenza.

Per rafforzare la sua presenza e renderla credibile, Ankara ha inaugurato lo scorso settembre il più grande centro di addestramento militare all’estero in Somalia. Mesi prima era stata raggiunta un’intesa bilaterale con il paese che prevedeva la cooperazione in vari settori, da quello economico e delle infrastrutture alla cooperazione militare in materia d sicurezza.

La Somalia è diventata il più grande destinatario internazionale dell’aiuto turco e al contempo una sorta di satellite militare. Inoltre, con l’apertura della base militare a Mogasdiscio, che dovrebbe venire impiegata per addestrare le truppe somale, la Turchia ha notevolmente aumentato la visibilità nel settore della sicurezza e la presenza nell’Oceano Indiano in un contesto in cui l’alleanza tra Turchia e Qatar comporta una forte rivalità con gli Emirati Arabi Uniti sempre più presenti nel Corno d’Africa.

Non da ultimo la Turchia ha anche bisogno della benevolenza dell’Africa — sia dei singoli paesi che dell’Unione Africana come istituzione — per accrescere la sua influenza nelle

EUTM - SOMALIA 21 EUTM - SOMALIA 15/06/2018 organizzazioni internazionali. Per far ciò può usare i suoi legami cultural- religiosi con diverse regioni africane a maggioranza islamica, cosa che è presclusa sia a Bruxelles che a Washington.

La rivalità coi cinesi

La silenziosa scramble for Africa assume i connotati di una guerra di influenza su due piani: economico e politico/militare. I rivali non mancano e rappresentano un limite all’espansionismo africano di Ankara.

Sul primo fronte la Tuchia si trova in competizione con Cina e India per accaparrarsi i mercati dell’Africa subsahariana.La Cina rimane il gigante economico nel continente e si pone in prima linea anche negli aiuti allo sviluppo da quando il Presidente Xi Jinping ha annunciato un piano di 60 miliardi di dollari in progetti per i prossimi anni.

In particolare, infastidiscono Ankara gli investimenti cinesi nel Corno d’Africa, in Kenya e in Angola, dove Pechino è impegnata nella costruzione di una massiccia rete di infrastrutture. La presenza cinese è ben solida anche in Sudan, dove le motivazioni economiche si intrecciano a quello politiche.

Non a caso Erdogan ha intrapreso un viaggio in Sudan lo scorso dicembre, durante il quale è stata conclusa un’intesa per la costruzione di un cantiere navale turco nell’isola di Suakin, porto a sud di Port Sudan dove la flotta turca potrà avere libero accesso: un primo passo per potenziare la presenza navale tra Suez e lo Stretto di Bab el-Mabdeb.

L’India sicuramente non preoccupa più di tanto Anakara, tuttavia il ruolo ruolo economico e geopolitico nel continente africano non dovrebbe essere sottovalutato.

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Recentemente il governo indiano ha approvato l’apertura di nuove missioni diplomatiche in Africa entro il 2021, in particolare in Africa occidentale e nel Corno, proprio dove sono maggiori gli interessi turchi.

Nuova Delhi si sta impegnando a diventare sempre più influente in Africa soprattutto in un’ottica anticinese. Le esportazioni di Pechino verso l’Africa subsahariana costituiscono il triplo di quelle indiane anche se Delhi potrebbe tentare di colmare il divario grazie anche all’iniziativa «Asia–Africa Growth Corridor», iniziativa congiunta col Giappone.

Strategia di penetrazione

Secondo alcuni analisti, la ricetta commerciale di Erdogan è basata su una strategia di segmentazione regionale del mercato africano in vista di un’auspicabile futura omogeneizzazione delle formule economiche e di sviluppo adottate nel continente.

Dall’altro lato c’è invece il pacchetto sicurezza, in cui sono più implicati, su fronti contrapposti, Arabia Saudita ed Emirati Arabi da un lato e Turchia e Qatar dall’altro.

Lo scorso giugno Emirati Arabi Uniti, Arabia Saudita, Bahrein ed Egitto avevano imposto un embargo al Qatar, accusato di sostenere e finanziare i terroristi.

La stretta relazione tra Qatar e Turchia fa da sfondo alle vicende nel Corno d’Africa. Dal punto di vista di Ankara questa non solo serve l’obiettivo di rafforzare l’influenza turca in Medio Oriente in funzione antisaudita, ma anche a saldare una partnership economica e a smarcarsi il più possibile da Washington, affermando un ruolo di primo piano come decision maker negli affari di almeno due continenti.

Al momento Ankara si trova in vantaggio ma gli Emirati Arabi Uniti stanno realizzando una base aerea e navale a Berbera, nel Somaliland nell’ambito della necessità di disporre basi di supporto per le operazioni belliche della coalizione araba nello Yemen ma anche in virtù di

EUTM - SOMALIA 23 EUTM - SOMALIA 15/06/2018 un programma cominciato nel 2014, nell’ambito di una missione promossa dall’Unione Africana, allo scopo di contrastare l’insorgenza islamista nel territorio somalo e ristabilire la sicurezza nel paese, col supporto dei Paesi occidentali e della Turchia stessa.

Prospettive

Durante gli ultimi incontri con incontri con le autorità di Algeria, Mauritania, Senegal e Mali, Erdogan ha concluso anche intese volte alla cooperazione militare, portando a casa notevoli successi per l’industria della Difesa&Sicurezza turca. Un’ulteriore ragione dell’impegno turco in Africa su questo tema è la repressione di Hizmet, l’organizzazione di Fetullah Gulen ampiamente diffusa nel Continente Nero: velata condizionalità che si cela dietro ai sempre più cospicui aiuti allo sviluppo destinati ai governi africani.

Un altro punto di interesse primario per la Turchia è insito nella militarizzazione della costa orientale africana come strategia per ottenere controllo sulle rotte mercantili, sia sul Mar Rosso che lungo la costa somala.

Ci sono poi diverse variabili da considerare. Mentre Pechino e Nuova Delhi sono in competizione diretta con Ankara nei mercati africani, l’Egitto non ha certo apprezzato i nuovi intrecci tra Ankara e Karthoum che intralciano la strategia marittima di Al-Sisi già indebolita dalla cessione delle isole di Sanafir e Tiran all’Arabia Saudita.

Del resto i rapporti tra Egitto e Turchia sono aspri dalla caduta del governo di Mohammed Morsi, espressione dell’ideologia dei Fratelli Musulmani cui fa capo anche Erdogan.

Ankara tiene fede all’approccio multilaterale che ha da sempre caratterizzato l’APK, spostandosi però in modo sempre di marcato dall’euroatlantismo ad un multilateralismo euro-afro-asiatico che ben si concilia con gli interessi turchi nei territori dell’ex Impero Ottomano e oltre. http://www.analisidifesa.it/2018/06/si-rafforza-la-penetrazione-turca-in-africa/

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Turkish Military in Qatar: Bonds of mutual trust

Thursday June 14, 2018 - The political and military friendship between Qatar and Turkey dates back more than a century when Ottoman troops set foot on Qatari lands to protect them from the fierce claws of British colonization. Now 150 years later, Turkish troops are once again welcomed by the Qataris, who see them as a source of force for stability and security.

It was around some 150 years ago, in the late 1860s and towards the early 1870s, that Qatar was engulfed by the notorious threat of British colonization. Once a piece of land came to the attention of the British at the time, that was it. The colonialists would do their very best to blend the prey into the pot of the great empire.

Shaikh Mohammed bin Thani had already been forced to pay tremendous amounts of money to Bahrain in 1868, and Qatar was being weakened day by day through the strategy of the British. According to historians, Shaikh Mohammed bin Thani repeatedly expressed the necessity of letting the Ottoman Empire dispatch troops to Qatar to prevent an intervention in his country.

Finally in December 1871, the Ottoman administration sent as many as 100 troops and several field guns to Qatar at the invitation of the Qataris. Though looking small in number, the presence of the Ottoman troops led to a twist of fate for the country. The presence of the Ottoman soldiers would delay the British occupation in Qatar for some decades.

Fast forward to the present and Qatar faced another traumatizing incident. This time, it was one of the most astonishing challenges in its recent history. The tiny peninsula, surrounded

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Unexpectedly and oddly put on trial for allegedly helping extremist groups and terrorists, Qatar found itself in the middle of a blockade. Sanctions imposed by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and Egypt included a ban on Qatar using the bloc’s ports and airspace. No way in, no way out.

Qatar is an oil and gas-rich country. With its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) around $150 billion and $130,000 GDP per capita, it is by far one of the wealthiest in the region. Until that day, the Qataris did not need to worry about their daily life for a second. Yet, things were about to change.

In the wake of the blockade, Qataris rushed to supermarkets only to find out that shelves were emptied out in a day as the ban on the country led to the shortage of basic products.

The four blockade-imposing countries wanted to dictate a 13-article list of demands to Qatar. One of the demands on the list, though, was truly bizarre. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and Egypt urged Qatar to kick the soldiers of a country out, which was thoroughly out of context.

RE-ARRIVAL OF TURKS

The story begins in late 2014. Turkish and Qatari authorities inked a deal on Dec. 19, 2014 for the deployment of thye Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) to Qatar. The first batch of Turkish troops arrived in the capital city of Doha on Oct. 4, 2015 and the Turkish flag was hoisted at the military base four days later.

Today, a remarkable number of Qataris believe that the 2017 blockade was indeed a coup attempt against their sovereignty. History has a tendency to repeat itself. In fact, many of them feel that the presence of the Turkish military played a key role in scaring the evil away.

Turkey was the only country to lend an unbelievably swift helping hand to Qatar at the time of the blockade. Furthermore, the Turkish government quickly sent a couple dozen more soldiers and armored vehicles to Qatar. It sent a very bold statement to the entire world.

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What prevented the British colonization in Qatar in 1871 was repeated in 2017, many Qataris underline.

According to the head of the Qatar-Turkey Combined Joint Force Command (QTCJFC), Colonel Osman İlercil, the presence of the Turkish military on Qatari soil aims to boost Doha’s defense capabilities.

“I can express (that) our mission is to support the enhancement of defense capabilities of Qatar through joint and combined exercises and training, and subject to approval by both parties, execute training and exercises with other nations’ armed forces and contribute to counter-terrorism and international peace support operations and any other missions mutually agreed upon by written consent of both parties,” Colonel İlercil said.

Unlike Turkey’s military training base in the capital city of Mogadishu in the African country of Somalia, the situation in Qatar is slightly different. Whereas Turkey runs its own base in Mogadishu, built from scratch, the Turkish military is hosted at a Qatari base in Doha. Moreover, the Turkish and Qatari forces operate equally on a mutual level while the training base in Mogadishu is simply aimed at helping the Somali army rise from the ashes by bringing up new troops.

“When performing our duty, QTCJFC is always ready to fulfill all tasks with an outstanding understanding of duty, bearing in mind the responsibility of hoisting the Turkish flag in the region after a 100 years,” the colonel said, summarizing Ankara’s mindset.

For some, the Turkish state seeks to exert its influence in several parts of the world by setting up military bases and dispatching troops. The mission in Qatar, especially after the feud between Qatar and the aforementioned countries, is one of the most speculated-upon issues. Colonel İlercil stressed that the Turkish military is actively engaged in military drills and the presence of the troops helps both sides gain experience from one another.

“We are making efforts to ensure unit and personnel participation at the highest level in the exercises and similar activities planned by the Qatari Armed Forces (QAF). I can also say that the two sides have a common approach to conduct all exercises in a combined and coordinated manner,” he said, adding: “So far we have participated in four exercises at unit

EUTM - SOMALIA 27 EUTM - SOMALIA 15/06/2018 level and as observers. Furthermore as TSK units and personnel we take part in activities like sports, shooting and ceremonial events too.”

Turkish Military in Qatar: Bonds of mutual trust Turkish soldiers of the Qatar-Turkey Combined Joint Force Command attend their daily training.

Turkish military officers believe that their presence in Qatar and interaction with Qatari peers are a beneficial way of enhancing their own military experience as well. The colonel underscored that the army has been able to promote its indigenous defense industry and culture here in Doha, too.

“We believe that, in addition to sharing of knowledge and experience in military terms, these activities serve as an introduction of TSK, Turkish national defense industry and Turkish culture. With this in mind, TSK personnel in Qatar are well aware of the fact that they represent the Turkish nation in every activity and at every step, and act accordingly in a way that is committed to strengthening bonds of friendship and brotherhood between the two countries,” İlercil said.

The aforementioned Turkish backing to Qatar last year during the blockade and extraordinarily warm ties between the heads of the two states are indeed solid reasons for the people of two countries to build up a reliable bond. İlercil agrees. “As QTCJFC, we are not only participating in military events. We are trying to share our Qatari brothers’ emotions by being with them on national and other special days.”

As the Turkish military shares the same base with Qatari troops, the Turkish soldiers, several hundred in numbers, live in fairly good conditions in a building allocated to the TSK.

The colonel sounded quite thankful in regard to the living conditions. “Currently we are deployed in two different military bases of QAF in scope of the agreements. Our Qatari colleagues’ hospitality and shared feelings of friendship and brotherhood make us feel at home. In addition, I can express that we really are in good conditions in the sense of daily life and of performing our duty thanks to the special attention of our statesmen and senior commanders, especially the Dear President of the Republic of Turkey [Recep Tayyip Erdoğan] and Chief of General Staff [Gen. Hulusi Akar], as well as our Qatari friend’s sincere efforts to provide us anything needed,” İlercil said.

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NO DATE SET FOR WITHDRAWAL

The Turkish military was invited, the deal was inked and the deployment of the troops was successful. Furthermore, the mood between the two militaries has been exceptionally phenomenal. Yet, the question of how long the Turkish army looks to stay here looms. Colonel İlercil refuses to set a date. As a military man himself, he says it is up to politics and diplomacy.

“The matter of the deployment of Naval Component Command and Air Component Command will be formed depending on the future decisions of the two countries, in scope of the Cooperation Agreement dated Dec. 19, 2014. Our coordination and preparations for the completion of the structure of Combined Headquarters with the participation of QAF personnel continue in cooperation with our Qatari colleagues, he said.

For the time being, the Turkish forces stand firm in the Qatari capital. Neither Ankara nor Doha, indeed, has any intention to call off the agreement in anyway. For many Qataris the Turkish military is a source of relief after all: Never again when the Turks are here. https://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2018/Jun/158591/turkish_military_in_qatar_bonds_of_ mutual_trust.aspx

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UAE Naval Vessel Attacked By Houthi Rebels Off Yemeni Coast During Amphibious Operation

Thursday June 14, 2018 - Details remain very scarce, but what we do know is that a naval vessel belonging to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been successfully struck by Houthi Rebels.

The ship was operating in the Red Sea off the embattled Yemeni port city of Hodeidah. It is unclear just how extensive the damage to the vessel is, if there are any casualties, and what method of attack was used at this time.

The incident occurred as Saudi-led coalition forces were making an amphibious assault near the city, part of an ongoing blitz to clear Houthi rebels from the area that has included past amphibious landings.

According to the Houthis, a pair of missiles struck a landing ship as it was conveying equipment and personnel ashore, leading to the retreat of a flotilla of coalition vessels and a search and rescue operation.

The coalition has yet to comment on the attack.

In the past, Houthi rebels have used both anti-ship cruise missiles and explosive-laden remote-controlled boats of Iranian origin to attack ships transiting the Red Sea. Naval mines are also known to be present in the highly strategic channel near the Mandeb Strait, a tight stretch of water that connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.

Houthi forces have also used improvised surface-to-air missile systems captured from the Yemeni military to attack Saudi-led coalition aircraft operating over the country.

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Everything from U.S. Navy destroyers to tanker ships have been attacked by Houthi rebels in the southern Red Sea, with Saudi Arabian naval ships being struck a number of times.

But the first wave of this relatively high-tech assault by irregular Houthi forces occurred back on October 2nd, 2016 when the high-speed logistics catamaran HSV-2 Swift was destroyed by an anti-ship missile. The vessel belonged to the UAE at the time but had previously served with the United States Navy as an experimental testing vessel. HSV-2's burnt-out carcass was eventually towed to Greece for salvage.

The potential loss of another UAE ship would be a major development in the Yemeni civil war that has now dragged on for over three years.

It also would be the first successful strike on a coalition ship since Donald Trump pulled out of the Iranian nuclear deal and is now looking to counter Iran's extra-territorial military excursions in the region with heavier-handed measures.

We will update this article when more information becomes available. https://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2018/Jun/158592/uae_naval_vessel_attacked_by_houth i_rebels_off_yemeni_coast_during_amphibious_operation.aspx

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Yemen war: Fighting rages over vital port of Hudaydah

June 14, 2018 - Fierce fighting has been reported after pro-government forces in Yemen, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, launched an offensive on the rebel-held city of Hudaydah, a key port for aid supplies.

The United Arab Emirates confirmed four of its soldiers had been killed and 22 Houthi rebels reportedly also died.

Fighting raged mainly near the city’s airport and the al-Durayhmi area south of the city, media reports say.

The UN Security Council is to hold urgent talks on Yemen on Thursday.

It is the first time the Saudi-led coalition of mostly Gulf states has tried to capture such a well-defended major city in Yemen.

About eight million people are at risk of starvation in the war-torn country and the coastal city is where most aid arrives for people in rebel-held areas.

The Emirati news agency Wam said attacking forces had managed to “liberate areas… in the surroundings of the airport” and captured or killed “dozens” of Iranian-backed Houthis.

It reported the “martyrdom” of the four Emirati soldiers but did not give further details of the fighting.

Medical sources in the region said 22 Houthi fighters had been killed in coalition strikes.

Coalition sources say 18 air strikes were carried out on Houthi positions on the outskirts of Hudaydah on Wednesday. http://goobjoog.com/english/yemen-war-fighting-rages-over-vital-port-of-hudaydah/

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Gulf meddling in Somali politics is in no-one’s best interests

June 14 2018

Somalia flag and federal states. The Gulf diplomatic war is worsening Mogadishu’s relations with its federal states and the breakaway region of Somaliland.

In Summary

Somalia’s many challenges cannot of course all be pinned on Gulf powers, particularly given that their aid and investment for years has been a lifeline for many .

By RASHID ABDI

One year ago, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and their allies severed diplomatic relations with Qatar. Their rivalry has turned Somalia, one of the Horn’s most fragile states, into a proxy battleground for the Gulf monarchies.

This has aggravated Somalia’s already fractious domestic politics, worsening Mogadishu’s relations with its federal states and the breakaway region of Somaliland.

Long adept at manipulating foreign involvement, Somali politicians across the spectrum have exploited the escalating rivalries for their own ends. All sides urgently need to step back to prevent events from taking a darker turn.

Following the June 2017 split within the Gulf Co-operation Council, newly elected Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi “Farmajo” faced intense Saudi and Emirati pressure, reportedly pushing him to cut all political ties with Qatar. Farmajo refused, claiming that he preferred Somalia to remain neutral.

But for the UAE, reports that the president had received Qatari support ahead of the election and the appointment of officials known to be close to Doha belied his claims of impartiality.

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Abu Dhabi fears that increased Qatari and Turkish support to the Somali government will embolden political Islamists, whose influence it views as a threat. It is concerned, too, that it is losing ground to its two main geopolitical rivals in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

In response, the UAE has pursued a dual strategy: It has reduced its ties and aid to Mogadishu – its relations with the Farmajo government have deteriorated sharply – while deepening its already close commercial and political links with the five federal states.

While Farmajo’s reluctance to cut ties with Qatar and Turkey is understandable, particularly given the scale of Turkish aid and investment, his increasing reliance on both countries has further soured relations with the UAE. The mounting tension with Abu Dhabi intersects a number of Somali political fault lines:

First, it has amplified disputes between the government and rival factions in the capital, complicating a crisis in the parliament that threatened to turn violent in late 2017. The government has become increasingly authoritarian, using rivals’ alleged ties to the UAE to justify violent crackdowns on key opponents accused of working with Abu Dhabi to destabilise the government, and ousting the Speaker of the lower house and the mayor of Mogadishu. Second – and still more perilously – it has contributed toward a mounting tension between Farmajo and federal states, some of which depend on Emirati investment. Federal state leaders have banded together to pressurise Farmajo to change tack, arguing that the president had unilaterally taken a position on the Gulf crisis that ill serves their interests and those of Somalia itself. Third, Gulf rivalries and Farmajo’s hardline posture have also exacerbated the deepening row between Mogadishu and Somaliland, culminating in President Muse Bihi Abdi’s assertion that Mogadishu’s attempt to block an agreement on the port of Berbera with the Emirati conglomerate DP World amounted to a declaration of war. Clearly, Somalia’s many challenges cannot all be pinned on Gulf powers, particularly given that their aid and investment for years has been a lifeline for many Somalis. Nor are Somali elites, long adept at navigating foreign clientelism, helpless victims.

That said, the extension of the Middle East’s fault lines across the Red Sea have unsettled already fraught relations among Horn states and led their leaders to recalibrate their policies toward neighbours and outside powers alike. Leaders in the region recognise the risks, not just for Somalia but also for the Horn more broadly.

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Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta is the latest African leader to warn of the danger of renewed instability in Somalia. The African Union’s chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, echoes Kenyatta’s sentiments, pointing to the wider dangers of foreign actors’ rivalries playing out in the country. The Farmajo government should acknowledge the need for coalition building, the cultivation of national unity, and tighter limits on foreign funds in its politics as essential steps to alleviating the impact of outside interference.

It should adopt a more conciliatory approach to rivals, including by rekindling talks with the federal states and rescheduling a meeting previously planned between Farmajo and Muse Bihi. It should also observe strict neutrality in the intra-GCC spat; its senior officials should dial down their anti-Emirati rhetoric. For their part, the Gulf powers and Turkey must exercise restraint across the Horn, particularly in Somalia. The fractious nature of Somali politics means that no axis can fully dominate.

Attempting to consolidate control is likely to further fracture the Somali state, which would serve nobody’s interests. Talks between Abu Dhabi and Mogadishu are essential. Saudi Arabia, which enjoys the relative trust of both Somali and Emirati leaders, should promote dialogue between the two; Riyadh could be an emissary and potential facilitator of talks.

Western powers with close ties to both the Somali government and Gulf monarchies should promote a Mogadishu-Abu Dhabi dialogue, and back any attempt by Riyadh to mediate. European Union officials, also reportedly trusted by both sides, can play a facilitation role too. Even without Gulf meddling, efforts to reconcile clans and overcome centre-periphery tensions – a prerequisite for peace in Somalia – face an uphill battle.

If the country becomes a battleground for richer, more powerful states, and they and Somali factions pursue a zero-sum game ill-suited to the country’s multipolar politics, the bloodshed and discord that have long blighted Somalia will deepen, almost certainly playing into the hands of Al Shabaab.

All involved need to reverse course before this happens. http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/oped/comment/Gulf-meddling-in-Somali- politics/434750-4611548-ayr7rgz/index.html

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UK directs its citizens to leave Somalia, warns of terror attacks

FILE: Rescue teams carry a body retrieved from the rubble Sunday. October 15, 2017

June 14, 2018 - The UK has directed all its citizens to leave Somalia warning of possible terror attacks and kidnappings adding security in the country remained volatile. In a travel advisory Monday, the Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO) however singled out Berbera and Hargeisa as relatively safe but urged against any non- essential travel. “Any British nationals in areas of Somalia to which the FCO advise against all travel should leave,” the advisory read in part. “Any British nationals in Hargeisa or Berbera who are not on essential travel should leave.” The British government noted there have been threats including kidnapping against westerners and those working for western organisations in Somalia. “Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Somalia. There is a high threat of kidnap throughout Somalia.” A German nurse working for the International Committee of the Red Cross was kidnapped early May from the charity’s compound in KM5 area in Mogadishu. The government later identified the kidnapper as a security guard with ICRC. Hotels remain high risks areas, the advisory noted adding terrorists attacks ‘could be indiscriminate, including in crowded places, high-profile events, events involving government officials and in places visited by foreigners.’ Security has been beefed up in major towns in Somalia particularly the capital Mogadishu ahead of the Ramadan end this weekend. Major roads have been closed with security forces manning several points in the city. http://goobjoog.com/english/uk-directs-its-citizens-to-leave-somalia-warns-of-terror- attacks/

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SOMALIA: A tipping-point talk in London

Thursday June 14, 2018 - By Mary Harper

Participants attend the opening of a Joint AMISOM and Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) conference in Mogadishu, Somalia, on July 24, 2017.

The government of President Mohamed got a dose of support at an international conference in May, but diplomats worry about its ability to defeat Al-Shabaab

The talk was of a tipping point when some kingpins of African diplomacy descended on Lancaster House in central London to deliberate on Somalia on 11 May. The unanswered question after a day of discussion was: tipping into what?

Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May opened proceedings with some upbeat claims on Somalia: “Look how far we have come in the last five years.” Piracy had been dealt with, and the Islamist rebels of Al-Shabaab had been “driven out of many of the areas they once controlled” and no longer “pose an existential threat.” secretary general António Guterres was listening in the front row of attendees, as were AU Commission chair Mahamat Moussa Faki, the presidents of Kenya and Uganda Uhuru Kenyatta and Yoweri Museveni, and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn.

It is true that Al-Shabaab has lost full control of many towns. Crucially, it was pushed out of Kismayo, Merca and Brava ports, which had been used to finance much of its operations.

President Mohamed ‘Farmajo’ Abdullahi Mohamed was elected by a small group of officials last year and made hefty promises at the conference, not least the defeat of Al-Shabaab

EUTM - SOMALIA 37 EUTM - SOMALIA 15/06/2018 within two years (see interview). Because of the logistical and other challenges in organising a national election, few Somalis were involved in the selection of the new president. But after a relatively successful stint as prime minister, he is a popular figure.

BETTER ALTERNATIVES

But Mohamed’s promises have been made before. After a decade of fighting, Al-Shabaab has proved resilient and adaptable. It still controls vast swathes of Somalia and can attack Mogadishu and many big towns at will. It remains a threat to neighbouring states, especially Kenya. A splinter group linked to the Middle East-based Islamic State rebels operates in Somalia’s north-eastern Puntland state.

Somalia’s new foreign minister, , a former head of the BBC Somali Service, says the government has a realistic plan to defeat Al-Shabaab. It includes beefed-up military tactics, offers of amnesty to defectors and a national security plan to reform the security forces. The government knows that to stop people joining Al-Shabaab it has to offer better alternatives.

It plans to boost the army to 18,000 soldiers, properly paid and trained. And it wants to reform relations between the centre and the new federal states. That plan is risky. Some of the new states trust neither the government in Mogadishu nor the federal troops. They have their own security forces and want to maintain command and control. Resource-sharing between the centre and the regions is yet to be agreed, and Somalia has still not finalised its constitution.

The conference agreed a new security pact that aims to coordinate foreign military assistance far better. A fully coordinated system may not be possible. The UAE, for example, has recently agreed a deal with the self-declared Republic of Somaliland in the north-west to build a military base in the port city of Berbera. Turkey is constructing a vast military facility on the coast south of Mogadishu.

Now, there is talk of the day when 10-year-old AMISOM, the AU peacekeeping force, will be replaced by Somali troops. But recent withdrawals by Ethiopian troops from Somali towns show the fragility of the situation. Al-Shabaab fighters have sauntered back in within hours, slaughtering civilians they accuse of spying for the ‘infidels’.

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Land disputes are a growing problem, partly fuelled by returning members of the diaspora. Those who stayed put resent Somalis who swagger in from abroad and grab top positions, often ignoring the complexities of clan politics. The new president, prime minister, speaker of the house and much of the cabinet are from the diaspora.

REMITTANCES

Less controversially, Somalia’s huge diaspora is helping to save lives and rebuild the country through remittances averaging some $2bn a year. They are particularly critical as Somalia’s heavy foreign debt arrears have cut it off from most sources of international finance.

The London conference was useful in so far as it refocused international attention on the crisis and developed a more coordinated roadmap with more input from Somali nationals.

But some Somalis were disappointed. At conference side events, many questions asked were about justice. Why have people been allowed to get away with killings, sexual violence, targeted assassinations and violent land seizures for years? When will they be made to answer for their crimes and how?

Small steps are being taken. In March, the government and the United Nations agreed on the Joint Rule of Law Programme. Even with a modest budget of $8m, it is a start. Mobile courts are already operating in two regional states, Jubaland and South-West.

More widely the test for the new government is whether it will make a difference on those core issues of justice, the economy, peace and security. That is what positive change it can make for the bulk of Somalis who have lived lives of immense difficulty over the past 30 years, many of whom have no idea what peace looks, sounds or smells like. https://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2018/Jun/158595/somalia_a_tipping_point_talk_in_lond on.aspx

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Swedish Government supports Somalia in the statistics

June 15, 2018 - Mogadishu(RBB)- Somalia and Swedish Governments are working issues on general management of economics statistics, social statistics and dissemination of data based on the facts about Somalia as the country is going to establish National Statistics Agency soon.

Minister of Planning, Investment and Economic Development of the Federal Government of Somalia, H.E. Gamal Mohamed Hassan held talks with Swedish Delegation headed by Swedish Ambassador to Somalia, H.E. Andreas Von Uexkull on Monday here in Mogadishu and discussed key areas on our National Statistics and Swedish support to this area.

Direct General of Swedish Statistics Agency, Joakim Stymne told Somali National News Agency that Swedish Government is expected to increase the support in general terms very much and in the area of statistics, hoping to continue this cooperation into the future.

“The discussion concerns the cooperation between Sweden and Somalia on the issue of developing assistance for developing National Statistics and we think this is very important that Somalia is taking in rebuilding its National Institutions after very difficult period”, Mr. Stymne said.

When asked Statistics Swedish has been in active and still active in some African countries like Burkina-Faso, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, South Africa and Somalia, how these specific countries were selected, he replied that it goes into Swedish selection of a country to

EUTM - SOMALIA 40 EUTM - SOMALIA 15/06/2018 cooperate with a judgment of whether Sweden has something to contribute to the country’s own development efforts.

“How we can support is very much dependent that the situation look very different in different countries if you have a country in conflict or post conflict that is very different”, Mr. Stymne stated.

“I think that Somalian statistics was actually seen number of years ago to be very good example for the region and I definitely think that good prospect of coming back to that area again, I think there are number of factors that support to this, I think one is very strong commitment from the Somalian authorities now to develop this and there is International and National frame-work for the production of good statistics”, He said.

Director General of Swedish Statistics Agency, Mr. Joakim Stymne expressed his appreciation and goodwill for establishing Somali National Statistics Agency.

“It is very important that Somalia is moving the direction of establishing an autonomous independent statistics agency because I think it is something that is very important when it comes to the public’s trust and confidence in statistics which is part of trust and confidence in Government”, He said.

Mr. Stymne urged Somali Government to increase public awareness on this area, in order to reach the whole population and explained its importance, telling media should take vital role from this program, among them social media and websites.

On the other hand, Somali Minister of Planning, Mr. Gamal Mohamed Hassan told Somali National News Agency that the first phase of useful project on Statistics that was under way in the past three years comes to an end on December this year, saying the next program will start on January in 2019

“ We are thanking Swedish Government for supporting us in the statistics sector. Relation and cooperation between Somalia and Sweden began in 1973 and stopped in 1991 when the central government collapsed and re-started three years now, they provided 28 technical trainings inside and outside the country”, Mr. Hassan marked.

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Mr. Hassan said that his Ministry submitted Statistics law to the Federal Parliament of Somalia, emphasizing the possibility to establish Somali National Statistics Agency within this year.

“We establish our National Statistic Agency soon because many agencies record and spread wrong data about our statistics, in terms CPI (Customer Price Index), the GDP(Gross Domestic Product) and The Economics and the level of poverty, we are going to print new correct books on our statistics as soon as possible as we have completed now, the data includes the gender- male and female and old and young of population”, the Minister said.

The Minister commented that Somalia and International Institutions including World Bank and IMF agreed to issue one correct statistics data about Somalia.

“Statistics issue is technical and sensitive which requires to be managed by educated people, it is about gathering facts across the country”, he added.

The latest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Somalia was made in 1987 according to the Minister.http://radiobanadir.com/?p=1244

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Chinese envoy tours health facility for Somali children

Prince Parker On June 14, 2018

MOGADISHU – Chinese Ambassador to Somalia Qin Jian on Tuesday visited China- funded health facility in Mogadishu’s Wadjir district where about 15,000 Somali children are receiving medical care.

The Mother to Child Care project run by the UN children’s fund (UNCIEF) benefited from $2 million donation from the Chinese government.

Speaking during the tour, Qin reiterated his government’s support to Somali people, adding that Beijing has also given donations worth $1.5 million to people whose lives were affected by floods in the country in May. The Chinese envoy commended UNICEF officials in the country for effectively utilizing the money. “We are supporting Somali development projects, humanitarian assistance, peace and also giving out scholarships,” Qin said during the tour of the facility. UNICEF Deputy Representative to Somalia Jesper Moller thanked the Chinese government for the donation towards the construction of the health facility.

Moller noted that the project has benefited 1,500 children who were initially suffering from malnutrition since inception. “We are very happy and proud of our relationship with the Chinese government that will go a long way in helping save lives of children in the country,” he said and appreciated the good working relationship with the Chinese government. According to Mohamed Ahmed, a Medical Coordinator at the health facility, the newly refurbished center treated 35,356 children last year. “We screened a total of 34,784 children, 1,422 children were treated with severe malnutrition and 74 were hospitalized last year,” Ahmed said. http://thenewslib.com/chinese-envoy-tours-health-facility-for-somali-children/

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MPs call for explanation over confidential Denmark-Somalia deal after extortion allegation

Minister for Immigration and Integration Inger Støjberg.

14 June 2018 - Denmark has an undisclosed agreement with Somalia to return individuals to the Northeast African country, according to reports.

The agreement provides for up to 12 people to be returned to Somalia by Denmark annually, Politiken reported last year, but it has not been officially confirmed and details of individual cases have not been disclosed.

But one of the deportations that may have been carried out under the arrangement was reported by TV2 on Wednesday.

A woman from the Vollsmose neighbourhood in Odense told TV2 that she had been subject to attempted extortion by one or more immigration officers in Somalia over the deportation of her son from Denmark.

The woman, Saynab Iman Shikhow, is the mother of a man who was deported after being convicted for theft and selling drugs.

She said that she had received threatening telephone calls from men in Somalia over the deportation, in which she was told her son would be beheaded if she did not pay 10,000 dollars.

“These men that are threatening me now… If he is sent back to them it will be all over for him,” she told TV2.

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After being initially deported in January, he is reported to have been rejected by authorities in Somalia, who are said to have been unconvinced he was a national of the African country. He was then sent back to Denmark.

Shikhow said that she received the threatening calls while her son was subsequently in prison in Denmark, where he now awaits a second deportation.

Opposition party the Social Democrats said clarification was needed over the issue.

“I think this sounds serious. Nobody should receive threats in a situation like this, so we plan to contact Inger Støjberg and ask for a confidential explanation of what is going on with this case,” the party’s spokesperson for immigration issues Mattias Tesfaye told TV2.

The Ministry of Immigration and Integration stated via a written message that the agreement between Denmark and Somalia was confidential and that no further comment would be given.

“Denmark has, over an extended period, worked towards establishing a partnership with Somalian authorities regarding the deportation of Somalian citizens from Denmark to Somalia. This work is confidential at the request of Somalia, so the ministry is unable to comment further,” the ministry wrote to TV2.

The media reports it has obtained a document stating that an arrangement between the two countries is in effect. The document notes that there is a “verbal agreement between the Somalian authorities and the Danish authorities that has resulted in a specific plan of action for compulsory deportations of Somalian citizens without legal permission to reside in Denmark,” TV2 writes. An MP from a second party, the Red-Green Alliance (Enhedslisten), has called for more transparency over the arrangement. “This asks fundamental questions about the arrangement Denmark has with Somalia. Is this a functional Somalian government or a criminal network trying to extort and exploit deported individuals?”, MP Nikolaj Villumsen said. TV2 reports it was unable to reach Støjberg for comment over the issue. https://www.thelocal.dk/20180614/mps-call-for-explanation-over-confidential-denmark- somalia-deal-after-extortion-allegation

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Young refugees share what it’s like trying to finish school, find work and get married

June 14, 2018 - Laura Prazeres/University of Dundee

In 2012, at 10 years of age, Daahir sat in his school classroom in Mogadishu, Somalia. The sounds of gun shots piercing the air interrupted the lesson. As Daahir ran back home, he overheard that fighting had erupted between government forces and the militant group Al- Shabab. Daahir arrived home to find his father dead from gunshot wounds. Faced with further threats and imminent violence, Daahir and his family, along with many others, fled their home country in search of safety and stability abroad.

According to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), 51% of the world’s refugee population is under the age of 18. That means some 600m young people are living in unstable or conflict affected areas across the globe. There is an urgent need to understand how young people are affected by forced migration over the course of their lives. That’s why, in 2017, the Department for International Development commissioned Professor Lorraine van Blerk, Dr Wayne Shand and myself at the University of Dundee, to conduct a research project on how being a refugee affects young people’s transitions to adulthood.

Adulthood is not a fixed stage which is attained at a specific age. Rather, it’s achieved by crossing boundaries such as leaving your parents’ home, completing education, getting a job and, in many cultures, entering into marriage. These transitions are complex processes, which typically involve close relationships with family or caregivers.

But young people who have been displaced from their homes or live in poverty are often denied the economic, educational or social opportunities which would enable them to pass these milestones. Often, their environment forces them to be dependent on their family, or other forms of support, for longer. The processes which young people go through on their

EUTM - SOMALIA 46 EUTM - SOMALIA 15/06/2018 way to adulthood can be accelerated, delayed or reversed, as they try to reconcile their personal plans for the future, with hardships they are encountering every day as refugees.

As part of our research, we trained and supported refugees between the ages of 15 and 24 as youth researchers to conduct interviews and surveys among their peers in Uganda and Jordan. The youth researchers and their participants in Uganda came from Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, while those in Jordan were Syrians, Iraqis and Palestinians from Gaza. Daahir – the young Somali participant – was based in Kampala, Uganda. We took this approach on the basis that all young people are experts on their own lives, and capable of expressing their needs when they are given the opportunity to do so.

We encouraged our youth researchers to take photographs and make drawings and videos with other young refugees to depict what it’s like growing up as a displaced person. We put together the material they produced to create an online story map – a multimedia platform which illustrates the project’s findings and tells the personal stories of young refugees.

For the young refugees who took part in our project, education, work and family life were the main sources of disruption during their transition to adulthood. Education is often a requirement for getting a decent job, and the loss of education certificates through conflict and displacement has made it difficult for young refugees to continue their studies. Many feel like “failures” for not completing their schooling and being unable to find decent work.

The young refugees’ lack of qualifications and social connections in both Uganda and Jordan have made it difficult to find work and sustain a livelihood. Getting married and starting a family is viewed as another means to establish social and adult status, but the cost of a dowry and wedding expenses prevent young refugees from completing this rite of passage.

Financial issues are not the only hindrance: the instability of their circumstances discourages young people from entering into marriage, as it can complicate and worsen conditions for both parties involved. It might also conflict with aspirations for the future, such as relocating and settling down elsewhere.

Finding a path

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Daahir didn’t just lose his father to the war in Somalia – he also lost years of education, as he migrated through different countries. Daahir is still completing primary school in Uganda at 15 years of age. In Somali culture, 15 is the age when a young person is considered an adult. But the interruption and delay of Daahir’s education, due to displacement and lack of money, has had a ripple effect on his transition into adulthood, both personally and within the Somali refugee community.

Daahir took this picture of his classmates during recess, at his school in Kampala. Laura Prazeres/University of Dundee, Author provided

The delay and rupture Daahir has experienced as he is growing up will have a significant impact on his future. Daahir’s diminishing interest and motivation in school may affect his ability to lead a successful adult life. With many years of school left ahead of him – and his family living in a precarious financial situation – Daahir will need to grapple with difficult decisions such as whether to continue his education, look for work and/or start a family, as he transitions from childhood to adulthood and develops different needs and aspirations.

Displacement and forced migration rupture young people’s plans for their adult lives. So specific support is needed to ensure that the changes to their pathways into adulthood are addressed in a positive way. The nature of conflicts and crises make it difficult to prevent these ruptures, but agencies and governments can tailor support to be more responsive to the realities of being a young refugee.

Names have been changed to protect the anonymity of the participants. https://theconversation.com/young-refugees-share-what-its-like-trying-to-finish-school- find-work-and-get-married-98323

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Somalia repatriates 15 of its nationals jailed in Zimbabwe

June 15, 2018 - Mogadishu(RBB)-The Federal Government of Somalia repatriated 15 of its nationals who were prisoners in Remand Prison in Harare after official talks with the Government of Zimbabwe.

The Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Somalia to South Africa and the Non-Resident Ambassador to Zimbabwe, H.E. Mr. Jamal Mohamed Barrow, held successful talks with officials of the Zimbabwean government after visiting the prison.

Seven other citizens are expected to be repatriated within a week.

Ambassador Jamal Barrow thanked the benefactors of the Indian Muslims living in Zimbabwe who paid the return tickets for those Somalis who spent eight months in prison.

In November 2017, the Zimbabwean security services arrested these Somali citizens and considered them illegal immigrants.

Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Somalia to South Africa H.E. Mr. Jamal Mohamed Barrow is also a non-resident ambassador to Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Angola and Mozambique and has been trying to expand and revitalize bilateral relations and cooperation between Somalia and these friendly countries. http://radiobanadir.com/?p=1228

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UN says 53 people killed by tropical cyclone in Somalia

MOGADISHU, June 14 (Xinhua) -- At least 53 people were killed and some 229,000 others affected by tropical cyclone Sagar that caused heavy rains and flooding in Somaliland and Puntland in northern Somalia in May, the UN humanitarian agency said on Thursday.

Citing estimates from local disaster management authorities in the two regional states, the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said 50 people were killed in Somaliland while three lost their lives in Puntland.

"The subsequent floods and strong winds exacted a heavy toll on infrastructure and farmland, leaving many people dead and thousands of others displaced. Basic infrastructure, including water sources and communication equipment, collapsed in many areas," OCHA said in its latest Flash Update. The latest update comes after a powerful tropical cyclone with winds in excess of 120 km/per hour and an entire year's worth of rain which landed in Somalia on May 19 left in its path a trail of destruction, with thousands of people still counting their losses. According to the UN, the cyclone Sagar tore through the coastal north of the country, destroying homes and livelihoods in its wake. The UN humanitarian agency said communities in the coastal areas of Somaliland and major portions of Awdal district, as well as some coastal communities in Puntland are still reeling from the impact of Sagar.

The UN agency said the cyclone affected nearly 168,000 people in the five worst-hit districts of Somaliland - Baki, Lughaya and Zaylac in the Awdal region, and Berbera in Woqooyi Galbee. According to OCHA some 60,800 people along coastal areas were affected by the flooding and heavy rains in Puntland. The UN humanitarian agency will be releasing about 3.5 million U.S. dollars for response to the impact of the cyclone for Somaliland communities affected. "The funds will be used for emergency rehabilitation of prioritized communal infrastructure (schools, water points, hospitals, nutrition centres), for support to integrated emergency response teams, and integrated response activities focusing on shelter and livelihoods support," said OCHA. http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-06/15/c_137254349.htm

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Somali families moving back in to flooded homes in Beletweyne amid fears of disease outbreaks

Thursday June 14, 2018 - Abdullahi Ali, 39, and his family of 12 are camping out amid the debris of their house that was wrecked by the recent floods in Beletweyne, southern Somalia.

Abdullahi, a mechanic by trade, is determined that their new house will be more robust. He is digging foundations two metres down into the wet soil and hopes that he can get the house ready as soon as possible.

When the floods hit them, they moved to stay with relatives in Hawl-wadaag on higher ground. They were offered a small room where they all slept.

“I preferred to return here than to be a scrounger on other people,” Abdullahi told Radio Ergo. “I am now working on the house so I can get proper shelter for the children and give them somewhere to sleep.”

They came back on 31 May. Since then he has been prioritizing constructing a temporary pit latrine as the toilet was destroyed and fixing water pipes that were damaged. He cannot raise the $1,500 that he estimates it would cost to reconstruct the whole house.

Abdullahi makes a living repairing tuk-tuk taxis but he has not been able to make any money at all since the floods. The family is down from their previous expectation of three meals a day to just one.

Abdillahi Abdi Magan, head of Save the Children office in Hiran region, said it would not be possible to make an overview of the extent of the damage until the flood water subsides. He

EUTM - SOMALIA 51 EUTM - SOMALIA 15/06/2018 said they do not advise people to return immediately to their houses, which need to be disinfected to prevent the spread of disease. Toilets also urgently need to be repaired. Sewage has overflowed into the flood water and contaminated most properties.

Sheikh Hussein Osman, the head of social affairs for Hiran region, estimated that 40,000 families were displaced from the region and are slowly returning back.

“The people don’t have houses in the areas they migrated to and so they are being forced to return to their houses regardless of how damaged they are,” Sheikh Hussein told Radio Ergo.

A major challenge is that the floods have made it difficult to identify the boundaries of people’s plots of land. The walls of some houses were found washed a few metres away from their previous positions, making it hard to tell where a piece of land started or ended. This may bring conflict among neighbours.

Hiran administration said an unknown number of people have returned to Bundaweyn, Koshin and Hawl-wadaag. Residents of Hawo-Tako are yet to return back. https://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2018/Jun/158599/somali_families_moving_back_in_to_f looded_homes_in_beletweyne_amid_fears_of_disease_outbreaks.aspx

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Closing Dadaab now a distant shot-NRC

June 14, 2018 - By Fauxile Kibet

Fewer Somali refugees have voluntarily chosen to return to Somalia, according to 2018 reports by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), a situation which has jeopardized Kenya’s plans to close the Daadab refugee camp.

Further complicating this, according to Neil Turner, NRC’s country director in Kenya and Tanzania is that some of the current inhabitants of the world’s largest refugee camp were born in Kenya and have never set foot in the Somalia.

“Many of the inhabitants fled Somalia because of political instability in the ’90s and have settled in Dadaab’s camps after decades in Kenya,” explains Neil Turner.

An additional 100,000 Somali refugee fled the country in 2011 due to a devastating drought and famine, which forced the Kenyan government and the United Nations to set up supplementary camps to accommodate the influx.

The population in the camp currently is mostly Somali, with a few others from Ethiopia, South Sudan and the Democratic republic of Congo.

An earlier directive by the Kenyan government to close the camp and forcibly repatriate the refugees, currently over 260000 in 2016 was blocked by the country’s high court.

A judge in the Nairobi based court argued that such a decision would amount to group persecution, but the Kenyan government maintained that its decision was on security grounds.

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“The camp had lost its humanitarian nature and had become a haven for terrorism and other illegal activities. Our interest in this case, and in the closure of Dadaab refugee camp, remains to protect the lives of Kenyans,” Kenyan government spokesman Eric Kiraithe said.

According to Turner, Kenya may not have been keen on closing the camp all together, but sending a message to the United Nations that more need to be done to manage the situation at the camp – which the East African country argued was straining both its economy and security status.

“It was not necessarily the Kenyan government’s intention to close Dadaab, but to send a message that the status quo from the Kenyan government’s perspective was not acceptable and that the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), in particular, should do more.”

The partnership between the UNHCR and Kenya to facilitate a voluntary return to Somalia by refugees increased between 2016 and 2017, in what Turner attributes says was “because of the government’s signals that Dadaab would be closed, and the uncertainty this caused among refugees.”

Turner argues that it is unlikely that the camp will close as two years since Kenya announced plans to forcefully repatriate Somali refugees, the camp is still operational

According to the humanitarian organization, over 75,000 Somalian refugees returned to Somalia through the voluntary return programme in the past three years, but around 33,000 returned in 2016 and a further 33,000 in 2017.

“Most of the Somalis who return are the people who arrived after the 2011 drought. They have more recent links to Somalia, while the people who arrived three decades ago are less likely to return as they have settled in Dadaab,” Turner explains.

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The NRC country coordinator further adds that Somalian refugees who return to the Kismayo district without having lived there before, face difficulties in getting land, housing and property.

“For the ones who return to Dadaab, it is almost impossible to get renewed refugee documentation. Without documentation, people have no right to food, shelter and healthcare.”

REFUGEE BILL

In 2017, Kenyan legislators approved a refugee bill which was intended to create a more conducive environment for them to work and travel – but president Kenyatta did not signed it and was returned to parliament for further deliberation.

In his argument, president Kenyatta said that even though the bill relates to an important aspect of management of refugees in the country, there was no public participation in its formulation in accordance with Article 118 of the Kenyan constitution.

“In view of the foregoing, I recommend that the said Bill should be referred back to Parliament to allow for public input in accordance with the Constitution,” President Kenyatta said.

The bill also proposed that refugees or asylum seekers with professional qualifications such as doctors, engineers and architects were to be entitled to work permits upon application in accordance with the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act 2011.

But Kenya may in the future have to relook at the bill as the East African country has signed the Comprehensive Refugee Response framework (CRRF).

The CRRF allows refugees to benefit from national services and integrating them into national development plans is essential for both refugees and the communities hosting them. http://goobjoog.com/english/closing-dadaab-now-a-distant-shot-nrc/

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Setting Africa’s Youth on a Pathway to Prosperity

Contributor: Ellington Arnold, Youth Advisor

Today young people are approximately three times more likely to be unemployed than adults. Nowhere is this more true than in Sub-Saharan Africa where the youth bracket is approximately 200 million people and will at least double in the next 30 years. By 2050, the populations of 28 African countries are projected to more than double.

As we observe World Youth Skills Day this Saturday, we must not only acknowledge this problem, but take steps to leverage the Africa’s largest growing asset: its youth. Africa’s youthful population can be the engine for sustained accelerated economic growth and innovation if properly utilized.

But how can we achieve this?

There’s not an easy answer, but what I do know is that each day I work with the future problem solvers and leaders of tomorrow. As an Advisor on Youth Entrepreneurship at the U.S. African Development Foundation, I facilitate enterprise expansion and creation across the continent and by doing so directly address poverty alleviation by empowering those who have the most at stake.

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Since 2014, USADF has invested $3 million in 150 social enterprises in over 30 countries. By pairing seed capital with technical assistance, USADF provides young entrepreneurs with the tools needed to invest in their own communities.

Take Brenda for example, an entrepreneur in Uganda who had a dream to make eye care more affordable and accessible to underprivileged children in Uganda and founded Wazi Vision. Conventional business wisdom would dictate that this is a ‘market’ she cannot enter. However, Brenda knows that addressing social challenges require more than conventional thinking. This barrier to entry forced her to think outside of the box, and to be innovative, imaginative, and unflinching in her optimism.

Her solution: to manufacture eye-glasses from recycled plastics, thus reducing the cost of eye care by over 80 percent. With many children in slums or rural areas suffering from chronic eye conditions such as myopia, Brenda also operates mobile eye clinics using an app to conducting screenings and compile data. Over the past year, she has progressed from successfully creating her prototype eye-glasses, to visiting 12 schools, screening over 2,200 children and providing 350 pairs of eye-glasses. Additionally, she employs female artisans who are trained to design and mold the plastic frames, creating jobs locally in a sector that previously didn’t exist. A recent survey showed that Al-Shabab has recruited young men for as little as $50 a month and a mobile phone. In Somalia, where nearly 70% of youth are unemployed, we are filling the skills shortage by providing vocational training to over 5,000 Somali youth, to young women like Shadia. USADF provides funding to local Somalia NGOs to train unemployed youth and assist them to obtain employment and earn income. The local Somalia NGOs, in turn work with local businesses to set up five-month training and apprenticeship programs for the youth. Youth participating in the program reported their income jumped from $50 a month to $300 a month, translating in direct benefits for themselves and their families. The USADF program provides a far better alternative to youth who earn a higher income graduating from the USADF Somalia program. If we want to invest in the future of Africa, we must focus on those who will be most impacted. By supporting and empowering innovative entrepreneurs like Brenda and Shadia, we allow the future of Africa to be placed in the hands of those most capable, impassioned, and motivated to create a better tomorrow. https://www.usadf.gov/blog/2017/7/14/setting-africas-youth-on-a-pathway-to-prosperity

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EAC ministers to table national budgets today

June 14, 2018

Kenya’s Finance Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich to present a $30 billion national budget Thursday. Photo: The Star

By Fauxile Kibet

NAIROBI: Four East African countries will table their national budgets today with Kenya seeking to spend 11 times than Rwanda.

With a $30 billion budget, Kenya’s budget goes above the top Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda all of which have a combined budget of $24.8 billion.

The tradition by East African countries to table their budgets simultaneously started 11 years ago as part of the regional integration process. However, Burundi and South Sudan have not streamlined their budget readings. This year, the Kenyan budget stands out as the largest as the other three countries present significantly moderate spending plans. Uganda’s estimated budget stands at Ush30.9 trillion ($8 billion); Rwanda Rfr2.4 trillion ($2.81 billion) while Tanzania’s budget is Tsh32.4 trillion or an estimated $14billion. The East African Community EAC) secretariat has urged member countries to ensure that their budgets are aligned with key sectors that will spur growth within the region. Kenya’s Treasury Secretary Henry Rotich says that the Kenyan budget seeks to take measures under president Kenyatta’s “Big Four” agenda to boost manufacturing, enhance food security, create affordable housing and achieve universal health coverage to boost growth and create more jobs for Kenyans. Uganda’s Finance Minister Matia Kasaija’s 30.9 trillion Ugandan Shillings

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(USD$8 billion) budget will seek rejuvenate the East African country’s growth which has slowed down in the past recent years. In 2016, Uganda’s economy stood at an average 4.5%, down from an estimated 7.8% in the previous 5 years period. The slow economic growth was linked to lower prices for commodity such as Coffee, Cotton and Copper – which are the major income spurces for Uganda. Curtailed growth was due to lower commodity prices. Uganda’s main commodity exports of coffee; cotton and copper all experienced diminished world prices. Other contributing factors were an increased incidence of drought and the conflict in neighboring South Sudan, Uganda’s main export trade partner. In Tanzania, Finance Minister Dr. Phillip Mpango will table the 2018/19 budget proposals with stakeholders pushing the government to come up with policies that will directly translate to improved climate for business to thrive. Economic analysts in Tanzania believe that an attempt to raise taxes will be detrimental to the economy at a time when local industrial production has been greatly affected by various polices undertaken by President john Pombe Magufuli’s government over the past three years. According to Mr Godfrey Simbeye, Tanzania’s Private Sector Foundation (TPSF), the Tanzanian government should reduce corporate tax rate to 15%. “Reducing corporate taxes will encourage many unregistered businesses to formalize and boost their chances of growth. Government revenue will also increase because the newly formalized businesses will start paying taxes,” Mr Siyembe argues. In Rwanda, the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana told parliament that the 2018/19 budget will be domestically funded 84%. With Rwanda’s economy estimated to grow to 7.2% this year, ministry officials at the Rwandan Finance and Economic Planning reveal that they are seeking to invest more in agriculture, service and industrial growth. “We are continuing with our national priorities and most of the increase on the budget will go towards sectors that are a priority to the growth of our GDP (Gross Domestic Product),” Rehemah Natumbei, head of the Randan National Budget told the media. However, the secretariat also says that corruption in the respective countries would need to be tamed for state spending to have impact on the lives of the residents. http://goobjoog.com/english/eac-ministers-to-table-national-budgets-today/

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https://www.migrationpolicy.org/country-resource/somalia

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