axadle 21479 posts 0 comments

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia plans to recruit 12,000 government-employed teachers by the end of 2026, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre said Saturday, framing the effort as the centerpiece of a drive to rebuild a long-fragile education system and place it on a domestically financed footing. Barre said his administration has already recruited and deployed 6,000 trained teachers in less than two years, a dramatic shift from the roughly 900 teachers on the federal payroll when the government took office. “In just two years, we…

Somalia government-opposition talks stall over election agenda dispute MOGADISHU, Somalia — A high-level meeting between leaders of the Federal Government of Somalia and the Somali Future Council was suspended on its second day after both sides failed to agree on which electoral issues should take priority, officials and participants said. The talks, convened to ease political tensions and set a clear path for Somalia’s next elections, broke down over the agenda itself. Government representatives pressed to advance their…

Where do talks between the Future Council and the Federal Government stand? MOGADISHU — Somalia’s election negotiations have entered a decisive phase as members of the Future Council agreed to attend a unified session at Villa Somalia on Sunday, moving the standoff with the Federal Government into direct, high-level talks over the country’s electoral path. The shift comes after weeks of committee-level engagements and separate consultative meetings failed to unlock compromises on how to conduct the next polls. With the…

Somalia to recruit 10,000 teachers, shift salaries to domestic revenue in education overhaul MOGADISHU — Somalia will hire 10,000 teachers over the next 45 months and pay their salaries entirely from domestic revenue, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre announced Friday, framing the move as a cornerstone of state-building and economic independence. “For the first time in Somalia’s history, teachers’ salaries will be paid entirely from domestic revenue rather than external support,” Barre wrote on X. “This is not just politics,…

WFP warns Somalia food aid could halt by April without new funds, putting millions at risk The U.N. World Food Program warned Friday that its life-saving food and nutrition assistance in Somalia could grind to a halt as early as April unless fresh funding arrives, threatening to push millions deeper into hunger after years of failed rains and conflict. The agency said an estimated 4.4 million people in Somalia face crisis-level food insecurity, with nearly 1 million already enduring severe hunger. A sharp drop in…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s Civil Aviation Authority has suspended several aircraft after inspections uncovered technical faults and non-compliance with international safety standards, escalating scrutiny of the country’s fast-growing aviation market following a Feb. 10 incident that stoked public concern. The regulator said the suspensions aim to strengthen flight safety oversight and restore passenger confidence after a Starsky Aviation plane experienced a technical malfunction shortly after takeoff from Mogadishu’s…

Somalia denies claims Türkiye is ‘unilaterally benefiting’ from oil, stresses sovereignty ahead of elections Somalia’s government has rejected online claims that Türkiye is reaping one-sided gains from the country’s natural resources, insisting a new energy partnership protects Somalia’s sovereignty and benefits its people as political tensions rise ahead of elections later this year. The Somali National News Agency said Friday that “allegations” circulating on social media about Türkiye’s exclusive benefit from Somali…

MOGADISHU — The United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTAMS) on Thursday welcomed the formal launch of talks between the Federal Government of Somalia and the Somali Future Council, calling the dialogue a crucial step toward easing the country’s political impasse ahead of looming constitutional deadlines. The meeting, chaired by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud at the Presidential Palace, brought together senior government officials and opposition-aligned leaders amid heightened tensions and with less…

NEW YORK — Jeffrey Epstein’s estate has agreed to pay as much as $35 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging two of the late financier’s closest advisers aided and abetted his sex trafficking of young women and teenage girls, according to a court filing Thursday in Manhattan federal court. The proposed agreement, disclosed by Boies Schiller Flexner, a law firm representing Epstein victims, would resolve a 2024 lawsuit against Epstein’s former personal lawyer, Darren Indyke, and former accountant, Richard Kahn. Both…

Somalia launches East African Community passport, signaling push for regional mobility MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia has officially begun issuing the East African Community (EAC) passport, a step the federal government cast as historic for regional integration and a boost to global mobility for Somali citizens. Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre said Thursday that the introduction of the EAC passport will expand opportunities in travel, trade and education while strengthening Somalia’s engagement within the regional bloc.…