Editorial

EDITORIAL - Al-Qaeda-linked Somalia-based Al-Shabaab this week ended a decade with yet another deadly attack on civilians; possibly bulging recent statements from government officials that the group jumped out. But the incident, in which 85 people were killed and followed by another off the Kenyan coast, showed that the group could benefit from political strife in Somalia, probably due to outside interference. Despite the Somali national army responding by killing more than a dozen militants, key Somali leaders…

EDITORIAL | Two things happened this week, all of which affected Somalia. The IMF Board approved a financial scheme that could see the institution cover its share of debt relief for Somalia. The financing plan, which includes subsidies, will be used to settle part of the debt owed by Somalia, prompting Mogadishu to start redressing lending with lenders in a scheme called the Heavyly Inebeded Poor Country Initiative (HIPC). "It is a positive step towards debt relief that could be a good opportunity for Somalia to…

EDITORIAL - Somalia's journey from state collapse in 1991 to revival, Finance Minister Abdirahman Duale Beileh claimed at a forum recently in November, is routinely linked to negativity: refugees, collapsed systems, insecurity and humanitarian aid; even when better things happen. Today, about two million Somalis live abroad, according to various estimates from the World Bank and the United Nations Development Program. Some may be refugees, but others are skilled in academia, business, and industry; to send…

EDITORIAL - The regional bloc, the Intergouvernemental Authority on Development (IGAD), is seeking a rebirth that can help it overcome its weaknesses as an integration and peace-building organization. The bloc from eight member states says it wants to be active on several fronts by first ensuring that its leadership changes follow a regular pattern. It began last week when Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was elected president and took over the transition from his Ethiopian counterpart, Dr. Abiy Ahmed. An…

AXADLETM / EDITORIAL - Italy has stepped up its efforts to send emergency aid to people affected by floods in Somalia's Hirshabelle state. The Italian government has again demonstrated solidarity with the Somali people after Ambassador Dr. Alberto Vechi provided donations consisting of medicines, blankets, detergents and other equipment such as utensils and plastic sheets. Flood victims not only cope with displacement, but they are also vulnerable to outbreaks of diseases such as malaria and dysentery. Children…

AXADLETM / EDITORIAL - The Somali-based Al-Qaeda-linked militant group Al-Shabaab may have struck hard in recent times, but it appears they are continuing to bounce back with deadly consequences. This week, a UN panel of experts on Somalia published a report warning that the group remains a potent threat to peace and security in the region despite bombings by the Somali National Army, the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) and US air drone attacks. Part of the reason, the panel claims, is that Al-Shabaab has…

AXADLETM / EDITORIAL - Somalia's President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo may be forced to return to the drawing board as political temperatures continue to escalate in Mogadishu ahead of the 2020/21 referendum. Already challenged by a dwindling economy, inter-clan antagonism and Al-Shabaab's threat, Mr Farmajo is persistently under pressure from the new opposition alliance. National Party Forum brings together six major parties, among them the Himilo-Qaran Party of former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and the Union for…

AXADLETM / EDITORIAL - Somalia's main opposition politicians are facing a new coalition that they claim could develop ideas to strengthen the federal system of government and extend the reach of the common man. Known as the Forum of National Parties (FNP), the coalition, now chaired by former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, brings together 6 key political parties, making it the first milestone in Somalia. Ahmed, who led Somalia between 2009 and 2012, is the leader of the Himilo-Qaran party. The coalition…

AXADLETM EDITORIAL - The resurgence of terrorist attacks in Somalia and neighboring Kenya raises a new debate over whether The UN arms embargo on Somalia has worked in full. An assessment by a Nairobi-based peace and justice lobby organization known as the International Policy Group says al-Shabaab has launched at least three attacks a week since January with deadly consequences. Al-Qaeda-linked extremists have attacked Kenyan police stations, killed soldiers and arrested suspects, destroyed communications masts in…

There is a connection between a person's blood type and the possibility of developing cancer, shows a recent study from Swedish researchers. Researchers from the Karolinska Institute of Sweden have evaluated and analyzed the data for more than one million people over a period of 35 years, according to a report. The results indicate that people with O-blood group, which is also known as type 0 (zero) blood, are more protected against cancer. The study revealed that those with a blood group have a higher risk of…