East Africa

In Riyadh, Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Rabeeah, and Andrew Mitchell signed a collaboration agreement with UNICEF to fight severe malnutrition in Somalia. KSrelief and the FCDO will each contribute $2.5 million to provide nutrition, water, and hygiene services in 15 high-risk areas for 101,000 Somali children. This $5 million partnership is part of Saudi Arabia and the UK FCDO's shared efforts to ease the hardships of the Somali people through humanitarian projects.

In Beledweyne, the Shabelle River is experiencing higher water levels, raising concerns about potential floods. The latest report from the Somali Ministry of Environment and Climate Change advises residents living near the river and other water bodies to stay away to reduce the risk of flooding. According to the most recent update from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the ongoing Gu rains have affected more than 163,400 people and displaced a minimum of 37,120 individuals in Hirshabelle,…

In March, 14 children and 17 civilians were harmed in attacks that could be considered as war crimes. Families of the victims should be compensated for their losses. According to Amnesty International, two separate incidents that resulted in the death of 23 civilians during Somali military operations assisted by Turkish drones ought to be thoroughly investigated as potential war crimes. On March 18, 2024, strikes in the Lower Shabelle region tragically took the lives of 14 children and other civilians. The armed conflict…

The Chairman of Qatar Tourism, Saad bin Ali Al Kharji, recently met with the Minister of Commerce and Tourism of Djibouti, Mohamed Warsama Dirieh, who is currently on a visit to Qatar. The purpose of the meeting was to explore opportunities for collaboration in the tourism sectors of both countries. During the discussion, Qatar Tourism committed to providing valuable training opportunities for tourism professionals in Djibouti. This training program aims to enhance the skills of personnel working in the tourism sector and…

Monday, May 6, 2024Written by Ismail Santur, CPA, CISAThis piece delves into the potential for constructing an anti-corruption blueprint for Somalia, drawing inspiration from success stories worldwide.Somalia's consistent bottom-ranking in Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index (CPI) over the years needs attention. Since 2023, Somalia has remained at the foot of the CPI for seventeen years. Yet, valuable insights can be gleaned from countries like Singapore, New Zealand, Denmark, and Hong Kong with…

Britain and Saudi Arabia are teaming up to provide $5 million to combat increasing malnutrition in Somalia. This generous donation, facilitated by Unicef, will focus on delivering clean water, sanitation, and hygiene services to 50,000 vulnerable women and children in the conflict-torn and drought-stricken nation. This financial support is part of an established collaboration that has already seen both countries commit a total of $22 million to assist individuals affected by conflict in Somalia and Sudan. The partnership…

Mudavadi expressed optimism about maintaining warm, friendly relations rooted in shared history, culture, borders, and trade at the Kenya-Somalia Joint Commission for Cooperation in Nairobi. As Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Relations, he highlighted the importance of governments collaborating to promote citizen engagement and broaden the scope of their connections. Noting the enduring partnership since the 1960s, Mudavadi praised the establishment of the JCC as a vital mechanism for enhancing mutual cooperation.…

The four individuals, Hamdi Awil Mohamed, Nimco Jamal Mohamed, Khadra Awil Ali, and Abdiwali Jama Hassan, were convicted of inciting the public and showing patriotism by the court's chief.Evidence like videos and statements supporting Somaliland was used to convict them. The trial was held under Somalia's Criminal Code.This legal response comes after clashes in Las Anod, where control of the city was disputed last year. Somaliland lost control of the city to SSC forces after intense fighting.

In a recent update regarding piracy near Somalia, EU NAVFOR ATALANTA highlighted a significant increase in activity posing a threat. The pirates' strategy involves taking over dhows to use as bases for attacks up to 600 nm away from shore, blending in with regular sea traffic. While no new attacks have occurred in the last week, the potential payment of ransoms could lead to more dhow hijackings, fueling future raids on ships. Reuters reported a $5 million ransom was paid for the release of the Bangladeshi bulker Abdullah,…

In a bold move, MP Mohamed Abukar accused Abdiaziz Laftagareen, the president of the South West Administration, of masterminding the attack on Malaaq's home in Bardale. Abukar condemned the violent incident as a flagrant violation of Somali and governmental standards. He alleged that Laftagareen had morphed his administration into a militant group, inflicting immense hardship on the people of Bardale. This aggressive action threatens to escalate the already precarious situation in the troubled district of Bardale, located…