(Reuters) – Voters in Somaliland head to the polls on Wednesday to choose a president at a time when the breakaway Somali region sees international recognition within reach after three decades of de facto self-rule. Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi arrives at the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding agreement with Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, that allows Ethiopia to use a Somaliland port, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, January 1, 2024. REUTERS/Tiksa Neger/File Photo Somaliland, which occupies a strategic position near the entryway to the Red Sea, declared independence from the Mogadishu government in 1991 but has not been recognised by any other country, restricting access to international finance and the ability of its 6 million people to travel. The Hargeisa government is hoping to soon finalise a preliminary deal signed in January with landlocked Ethiopia that would grant Addis Ababa coastal land in exchange for diplomatic recognition. Hargeisa...

Wednesday November 13, 2024 Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) has arrested two suspects linked to the murder of two business people in Mogadishu’s Darussalam district. In a statement on Wednesday, NISA stated that the suspects killed businessmen Hilowle Ibrahim and Ahmed Samatar Ali. Authorities are currently pursuing a third suspect allegedly involved in the killings. Al-Shabab militants have been attacking business owners and targeting their commercial areas in Mogadishu for the last two months. The recent uptick in violence follows a federal mandate requiring businesses to install surveillance cameras, a measure Al-Shabaab has publicly opposed. In recent incidents, Al-Shabaab orchestrated explosions in the Garasbaley district, leading to fires that devastated both the Tabeela Sheikh Ibrahim neighbourhood market and the Safa and Marwa market in Elasha Biyaha, approximately 15 kilometres south of Mogadishu. Source link

By Hussien Mohamed Yusuf As Somaliland approaches a pivotal moment in its democratic journey, citizens are set to cast their votes tomorrow in an election anticipated not only for its outcome but for what it symbolizes. For a self-declared republic unrecognized internationally, Somaliland has managed to forge a unique and commendable path, consistently holding peaceful elections in a region often defined by turmoil. The supporters of the two main contesting parties, the ruling Kulmiye party and the opposition Wadani party, In this vote, Somalilanders appear ready to signal their desire for change, with Wadani, the opposition party, expected to achieve a slight victory as widespread public dissatisfaction with the current administration reaches a peak. Remarkably, it is the very government facing scrutiny for its governance that has facilitated this electoral process, earning commendation for its commitment to democratic principles. The election represents more than a routine exercise of civic duty;...

Tuesday November 12, 2024 Date palm trees thrive in the arid landscapes of Somalia, serving as a crucial source of food and income for rural communities. Nearly a decade after the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) introduced a date palm initiative, these resilient trees continue to provide stability amid climate challenges. CREDIT/ ICRC Mogadishu (HOL) — A decade after the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) distributed thousands of date palm seedlings across Somalia, farmers are witnessing a remarkable transformation. Amid relentless droughts, locust invasions, and conflict, these resilient trees have become a lifeline, offering stability and economic promise to rural communities struggling against the odds. First launched in 2015, the ICRC’s date palm initiative distributed over 40,000 seedlings across Sanaag, Nugaal, Bari, Mudug, and Sool, targeting communities most vulnerable to climate shocks. Farmers like Mohamud Abdi in Bari’s Karin village report a marked improvement. ‘Our old...

Lamu, Kenya – As the results of the United States presidential election came in on Wednesday, showing that former President Donald Trump had won, relief took hold more than 11,000 kilometres (7,000 miles) away, in Uganda’s capital Kampala. Then-President Donald Trump walks to his seat after speaking with African leaders at the Palace Hotel during the United Nations General Assembly in New York, on September 20, 2017 [Evan Vucci/ AP Photo “The sanctions are gone,” the East African country’s parliamentary speaker, Anitah Among, told parliament, hinting at her expectation of improved ties with the US under Trump. The speaker is one of a series of Ugandan officials who have been barred from entering the US in recent years because of allegations of human rights violations against them. But while some African governments that have faced allegations of authoritarianism in recent years might find reason to celebrate, sanctions are not the only thing that might go...

Tuesday November 12, 2024 Mogadishu (HOL) — The National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) killed at least 22 al-Shabab militants in a targeted operation in Dhararweyn village, under the Gal’ad district in Somalia’s Galgadud region, on Monday night. According to a NISA statement, the operation was based on intelligence monitoring of al-Shabab’s recent activities in central regions in Galmudug regional State of Somalia. During the raid, intelligence forces destroyed three vehicles loaded with weapons and ammunition, which al-Shabab was allegedly planning to use for attacks in central Galgadud. The latest action was part of an intensified anti-al-Shabab campaign, with NISA forces reportedly killing over 100 militants across Galmudug and Hirshabelle in recent weeks as military operations continue nationwide. Source link

ADDIS ABABA, (Xinhua) — China-Africa all-rounded cooperation continues to gather momentum toward building a resilient China-Africa community, driven by a shared destiny, African Union (AU) and Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) officials have said. The remarks came during a seminar held recently in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, under the theme “jointly building an all-weather China-Africa community with shared future in the new era” within the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) platform. The seminar was a follow-up of the FOCAC summit held in Beijing back in September this year, and it defined concrete pathways for building an enduring China-Africa community grounded in shared purpose and mutual respect. Speaking at the event, Claudia Shilumani, director of external relations and strategic engagement at the Africa CDC, said China and Africa are building a resilient health system that can withstand and adapt to the current complex health challenges...

Tuesday November 12, 2024 Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia is facing a mounting political crisis as tensions between the federal government and the southern state of Jubbaland escalate over a disputed electoral reform plan. Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre called an emergency cabinet meeting on Sunday to address a deeply divisive issue, with Jubbaland’s leadership rejecting federal election proposals in favour of regional autonomy. At the center of this dispute is the federal government’s push for a one-person, one-vote system to transition Somalia from its traditional clan-based, indirect electoral model to direct elections. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud argues this shift is essential to Somalia’s democratic progress, allowing citizens to elect representatives directly. However, Jubbaland’s President Ahmed Madobe has firmly opposed the move, viewing it as an infringement on regional rights and an attempt to centralize power in Mogadishu. Madobe has publicly doubted the feasibility of the federal government’s plan. In a...

BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — United Nations annual climate talks stuttered to a start Monday with more than nine hours of backroom bickering over what should be on the agenda for the next two weeks. It then turned to the main issue: money. In Baku, Azerbaijan, where the world’s first oil well was drilled and the smell of the fuel was noticeable outdoors, the talks were more about the smell of money — in huge amounts. Countries are negotiating how rich nations can pay up so poor countries can reduce carbon pollution by transitioning away from fossil fuels and toward clean energy, compensate for climate disasters and adapt to future extreme weather. In order to try to start the 12 days of talks, called COP29, with a win, Monday’s session seemed to find a resolution to a nagging financial issue about trading carbon pollution rights — one that has eluded negotiators for years....

Monday November 11, 2024 Maritime lawyer Stephen Askins has cast doubt on claims that Yemen’s Houthi rebels are raking in as much as $180 million monthly from shipping companies to ensure safe passage through the Red Sea, calling the figures in a recent UN report “unlikely” and logistically challenging. The Rubymar ship submerged in the Red Sea on March 7, five days after it began sinking. It was hit by a Houthi missile earlier in February. Photographer: Khaled Ziad/AFP via Getty Images Mogadishu (HOL) — Reports that Yemeni Houthis are allegedly pocketing $180 million monthly from shipping companies seeking safe passage through the Red Sea may be overblown, according to maritime lawyer Stephen Askins of Tatham & Co. The UN report suggests these payments flow through informal channels to Houthi leaders, but Askins is skeptical, questioning the feasibility and logistics of such large-scale bribes. “It’s a busy week for headlines,”...