Hassan Ahmed Issa fled his home in Somalia for Germany. The qualifications he had obtained in Syria were not sufficient in Germany. Thanks to an EU-assisted project to supplement vocational qualifications obtained in another country, he can today work again as an optician in Germany

Project supplements vocational qualifications obtained in another country – today Hassan Ahmed Issa works as an optician in GermanyPhoto: pressto gmbh/Rotermund

Even in Somalia, his home country, Hassan Ahmed Issa was certain that he wanted to train as an optician when he left school. He trained in Syria, because Somalia did not offer training for opticians. In 2010 he fled the civil war in Somalia and came to Germany. Today he lives in Kassel, where he undertook a seven-month internship with the optician “Siehste – Brillen und Linsen” to supplement the qualifications he had obtained in Syria.

It all began at Kassel’s Chamber of Crafts and Trades, where he wanted to have his qualifications recognised as equivalent to the German journeyman qualification. Since the two-year training he had undertaken in Syria was theoretical rather than practical he was required to undertake an internship and to attend the local vocational school.

ESF supplemental vocational training

The internship offered to Hassan Ahmed Issa was an integral part of an EU-assisted project to supplement vocational training qualifications obtained in other countries. People whose vocational qualifications are only partially recognised in Germany can undertake additional training under this scheme, until their professional qualifications are fully recognised. All participants receive individual support specially tailored to their needs, along with German language classes, if necessary.

The European Social Fund (ESF) is Europe’s most important employment instrument. It helps people gain access to better jobs and assures decent employment prospects By 2020 Germany is to receive a total of 7.49 billion euros from the ESF. One third of the funding is managed by the federal government and two thirds by the individual federal states. The precondition for ESF assistance is that the federal or state government shoulder a share of the costs; the percentage can vary depending on the project and the objectives.

Success through vocational qualifications

The ESF is Europe’s most important employment promotion instrumentPhoto: pressto gmbh/Rotermund

With only his Syrian qualifications, Hassan Ahmed Issa’s applications had always been rejected by German opticians. Via the training centre in Kassel, he found out about the supplemental training option. He took a test at the local vocational school and undertook a seven-month internship.

Throughout this training period, he had the support of the project, which cooperates closely with the private companies, the agencies involved including the Chamber of Crafts and Trade and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and with suitable training providers.

Optician Olaf Rotermund is very happy with his intern from Somalia. He stresses that both sides have benefitted from the EU-assisted project. Today, Hassan Ahmed Issa works in his company as an optician. The initial contact led to an invitation to attend an interview, then the internship, and finally an unlimited contract of employment.

Without the personal and professional engagement of the entire team of the optician throughout the training of their new colleague, however, the success story would not have been possible.

Government reintegration programmes for al-Shabaab fighters are helping to shrink support for the Islamic militant group

What does a terrorist look like? No such archetype exists of course, but you certainly wouldn’t figure somebody like Mohammed Abdi*. Yet the slight, middle-aged man with a neatly trimmed beard was until 18 months ago a member of the Somali jihadist group al-Shabaab – albeit in its finance department.

Somalis at a registration centre, having been displaced from their home in southern Somalia by famine. Al-Shabaab have taken advantage of the famine to recruit men searching for food. Photograph: Tony Karumba/AFP/Getty Images

He joined willingly. The former shopkeeper heard a sermon in the mosque in his home town, 50km north-west of the central city of Bosaso, urging people to stand up to defend Islam, and was convinced.

He handed the keys of his shop to his aunt, and despite the objections of his family, joined the insurgency fighting what he regarded as an illegitimate government backed by western interests. “I was very excited and very happy as I was serving the religion,” said Abdi.

His job was to collect the money raised from al-Shabaab checkpoints and the taxes levied once a year on households. When al-Shabaab controlled much of the countryside before an offensive last year by the African Union’s intervention force, known as Amisom, they raised “a lot of money”, he said.

It was enough to keep men like Mohammed Farah* armed, fed and fighting. The stocky, gravelly voiced former al-Shabaab soldier had been with the militants from the early days, but now, like Abdi, he has defected.

Amnesty and rehabilitation

Both men have taken advantage of a government amnesty and are in a voluntary programme for disengaged combatants. These are men and women who are assessed as low-risk by the Somali intelligence service, which means they have not been involved in major military action or committed any serious crimes.

The disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) initiative provides them with vocational training, then hires them on public works projects – typically building schools and clinics – and finally they are set up with a trade and released. Throughout their time on the programme, they live in the community.

There are currently three centres: in Mogadishu, south-central Beledweyne and Baidoa, with a facility in the southern city of Kismayo due to open soon. There is also a safe house in Baidoa for female al-Shabaab members and their dependents, which graduated its first group of 19 women this year.

Somewhere to hide

Farah is on the programme, despite his combat experience, because he is a marked man and it’s probably the safest place for him. He was arrested by al-Shabaab as a suspected spy after US-piloted drones kept finding his unit, and was lucky to escape what was likely to have been a death sentence.

“The only thing that al-Shabaab fears are drones and the Ethiopians,” he said, a reference to Ethiopian soldiers in Amisom and Ethiopian commandos camped inside Somalia who report directly to Addis Ababa.

A colleague helped Farah get away after he had been beaten up and thrown into detention. He made the 90km journey to Baidoa barefoot, over terrain he knew well, but he believes he has only delayed the inevitable. He has heard al-Shabaab is out to kill him and, even though he sleeps in the barracks, he thinks it’s only a matter of time before they get him.

Somali security servicemen stand guard over suspected al-Shabaab militants. Photograph: Tobin Jones/AFP/Getty Images

Ideology or religion?

Both men said they joined al-Shabaab out of conviction. But the evidence for most low-level defectors is that recruitment is driven by economic need, peer pressure, or coercion by family or religious leaders.

According to research based on focus group discussions by the UN assistance mission in the country, Unsom, the main attractions are: the promise of a large salary ($400-1,000); the power of the ideology; the cool uniform; the promise of an exciting life; and the attraction of fighting for Islam.

“Religion is not one of the main reasons that compels anyone to join al-Shabaab,” said Patrick Loots, Unsom’s chief DDR officer and the architect of the disengaged combatants programme. “On the questionnaire, people listed that they needed money, or that their family needed money,” he told Irin. “But once in, that’s when al-Shabaab works very hard on the religious component.”

The bulk of al-Shabaab’s recruits are drawn from the central region, and there is little community disapproval over recruitment. “The attitude is ‘these are our sons and daughters’,” said Vikram Parekh, Unsom’s head of office in Baidoa. “There’s only stigma if you’ve committed something horrendous, and that’s not the people we’re talking about in the disengaged combatants centre.”

Disillusionment

Abdi and Farah share similar reasons for quitting to take up the government’s amnesty offer. Abdi said he was angered when he realised al-Shabaab’s public profession of piety was not the reality. “I saw a lot of vices, like burning people’s property at checkpoints – that is not in the Qur’an.”

But it was witnessing the murder of eight elders accused of collaborating with the government that caused Abdi’s doubts to really set in. “They should have been taken to court, but instead they were taken to a different location and killed,” he told Irin. “I saw the bodies.”

As a soldier, Farah has seen far worse. But it was a similar episode of injustice, and the impunity with which al-Shabaab operates, that finally got to him. There was one episode in particular. It was near Beledweyne, when al-Shabaab again ordered the execution of an elder. With the knife at his throat, the man started reciting the Shahada [the Islamic declaration of faith]. “I began weeping,” said Farah. “There was nothing I could do.”

Weakness

Farah believes al-Shabaab is at its weakest point. It is paranoid about spies, and, although the movement is historically loyal to al-Qaida, there is discord over the influence of so-called Islamic State. Being accused of Isis sympathies is a dangerous charge to have hanging over one’s head, explained Farah.

Al-Shabaab is also short of cash. In the past, money allowed it to buy support from the community and provided the intelligence tips that made it so effective. Now, fear of retribution is the main currency. “It’s not human and it’s not Islamic,” insisted Farah.

Unsom’s research suggests the reason low-level al-Shabaab combatants defect is that their expectations are not met after they join up. The salary, if paid at all, is between $20 and $500; the discipline is ferocious; and the frontline is far from a glamorous place to be.

Abdul Abdulahi* works in one of the government’s rehabilitation centres. He understands the initial appeal of al-Shabaab: it was a powerful vision of cleaning Somalia of the clan-based warlords that had destroyed the country, and returning to a golden age of justice and righteousness. “They occupied a void. There was no good government. People were tired of the clans. But they are hypocrites.”

He sees the DDR programme as a potentially powerful weapon in the fight against the militants, if it is properly promoted. “We have to set up more centres like this one, and to tell the low-risk combatants to defect and be retrained and reintegrated.”

In his town, among the 79 who have so far graduated from the programme, are people who are now providing jobs to their families and the community. It means that “instead of being destructive, they are now productive”, said Abdulahi.

*Names changed for security reasons

Guardian

BUHODLE— Khatumo cheif, Ali Khalif Galeyr is using war of words against Somaliland authority.

While in attendance at the launching ceremony of Buhodle secondary school, Ali remarked that his intention is not to get a ministerial post but has finally recognized the legitimate aspirations of Khatumo which emancipates for Sool, Sanaag and Buhodle provinces which are now under the control of Somaliland. A couple of weeks ago, Somaliland authority and Khatumo have officially announced that the sides are in talks in Aynabo. The two sides which have arrived at the conclusion that the time for fighting has ended and the time for talks to figure out their internal dispute is the best way forward.

Owing to Ali Khalif’s old age, it would be better to preserve peace and stability of the regions that he hails from in lieu of inciting violence and unrest. The eastern regions have seen a period of anarchy and chaos from the hands of its politicians led by Ali Khalif Galeyr. He has used the tribal card to gain the hearts and minds of his fellow people but that did not make the region the land of honey but led to a path of disaster.

The majority of the intellectuals, politicians traditional elders and residents are in favor in remaining Somaliland as the best way for rebuilding the wrecked nation and do all they can to be the vehicle of for reconstruction. The eastern regions are lagging behind other provinces in Somaliland due to the instability that beset with them. It is obvious that SL built robust army that no other force in Somalia cannot overpower due to its military and technicals which are better equipped than their counterparts.

Somaliland strives to resolve disputes through peace efforts and though that that Khatumo having laid its arms then it can initiate talks with them as far as regional peace and stability is concerned. SL’s territorial integrity is a must and irrevocable as far as self-determination is concerned.

Ali Khalif who held the post of Somalia’s Prime Minister and is law maker, came to the conclusion that it is better to return home and lead his nation to peace and prosperity.

The last peace of advice to Ali Khalif is to denounce violence and accept peace before coming to terms with Somaliland. He must abandon his claim that SL recognized his administration dubbed Khatumo as a regional authority within Somaliland which is a clear breach to the country’s constitution.

Above all, Somaliland citizens represented by a democratically elected government is committed to bring disputes and internal conflicts by fostering talks and dialogue with the opponents and its adversaries as far as the situation is concerned. The first pre-condition that Ali Khalif Galeyr must acknowledge is to recognize the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somaliland is a must and that cannot be negotiated. The talks will move forward unless that demand from Somaliland is met.

HARGEISA— Somaliland president, Ahmed M. Silanyo leading a high-powered delegation embarks on fact-finding trip to the eastern region of SL on Thursday.

The president and his delegation received cordial reception en route to Aynabo, Saraar’s regional capital.

It is expected that the president along with his large entourage will stay in Aynabo for couple of days.

Mogadishu--Somalia’s information minister, former chairman of Supreme court and members of the parliament have held a press conference in Mogadishu today. They cried foul of the unfairness in regard to seats allocations. The above-mentioned officials hail from Somaliland albeit hold posts in Somalia’s Federal Government.

The officials have said loud and clear that they will boycott the upcoming elections in Somalia in 2016.

They have echoed the stance taken by Somaliland elders who spoke with unison by saying that people from SL who are in the South will not participate the forthcoming elections. They revealed that the election committee  failed to show a sense of impartiality when it comes to the seats allocation of the house of senate where members will be chosen based on ethnicity. The officials have  called that the process which is going on in Somalia will lead the country to disintegration. They have demanded from Somalia’s authority to review the process of choosing representatives from Somaliland. Somaliland repeated time and again that elections in Somalia are not concerned as SL is gearing up to go to the polls in 2017.

SL authority warned all its citizens who have the intention to travel to Somalia so as to participate the election process not to do so. The govt of SL also asserted that it will send planes to Mogadishu to bring them home. It said that all its citizens are given immunity from prosecution concerning the breach of the law which is in place now which further calls that anyone with the intention of holding  a public office in Somalia will be tried in Somaliland.

Participants are seen behind a display at the Mogadishu Book Fair in Mogadishu, Somalia. (Courtesy – Mogadishu Book Fair)

The capital of Somalia is one of the most dangerous cities in the world, but this week fear of blasts has been overcome by a love for books.

Organizers say about 2,000 people turned out on the first day of the Mogadishu Book Fair to meet authors and examine hundreds of titles on display. The three-day event runs through Friday.

The book fair shows a different side of a city trying to emerge from decades of unrest, destruction and waves of deadly attacks by al-Shabab militants.

Mohamed Dini, the founder of the book fair, said the goal of the event is to help rebuild the nation.

“Books and knowledge will be central pillars to the new Somalia we want to see,” he told VOA’s Somali Service. “Books and pens will have to replace the chaos, screaming and guns.”

Somalis took to social media to hail the event as a “positive development” and “images you won’t see in mainstream media.”

Participants listen to a presentation at the Mogadishu Book Fair in Mogadishu, Somalia. (Courtesy – Mogadishu Book Fair)

Organizers said they were surprised by the huge turnout. The majority of the attendees were young people, between the ages of 15 and 35. Some came for the experience, but most were buying books written in Somali, Arabic and English, including books about late South African president Nelson Mandela and the late co-founder of Apple, Steve Jobs.

Abdinur Mohamed, another one of the organizers, said he was overwhelmed by what he has heard from one of the participating writers, a woman who came from Somaliland.

“She said to me, ‘Mogadishu Book Fair broke barriers erected by politicians,’” he said.

He was referring to Naima Qorane, author of a new book titled “Qoys ilaa Qaran” or “From Family to Nation.” Her book discusses the importance of families in nation-building.

“The mother is key to raising a good family which then produces good children who contribute to having a healthy society,” she told VOA “That way you build a nation which will then have a good leadership.”

Dini said the first book fair last year had a positive impact on Mogadishu, sparking interest in libraries and reading clubs.

He said half of the books on display this week are different from last year’s. “It’s a new year, new book fair, new faces, new picture,” he told VOA.

Books are seen on display on a table at the Mogadishu Book Fair in Mogadishu, Somalia. (Courtesy – Mogadishu Book Fair)

This is the second major event Mogadishu has hosted within a week. On Tuesday, hundreds of Somali diaspora members concluded a three-day conference in the city, discussing their role in rebuilding the country.

Much of Mogadishu remains in ruins after a quarter century of conflict, and al-Shabab continues to launch suicide attacks on hotels where Somali lawmakers gather.

At the end of the first day of the book fair, the participants were relieved it passed peacefully. Without question, Mogadishu will need many more initiatives like the fair to fully shake off the dark days.

VOA

Omar Harun

In a report issued by an international organization that combats corruption cited that the current presidential affairs minister, Mohamoud Hashi Abdi is in the list of names dubbed as the most corrupt official in Somaliland. Mr. Mohamoud Hashi diverted most of the funds allocated for the restoration of Egal airport which the Kuwait govt provided. He was the civil aviation minister before he was shifted to the presidential affairs portfolio in a cabinet reshuffle last year.

According to reports conducted throughout a thorough probe revealed that the ex-aviation minister has created network of organizations in which he generates money within the airport. His successor, Omar Sheikh Mohamed has done all he could during his short term tenure as the civil aviation minister to clean and get rid of the corruption scheme that the former minister has entrenched. Owing to the Omar’s zero tolerance policy towards corruption ad its practices cost him to shifted to another ministerial post in a reshuffle that many analysts have predicted that the presidential affairs minister has made the reshuffle himself and axed those he thought had grudges against him.

The anti-corruption campaign launched by the ex-civil aviation minister caused a rift with the current presidential affairs minister, Mohamed Hashi. The current president, Silanyo banks on the presidency minister on discharging the constitutional daily day activities of the nation. Silanyo, the sitting Somaliland president came to power in 2010 but old age and ill health forced him to count on his wife, Somaliland’s First lady, Ms. Amina Weris and the minister for the presidency.

Somalilandinformer published a post in which it disclosed the widespread corruption practices committed by the current presidency minister under the eyes of his president who has failed to act before it is too late. The minister is alleged of buying luxurious houses in London by lavishly spending the public money. It is shame and outrage to see a govt official to see that public funds can be taken advantage by using public money as his own.

The country’s audit national has facilitated after it completely ceased to function as an institution created to stop the corrupt officials. New revelations reveal that the presidential affairs minister has named the former cabinet secretary as the chairman of Somaliland Civil Service.

The reason is that to divert the funds of a project from the World which aims to strengthen the capacity and institutional building of the civil service. He sacked the former civil service commission chairman by installing a puppet guy who the presidency minister uses as a vehicle of stealing and using state money as his own personal use. There is a petition from Somaliland concerned citizens who are demanding that the sitting president must avert the situation before corruption impacts the nation from top to bottom.

http://www.somalilandinformer.com/somaliland/wikileaks-disclose-that-two-sl-ministers-bought-houses-in-the-uk/

Written by:Mohammed Dahir Ahmed

Democracy without timely elections is an other form of authoritarianism and

infringement of people’s democratic and constitutional rights. One of the main pillars of

Somaliland Stability is the citizens prerogative to choose who they want in office.

Purging such right will take them to undesirable itinerary, where not only the stability of

Somaliland but also the tranquility of adjacent countries is at risk. Already, Somaliland

had two years (2015-2017) of Presidential term extension, where the whole nation was

against but few lobbyists,powerful,callow and avaricious ministries and the speaker of

the house of elders forcefully passed it, by ignoring the nationwide outcry, trepidations

and refusal of the accustomed unnecessary presidential term extensions. Daring an

other term extension and ignoring citizens’ rights, demands and aspiration will not be

good for Somaliland as a whole.

The same lobbyists and callow ministeries, notably the Minister of the Presidency is

trying hard to find any excuse to delay the Presidential election which is due in March

2017 to 2019. To make it possible their devil and undemocratic attempt, they are

striving to create every condition; such as starting new fictitious political engagements in

the Eastern regions of the country, meddling with the voter registration and the election

timetable . People who are familiar with the personal background of the current Minister

of the Presidency, argue that he is strongely abhors democratic form of governance and

favors either clan form of governance or Islamic courts system style of

governance.Therefore,it is incumbent on the Somaliland election stakeholders to not let

individuals like this Minister to jeopardize Somaliland election processes.Already,the

number of clan conferences is on the rise,everday you can watch local TV stations

broadcasting the opening or closing ceremony of a major clan conference. In addition,

in reflection of the people’s increasing resentment towards the current broken

democractic system,Imams (religious leaders) openly state on Friday Sermons how

democracy has became dysfunctional in Somaliland and that its time to explore

alternative and better systems,and this is what some ministeries in the government

wants to see,a failure of democracy and the emergance of their desired forms of

governance.

Conspicuously, there will be serious repercussions if an other Presidential term

extension is made. Some of the corollaries of an other Presidential term extension

includes among others:

1. Foreign Investments in the pipeline will be negatively affected such as DP World’s Berber

Port investment.Oppostion and resistance to term extensions will overshadow and

unconstructively affect foreign direct investment into the country and no one will dare to put his

money in a country where all of his citizens are in total outcry and chorus of disapproval is heard

of in every corner of the country.

2. It will further disenfranchise, already disenfranchised Somaliland Youth into the peripheries of

illegal migration, terrorism and drug addiction. Here in Somaliland, parents and educators

motivate youth that change is coming as a result of the elections, therefore an other delay is an

other big motivator lost.

3. Trust in government will dwindle which in turn affects the stability and smooth functioning of

the state. Presently, one big dissimilarity between Somaliland and Southern Somalia aka

Mogdisho, is the trust people have on government machinery. Thus, unnecessary term

extension will create a gap between the state and the citizens, which security detrimental

groups can take advantage of, which will harm not only the security of Somaliland Citizens but

also the security of surrounding friendly countries.

4. Parallel systems to the democratic system of governance, may emerge in Somaliland if

people feel acrimonious and indignation due to election delays and unnecessary term

extensions. Such systems could be clan conferences or ulema (religious) conventions, where

alternative and opposing systems to democratic model of governance such as islamic courts is

publicly promoted among the discontented citizens of Somaliland. Already clan conferences in

on the rise and religious leaders started talking about the broken democractic system in

Somaliland.

5. Disgruntled citizens may embark on a kind of civil disobedience, where tax and duties for the

state may not be paid, which in turn will weaken the state to function and perform normal

government functions.

6. Execution of court rulings will become difficulty, as people will consider the whole

government apparatus as batch of crooks that have no legitimate authority on them.

7. The government will lose the big picture and convene itself in defending its actions and the

term extension by overlooking existing opportunities and threats in its surroundings.

8. The trust and legitimacy of the presidency will be weakened in the eyes of the security forces

and the wider state civil servants. This has a serious implication as far as maintaining law and

order is concerned.

Conversely, there are unresolved issues on the re-election of the House of Representatives,

which needs to be explored separately. The bill of re-electing members of the House of

Representatives has so far loopholes which require to be finalized especially on the

controversial issue of regional allocation of the house seats.

Correspondingly, questions were raised by prominent individuals who have extensive

experience and prodigy in Somaliland elections to the viability of holding the two elections at the

same time. Such questions were included; does the national election commission(NEC) have

the required prerequisites, capabilities and experience in holding the presidential and

parliamentary elections at the same time? Do they have the systems and mechanisms of

serving the possible complaints from 164 (246 candidates will compete on 82 seats;164 are

expected to fail) failed parliamentary candidates and two presidential candidates?. It has been

concluded that this may risk the stability and security of the country. Bearing in mind, that

Somaliland locates in fragile and volatile horn Africa, such disputes will fuel disruptions and

open chances for the watchful undesirables, whom are closely watching to get a chance to

foment social unrest and civil strive as they did in neighboring Somalia.

Hence, the way out is holding the presidential election first and sorting out issues surrounding

on parliamentary elections. Somaliland will bemoan a lot as a result of any endeavor of having a

second presidential term extension.

By:Mohammed Dahir Ahmed.

Senior Financial Consultant and Independent Political Analyst.

He can be reached at:M_ddahir@hotmail.co.uk

It’s no longer the Kenyans and the Ethiopians to wave their flags on the international Olympic games stage. In deed it belongs to Great Britain but thanks to a Somali born Mohamed Farah. Few years back, exactly four years ago, I wrote an article about Mohamed Farah’s victory in London Olympics in which few Kenyans and Ethiopians considered my article an insult against their athletes. In that article, all I had to say was, you better pay attention to your neighbor when it comes to Track and Field because being out of the stage due to an unfortunate civil war does not mean we are written off. As a former track and field athlete, I understand quite well what it takes to be an Olympian and in deed it takes time, talent and pure persistence. Mohamed Farah is being blessed with all and surely proved to not only to former leaders of Track and Field for the last 30 plus years but to the world. In that article, I got responses from number of individuals from both countries and though I never paid attention to the intolerant and hateful emails, there were at least few of them who agreed to each other that Mohamed Farah was nothing more than an accidental Somali winner and the winning euphoria will dry sooner than I anticipated. Few years back from 1998 to 2003 when Mohamed Farah was still a young man coming into track and field, there were only 3 runners by the names Ismael from Australia, Abdi Rahman from the United States and myself in Western Canada. I remember traveling to 1998 Twin City Marathon in Minnesota USA and though I was not a marathon runner, I decided to participate just for the sake of that year and as I was sitting at the lobby of the hotel close to the marathon registration table, there came to my table one Ethiopian and three Kenyans wondering were the heck I was coming from.

To my surprise they were also interestingly asking me whether or not Abdi Rahman from Arizona was also participating. I knew Abdi Rahman was Track and Field athlete like me and would not possibly be there but I kept them wondering rather than saying no anyway. I personally admire the undeniable victories those two countries showed the world and how Kenyans and Ethiopians contribute and invest into their youth talent but when you are in that field, again there is always gut feeling and emotions that you cannot control. At this moment of time, I guess it,s my time time to say congratulations to the number one in the world Mohamed Farah and to those who believed that he was one time and only one time accidental winner, there you go boys it,s time to confront and accept the Track and Field podium does not solely belong to you alone eh. The difference is though, every Kenyan and Ethiopian Olympian generates the next and the future Olympian while Somali Olympians or athletes are known to disappear into oblivious. Look at Ahmed Salah, Abdi Bile Abdi or even one of the best Track and Field coaches in the world being Jama also know Jamakaraen. They contribute and did nothing to their fellow athletes after their short lived triumph. I hope Mohamed Farah will take a different path then those mentioned above and back track his foot steps and set up training camps in the country he originated from. A good hint would be a simple program that I organized in Somaliland few years ago which in fact produced hundreds of talented runners in Somaliland where at least one athlete by the name Ayanle Sulieman represents Djibouti in Olympics at this moment. Ayanle Sulieman was one of the many bare foot runners in Gabiley and Borama Somaliland runners and today, he is competing in one of the most prestigious races in the world. If that simple youth empowerment could produce Ayanle Sulieman, Imagine what Mohamed Farah could do with this magnitude fame and victory. Mohamed Farah is not done yet as he is going to face the craving lions again on the track for the 5000m in few days. Let us cheer for him and hope he will go with the gold again. Ayanle Sulieman will also contest in 1500m which is one of the toughest races in Track and Field and hope as well that he will put it up with his rivals. Way to go boys.

Kaid Askar Diriye
Edmonton Alberta Canada
torunistolive01@hotmail.com

The sweet sounds of different birds and the beauty of the different flowers yellow, red, blue had lured my eyes. Calm and quiet scenes in Amoud University added my memory screening and my intuitive thinking to solve any math and physics problems in my 2002 GCSE examination.

Selection of this suitable place for the GCSE examination came from the wise and perceptive intellect of Somaliland Examination Board Officer, Daud Ahmed Farah. This effective administrative organ is mirror image of insightful man who used to be Somaliland educational spine during the years of its existence. Daud Ahmed Farah is distinguished figure who led this board towards excellence and fulfillment.

Daud Ahmed Farah is central steering figure who stand for efficient filter, which trap the dull and the educationally poor students and allow smooth follow of the highly competitive students to move to secondary’s and universities.

Daud Ahmed Farah is dynamos of Somaliland education because he ensures the effectiveness and the quality of education through tactfully and methodologically prepared examination that continually widen understanding horizons of Somaliland students.

Intellectually gifted officer, Daud Ahmed Farah, built highly sophisticated examination board that increased transparency, accountability, and educational enrichment for Somaliland students.

Honest and experienced officer, Daud Ahmed Farah is lifeboat, which is very prompt to save Somaliland students from the darkness of ruthless ignorance and underachievement. As long as Daud Ahmed Farah is serving in the education sector of this country, it is beyond question that Somaliland development will be incomparably gaining strength and durability. For that reason, Daud Ahmed Farah is an appreciated gift for Somaliland people.

Farah Barkhad Nour

Writer&Researcher

Borama, Somaliland

LASANOD– President Silanyo’s delegation reaches Adhi Adeye which is part of Sool region.

Throngs of residents have given a heroes welcome to the president and accompanied delegates en route to Sool region in Somaliland as part of fact-finding mission. The supporters have waved leaves to show the warm welcome to the president and his delegates. Mr. Ahmed Silanyi has laid the foundation stone of  85 km road linking Adhi Adeye to Hudun. His administration will repair 1.3 km of the road.

The main objective behind the president’s visit to the eastern regions in Somaliland is to consolidate the peace efforts that Silanyo leadership embarked after assuming office in 2010.

Silanyo administration has ended a long-standing hostility with SSC where the peace deal offered cabinet posts to the members who decided to lay arms.

The eastern regions were marred by violence and enmity that made the region  moving backward.

SL authority is now in talks with Khatumo group and urged that they must accept and denounce violence.

SL Vice President, Abdirahman Abdilahi Ismail aka Sayli has received a delegation headed by Dutch deputy ambassador to Kenya on visit to Hargeisa.

The ambassador is accompanied by international organizations that support Somaliland on justice and judiciary affairs as well as internal security matters. Organizations the likes of UNDP, UNICEF, UNODC and IOM were part of the delegation.

Somaliland house of national assembly second deputy speaker met with the delegates and discussed with a bill tabled at the house which is aimed at strengthening country’s justice system.

Somaliland police commissioner also met with the delegates. Minister for justice and judiciary affairs led the delegates during the tour.

The East African country of Somalia is approaching a milestone in its efforts to emerge from more than two decades of conflict. It is in the midst of an electoral process that will culminate in October with members of the Somali parliament electing a president, the country’s first electoral process since the United States recognized the Federal Republic of Somalia in January 2013. The current process will be a useful measure of how effective strong U.S. support for the government has been. U.S. policymakers should follow events closely to determine if the process represents progress; push all parties to conduct the process in a manner that establishes the primacy of rule of law and contributes to building the systems and institutions necessary for stability and peaceful transfers of power; and increase U.S. ability to monitor its investment in Somalia.

An Electoral Process, Not an Election

In September 2012, 275 members of the Somali parliament elected Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as the first president of the permanent federal government, marking the end of a string of weak transitional governments. In January 2013, the United States officially recognized a Somali government for the first time in 20 years.

The country was to hold national elections this year, but insecurity and slow progress on completing a host of election-critical activities led Hassan Sheikh to announce in 2015 that one-man, one-vote elections would be impossible in 2016. The National Leadership Forum—a group of federal and regional Somali leaders—negotiated an alternative electoral framework, ultimately deciding to expand the previous electoral process. In a delayed procedure now scheduled to end on October 30 this year, 135 elders drawn from every clan will choose 14,046 delegates. The delegates will then select the 275 members of the Lower House (officially known as the House of the People).[1]

The parliamentary seats for the Lower House have been apportioned according to the “4.5 formula,” by which the four dominant clans—Darod, Dir, Hawiye, and Rahanweyn—receive an equal number of seats, while all other clans combined receive half as many as one of the major clans. So, the four dominant clans will each elect 61 members for the Lower House, while the rest of the clans receive 31 seats among them.

The procedure for filling the Upper House is different. Somalia has a federal system, with four established states—Galmudug, South West State, Jubaland, and Puntland—and one region in the process of becoming a state, Hiiraan-Middle Shabelle. The constitution stipulates that states will have an equal number of members in the yet-to-be-composed Upper House of parliament, and that the total number of Upper House seats cannot exceed 54. Once selected, MPs from both houses of parliament will vote on the next president of Somalia.[2]

A Delay and Its Constitutional Implications

The National Leadership Forum torturously negotiated these and other details, finally releasing an electoral timetable in June, which quickly fell behind schedule. In August, the electoral commission announced that the process would be delayed by more than a month.

The delay brings constitutional problems. Article 91 of the provisional constitution states that the president “shall hold office for a term of four years, starting from the day he takes the oath of the President.”[3] Hassan Sheikh was sworn in as president on September 9, 2012, which means that his mandate expires on September 10, 2016. The parliament faced a similar problem with its mandate earlier this year, but amended the constitution in June 2016 to allow itself to remain in office until a new parliament is sworn in. In August, the National Leadership Forum announced that government institutions, including the presidency, would stay in power until their replacements are announced, despite the fact that this means they will be operating with expired constitutional mandates.

All this maneuvering calls into question how much of an improvement this new process can be. Metrics of success should include adherence to constitutional requirements—such as secret balloting and whether the state and federal electoral commissions were empowered and acted independently—and a qualitative assessment of whether the process bolstered the rule of law and institutions critical to stable and fair governance. The slapdash constitutional amendments, a number of constitutional violations, and the fact that some of the officials establishing the process’s rules are candidates for various offices, constitute a bad start.

Challenges Remain

Even this process pared down from national elections will be difficult to execute. The terrorist group al-Shabaab still controls chunks of the country and is determined to play spoiler in its effort to delegitimize the Somali government. Gathering over 14,000 delegates into 37 venues scattered throughout the country will also be difficult, as will be providing security for them and the approximately 1,400 parliamentary candidates, and the various presidential candidates.

Uncertainty remains around a number of key issues as well. The National Leadership Forum has accorded the Benadiir region—which is not a state but hosts the capital, Mogadishu—an unclear number of seats, though it is likely two. There are rumors the limit on Upper House seats will be raised from 54 to 56 to accommodate Benadiir’s extra seats,[4] which would violate the constitution. Finally, a number of obstacles remain to making the Hiiraan-Middle Shabelle region a federal state.

A Role for the U.S.

To best influence Somalia to respect the rule of law and to build norms and institutions that promote long-term freedom and stability, the United States should:

• Determine clear metrics of success for the electoral process. The U.S. should use these to assess the effectiveness of its aid. Somalia has endured decades of war, has little experience with democratic governance, and is fractured by clannism. This electoral process cannot begin to meet the standards of established democracies. The U.S. should instead assess whether the process was a significant improvement over the 2012 electoral process, which was an ad hoc exercise in vote-buying.
• Compose and enforce a series of measurable benchmarks for the Somali government beyond the electoral process. Maintaining or increasing U.S. aid to Somalia should be made contingent on measurable progress in key areas, such as security-sector reform, anti-corruption measures, and economic reforms.
• Ensure it is effectively monitoring the aid to Somalia. Somalia remains dangerous, which makes it difficult to accurately monitor where U.S. funds are going. It is crucial to do so, however, as there is a long history in Somalia of aid money acting as an accelerant to conflict. The U.S. must ensure its investment in Somalia is not part of the problem.

A Long Road

It is going to be a long, slow process for Somalia to overcome its enormous challenges, and its ability to do so is still in doubt. However, the country has one of its best chances in two decades to move toward stability. Given Somalia’s sensitive geographic location and terrorism challenges, the United States should remain engaged as long as there is a realistic possibility it can help Somalia seize this chance. That requires holding the Somali government accountable for progressing at a reasonable pace—and the electoral process is an opportunity to do just that.

—Joshua Meservey is Policy Analyst for Africa and the Middle East in the Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy, of the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy, at The Heritage Foundation.

With violent protests erupting in Ethiopia, the U.S. State Department has issued a travel warning to the country. The Department issued a statement saying, “Protests are likely to continue, and could spread to other parts of the country, including the capital, Addis Ababa.” The protests are over the marginalization of two of Ethiopia’s largest ethnic groups. The U.S.

HARGEISA-– Delegation from donor countries that support Somaliland’s democratization process will embark on a fact-finding trip to Hargeisa. The mission of the visit is said that the donor countries are concerned the possibility of separating presidential and parliamentary elections. SL president is due to submit a proposal to the house of national assembly after the political national parties did not arrive at a conclusion on what way they will choose the parliament.

The biggest worry that the donor countries have expressed is that the parliament term will be extended for two years. The delegation is due to arrive in Hargeisa for the weeks to come and will hold serious discussions with the president, the political parties, and the national electoral commission.

They will convey a message of skepticism over the possibility of holding credible, free and fair elections on the agreed timetable. They are expected to pass a stance that they are not determined to bankroll the presidential elections if SL decides to separate the two elections ostensibly the parliament and presidency. It is predicted that president Ahmed Silanyo will table a bill to the house of assembly that elections must be separated. This will pave the way for the house of national assembly to extend its term in office for two more years.

BERBERA- An inmate dies over the weekend at Berbera jail after he did not receive medical treatment.

He was sentenced to serve eight months imprisonment according to the court judgment.

Mr. Mohamed Arale Muse has been in jail for the past four months before he passed away.

Family members allege the govt for lack of accountability after they failed to give him treatment.

They said that they raised the critical situation that the inmate faced with.

The correctional officer who was in charge of the jail has failed to show a sense of compassion  to the inmate’s health which deteriorated over the couple of weeks before dying.

After the inmate passed away that he was brought to the morgue before he was laid to rest in Sheikh cemetery.

Two nurses operate at the jail but lack of equipment and further knowledge in their profession hampered to deal with inmate’s medical sufferings.

The regional authority failed to inspect the daily day operations that inmates are faced at the jail in Berbera. There are reports that the inmates have expressed their dissatisfaction over the food services.

The justice ministry must act now before it is too late and things get out of the govt hands.

Soma Oil is facing a funding black hole which threatens to drag the Somali explorer into insolvency within months as it continues to battle a bribery and corruption scandal.

The UK oil company, chaired by former Conservative Party leader Michael Howard, is unlikely to sign key development contracts with the Somali government due this week after failing to secure a project partner for its East African oil project as the corruption probe rumbles on.

City sources say the latest blow to the development of its nascent oil project will make it “very difficult” for the company to extract further capital from its shareholders before its dwindling funds run dry by the year’s end.

“With the investigation still hanging over them the company faces a very real risk of insolvency,” one city lawyer said.

Soma’s bid to end the SFO’s investigation and avoid missing its contract deadlines failed last week after a UK court ruled against a judicial review into the watchdog. The company’s lawyers said that as a result “there is a risk of death to the company”.

The concerns over Soma follow the collapse of Nigerian oil explorer Afren, which last year entered administration amid a storm of corruption allegations, mounting debt and the plummeting price of global oil.

Private equity fund Winter Sky Investment has already invested over £50m in Soma’s project in exchange for a 30pc share of the company before the SFO investigation paralysed the company’s progress and oil prices plummeted from $100 a barrel to around $50 at current market rates.

The explorer’s shareholders paid $13m in mid-2015 to cover its development costs before injecting further capital into the company in November last year to cover it’s $15m spending plan for 2016.

Winter Sky declined to comment on whether further funding would be made available to the explorer.

The SFO launched its investigation into Soma last summer after leaked documents from the UN’s Somalia and Eritrea monitoring group alleged that the company made payments to the Somali government which were “improper, unlawful and give rise to a conflict of interest”, a claim which Soma has strenuously denied.

A spokesman for the company added that Soma has “fully and openly cooperated” with the SFO.

“Unfortunately, the delays by the SFO to complete its investigation in a timely manner continue to materially impact Soma’s costs and business opportunities,” he said, adding that it could not comment on questions surrounding the company’s solvency.

Telegraph

HARGEISA— Assistant minister for national planning and development welcomes Sudanese Humanitarian Aid & Development on Saturday at his office in Hargeisa.

The Sudanese Humanitarian organization came to Somaliland on working visit. The delegation is headed by Abdala Kharsam and has been in Somaliland for the past couple of days.

The two sides held fruitful discussion and focused on consolidating bilateral ties between the two countries. Humanitarian Aid & Development agency from Sudan will open working office and will support the country on education, health and agriculture projects. Sudan believes that the territorial sovereignty and integrity of Somalia is irreversible.

A former Somalia prime minister who lost a long U.S. court battle over accusations of killing and torture has died, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced Saturday.

The president called Mohamed Ali Samantar a “genius” who had done a lot for his country.

Samantar died in Virginia at age 85. The cause of his death was not specified.

He served throughout the 1980s under dictator Siad Barre as prime minister, vice president and defense minister before the regime was overthrown in 1991 by warlords, plunging the Horn of Africa nation into decades of conflict.

Samantar later moved to the United States, where he was sued by seven Somalis who accused him of personally ordering the killings and torture of members of the minority Isaaq clan.

After an eight-year legal battle that reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which rejected the argument that Samantar enjoyed legal immunity as a former foreign official, a judge in 2012 awarded $21 million to his accusers. While he accepted legal liability for the killings, he denied wrongdoing.

At the time, the San Francisco-based Center for Justice and Accountability, which represented the plaintiffs, called the ruling the first in the world to hold a leader in the Barre regime responsible for crimes it perpetrated.

Not long before the ruling, Samantar told The Associated Press that he could no longer afford the costly litigation and that his failing health made it difficult for him to defend himself.

AP