Weekly wrap-up, Wednesday 8 May, 2024
Here is a recap of the main events of the week:
Security and the fight against Al-Shabaab
On May 2nd, in Djibouti, Somali Policeman Commissioner Gen. Sulub Ahmed led the graduation ceremony for the 20th batch of the Somali Police Darwish Unit. These officers have completed a 3-month policing course. They are now expected to return to Somalia and assume their duties.
Mogadishu residents protested this week in the Kaaraan district following the killing of police officer Sayid-Ali Abdi Adde at his residence in Boondheere district, allegedly by government forces. The motive for the killing remains unclear. Protesters, including the officer’s family, demanded justice and the arrest of those responsible, vowing not to bury him until their demands are met. Sayid-Ali Abdi Adde, a young officer trained with the Eritrean army, had been involved in government operations against Al-Shabaab.
In another related incident, a senior police officer, Colonel Adan Omar Ahmed (Aden Biit), was also killed in Mogadishu this week by gunmen at a restaurant near the heavily guarded School Polizia camp. The gunmen escaped before police arrived, and no arrests have been made so far in connection with the murder. Local media sources reported that Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack. These incidents contribute to a worrying trend of targeted killings in Mogadishu in recent weeks.
According to Somali state media, a government operation conducted in Somalia’s Bay region this week resulted in the elimination of two Al-Shabaab fighters identified as Abdullahi Aliyow and Najib Abdisalan. They were responsible for tax collection for the group.
Politics, Governance, Economy, and Development
Somalia and Turkey bolstered their cooperation this week with Somalia’s cabinet approving a judicial cooperation agreement. According to state media, the agreement aims to improve collaboration on legal matters, including extradition and prisoner transfers. This agreement follows an incident in November involving the son of Somalia’s President, Mohamed Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who was involved in a fatal road accident in Istanbul, resulting in the death of a Turkish citizen. It remains unclear whether this incident influenced the agreement.
This week, 30 new judges, selected from a pool of 2000 candidates through a competitive vetting exam, were sworn in Mogadishu in the presence of Somalia’s Chief Justice, Bashe Ahmed. The new judges will commence their duties at the Regional Banadir Courts.
Somalia’s Prime Minister, Hamza Abdi Barre, has signed performance assessment sheets this week with 15 members of his Cabinet, evaluating their performance over the past four months and outlining objectives for the upcoming period. This action aims to enforce stringent accountability standards, according to the Prime Minister’s office. Additionally, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of each minister diligently fulfilling the obligations outlined in the 2024 strategic plan of the DanQaran Government.
Somali Deputy Prime Minister Salah Jama discussed bilateral relations with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan at the 15th Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in Banjul, Gambia, this week. They emphasized strengthening ties and addressed global concerns, including the Israeli war on Gaza. Jama also engaged with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov on climate change and preparations for COP29.
This week, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), representing nearly 30 African member states, voiced support for Somalia’s nomination of Fawzia Yusuf Adam as Chairperson of the African Union Commission for the 2025-2028 term, as per Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). This endorsement came following discussions during the preparatory meeting of foreign ministers for the 15th session of the OIC’s Islamic Summit Conference in Banjul, Gambia. Somalia’s campaign for Fawzia Yusuf Adam began earlier this year, challenging contenders like Kenya’s Raila Odinga and Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, signaling an increasingly competitive race for the AUC Chair position.
This week, Somali local media reported cemetery exhumation reports in Mogadishu’s Hamar Jajab district amid land disputes. Families were relocating the remains of their loved ones buried in the cemetery due to fears of a government directive to demolish the Policia School Cemetery. Among those exhumed was the late comedian Abdi Muriidi Dheere (Ajakis), with his family citing rumors of impending demolition. Conflicting reports suggested the land may be used for a Somali navy training facility with Turkish assistance or private real estate development. This situation mirrors the ongoing land disputes, such as the former firefighters’ base now a residential area which has sparked controversy in the city with the government issuing eviction notices to the occupants of the firefighters’ base while they complained they have no where to move to and the government did not provide them with relocation plans. These conflicts highlight challenges in Mogadishu’s reconstruction post-civil war.
This week, Somali federal government leaders bid farewell to the outgoing UN Special Representative to Somalia, Catriona Laing. President Hassan Mohamud and Prime Minister Hamza Barre both separately hosted a farewell meeting for her and praised her for her “exceptional role in strengthening the bond between Somalia and the UN”, according to state media reports. Laing’s tenure, notably shorter than her predecessors raised questions about her early departure, with criticisms surrounding her perceived prioritization of UK interests over UN duties and alleged meddling in regional Somali politics.
This week, the US Senate ratified Richard Riley as the new American Ambassador to Somalia, replacing Larry Andre, who has served as the United States Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary envoy to the Horn of Africa nation since January 2022. Prior to this appointment, Riley served at US embassies in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, the UK, China, Russia, and Yemen.
Somaliland declared this week its refusal to grant Turkish access to its coastline following a recent defense agreement between Somalia’s federal government and Turkey. Dr. Isse Keyd Mohamud, Somaliland’s Foreign Minister, emphasized in a BBC Somali interview that Turkey would be denied access to Somaliland’s waters, underscoring Somaliland’s control over its maritime domain and dismissing concerns about Somalia’s authority in the area. Mohamud also noted progress on Somaliland’s January 1st Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ethiopia, stating that it is nearing finalization. Additionally, he downplayed the significance of the April 30th Doha Declaration, which expressed support for Somalia’s territorial integrity.
This week, Somalia and Kenya strengthened their ties by signing multifaceted agreements during the third meeting of the Somalia-Kenya Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC) in Nairobi. Led by Somali Prime Minister Hamza Barre, the delegation included high-level ministers such as Foreign Affairs Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi and Education Minister Farah Sheikh. The agreements cover crucial areas such as education, defense, foreign affairs, security, economic cooperation, trade, and social services, marking a pivotal moment in Somalia-Kenya relations, according to Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Security discussions focused on combating the armed group Al-Shabaab along the shared border and curbing illegal trade.
Humanitarian and other issues
This week, heavy rainfall from Somalia’s Gu season caused flooding in Beledweyne, displacing families. The overflow resulted from recent downpours in Ethiopia’s Hiiraan and Somali State regions, filling the Shabelle River. Somalia’s Disaster Management Agency (SODMA) warned of potential displacement of 770,000 people nationwide due to the Gu rains but, fortunately, no casualties have been reported. SODMA forecasts heavy rainfall from May 7th to May 16th in Hiiraan, Gedo, Jubba, and Middle Shabelle regions, posing risks to human and animal populations. Specifically, districts like Dolow, Luuq, Bu’ale, Jilib, Beledweyne, Bula-burde, Jalalaqsi, Mahaday, Jowhar, and Balcad are at high risk of flooding. Authorities urge residents to stay alert and prepare. According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), over 163,400 people have been affected, and at least 37,120 displaced in Hirshabelle, Jubaland, and South West states due to the ongoing Gu season rains.
On May 1st, Somalia’s Federal and State-level health authorities, alongside UNICEF, disclosed that the reported cholera cases in Somalia for 2024 have tripled compared to the same period in the past three years. There is mounting concern that this cholera outbreak could result in more fatalities. UNICEF Somalia has announced the deployment of 1.4 million vials of the oral cholera vaccine across Somalia to address the surge in cases.
On May 3rd this week, the National Disaster Management Agency (SODMA) dispatched 10 trucks carrying essential relief supplies to Eji village in Hirshabelle State, where recent inter-clan clashes have displaced people. Commissioner Mahamuud Moallim appealed to locals to refrain from escalating violence, emphasizing the risk of exacerbating a humanitarian crisis amidst ongoing floods and other disasters in the region.
Amnesty International called for a war crimes investigation this week after reporting that Turkish drone strikes, conducted in collaboration with Somalia’s military, killed 23 civilians, including 14 children, in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region. The airstrikes, which occurred on March 18th near Bagdad village, also injured 17 civilians. Amnesty’s findings, based on interviews, satellite imagery, and weapon fragment analysis, prompted calls for both Turkish and Somali authorities to investigate the incident. Türkiye, which maintains a military base in Somalia and supplies drones to combat Al-Shabaab, has not responded to Amnesty’s inquiries. The incident highlights concerns about civilian casualties in Somalia due to drone strikes, raising questions about their effectiveness and the need for government accountability.
