Dozens of families have been moved out of the ruined building

A project has been launched in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, to rebuild the country’s national library. Dozens of displaced families had been sheltering inside the building which has been badly damaged by decades of conflict. The project director, Zainab Hassan, told the BBC that thousands of students currently had no access to books.

Work on the new complex is expected to be finished in six months’ time at a cost of $1m (£600,000).

The money is coming from the Somali government as well as business people and civil society.

This is what the new building should look like

Already 20,000 books have been donated from the United States and around 60,000 are expected to come from Arab nations. Ms Hassan said she hopes the library will teach people to love reading. She admitted that a large proportion of Somalia’s culture and history is oral and has not been documented.

The building should restore Somalia’s history for future generations,” she said, adding that there was a need for knowledge among Somalis. Al-Shabab militants have been driven out of Somalia’s major towns, such as Mogadishu and the port of Kismayo, by a UN-mandated African Union force of some 18,000 soldiers.

Since then, many Somalis living in the diaspora have returned to help in the reconstruction of Mogadishu. However the militants have carried out intermittent attacks and suicide bombings on the capital in recent months and still control large parts of southern Somalia.

However the militants have carried out intermittent attacks and suicide bombings on the capital in recent months and still control large parts of southern Somalia

Source: BBC News

December 19, 2013:

Two American  business owners show how private investment is key in the global fight against poverty.

By Curtis S. Chin

FORTUNE — The names of the Somalis who work at the Aran Guest House in Mogadishu — one of the few in the city with security robust enough for overnight stays for international visitors — may well be little remembered by diplomats, aid workers, and the occasional businesspeople who pass through here.

And that’s unfortunate because their simple stories of employment as drivers, guards, cooks, waiters, and cleaning staff offer up a lesson for policymakers focused on how best to grow economies and address persistent poverty, whether in Africa or in Asia. Increasingly, the private sector, encompassing brave entrepreneurs as well as established, deep-pocketed corporations, can play a critical role in fighting poverty, and it can be done in a way that is quite frankly good for business — and far more sustainable than aid packages subject to donor fatigue and annual budget cuts.

That was certainly the story I heard when I had the chance to sit down with Alisha Ryu and David Snelson, the two American business pioneers behind the Mogadishu guesthouse and security firm, which employs nearly 40 Somali men and women, and by a conservative estimate, indirectly supports another 400 extended family members.

Ryu, a former combat journalist, and Snelson, a retired U.S. Army warrant officer, have been living and running their business in Mogadishu full-time since 2011. They were in the news recently for digging up and returning to the United States the remains of a helicopter shot down and made famous in the book and blockbuster Hollywood film Blackhawk Down. Both recount the American military raid to capture a Somali warlord in Mogadishu, which sparked a deadly battle that killed hundreds of Somalis and 19 Americans 20 years ago this October.

MORE: Nelson Mandela and the evolution of great leaders

Sadly, that battle was just one of many tragedies that has engulfed this restless, Horn of Africa nation. Since then, Somalia has been ravaged by clan warfare, and feared worldwide as a breeding ground for pirates and al-Shabaab militants. Al-Shabaab again captured global headlines with a terrorist attack on a landmark shopping mall in Kenya this September, killing more than 65 people.

Clearly, investing in Somalia is not for the fainthearted. The World Bank 2014 Doing Business report — the latest annual assessment of the ease of doing business in economies around the world — once again skips Somalia entirely. Lawlessness in many parts of the country and a general inability to gather reliable data are undoubtedly two factors why Somalia continues to be absent in the report.

But Ryu says she and Snelson took a calculated risk in opening a business in Somalia because they both had spent many years working in the country and knew the opportunities and the pitfalls well in advance.

“It was, and still is, our hope that by showing it is possible to do business in Somalia in a smart, knowledgeable way, others will follow our example,” Ryu says.

Both Ryu and Snelson note that whether in Asia, Africa, or the U.S., it will be small businesses and entrepreneurs — regardless of nationality — who will drive long-term change and job creation. “Business investments that can make money and simultaneously empower communities at the grassroots level are key to economic growth and the reduction of poverty-related violence in Somalia and everywhere else in the world,” Snelson says.

MORE: Bringing financial inclusion to the Horn of Africa

That is not to say that government cannot play a contributing and enabling role. In June, for example, the United States announced “Power Africa,” an initiative focused on increasing electricity access in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, and Tanzania. Companies such as General Electric (GE) and Symbion Power will reportedly complement the $7 billion initiative with an additional $9 billion in commitments.

Beyond electricity and other crucial infrastructure investments, however, much of Africa also needs a sustained commitment to battle corruption and cronyism.

For nearly four years, I served as the U.S. Ambassador to and board member of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) — an international financial institution focused on poverty reduction and infrastructure investments, much like its sister institution the African Development Bank — and there too, Ryu and Snelson’s message would have great relevance.

While development banks and aid agencies can provide incremental help, it is good governance and a strong rule of law that are critical to businesses and essential to drive long-term growth. Easier said, though, than done.

Time will tell if the efforts of people like Ryu and Snelson, and others, will be sustainable, particularly in the face of seemingly ever-worsening news out of Somalia.

One clear lesson from my time in both the corporate and diplomatic worlds is that the private sector must be a critical partner if we are to sustainably lift people out of poverty. Yet, too often, inept bureaucracy, poor or poorly enforced regulation, interventions by government and endemic corruption get in the way. These challenges of the “little bric” may well be a longer-term constraint to growth and one of the biggest impediments to building better lives for people everywhere, including in the most fragile and conflict-affected states in Africa and Asia.

Few may have the nerve, or the heart, to do what Ryu and Snelson are trying to do in Somalia — building a business that can turn a profit while promoting economic growth. But by creating jobs for three dozen Somalis who would otherwise be prey for pirates and religious extremists, perhaps they offer a bit of hope and an example that a small business can have an impact, regardless of how long or how fleeting, even in the most troubled places in this world.

Curtis S. Chin served as U.S. Ambassador to the Asian Development Bank under Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush (2007-2010). He is a managing director with advisory firm RiverPeak Group, LLC, and a board member of World Education Services and Community & Family Services International.

• Somali men carry the body of a Syrian doctor for transport to Madina hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2013. A Somali official says suspected al-Qaida-linked militants have ambushed a convoy carrying doctors near Somali capital, killing six people, three of them foreigners. Capt. Mohamed Hussein, a senior Somali police commander, said Wednesday the convoy came under attack in a semi-forested area outside Mogadishu, while on their way to give medical assistance to patients at a hospital. (AP Photo/Farah Abdi Warsameh)
Mogadishu: Fighters in Somalia shot dead three Syrian doctors and their three Somali colleagues on Wednesday as they travelled to a hospital outside the capital Mogadishu, an AFP reporter said.
Their bullet-riddled bodies were carried into Mogadishu’s Madina hospital after the attack on road leading from the capital to Afgoye, a town some 30km northwest of the capital.
Doctors at the hospital said the foreigners killed were Syrians. “We do not know the motive behind the attack. This has shocked us and made us very sad. It is very unfortunate to see our colleagues being murdered for unknown reasons,” said Abdul Rahman Mohammad Fiqi, the director of the hospital where the doctors worked.
“The Syrian doctors fled their homeland because of the civil war and came to us voluntarily to help and work with us as doctors,” said Fiqi.
One Syrian doctor was also wounded in the attack, which took place as the group travelled down the road towards Afgoye, a former stronghold of the Al Qaida-linked Al Shabab insurgents, before they were driven from the town in May 2012.
However, a senior Al Shabab official said they did not carry out the attack, although their fighters have often carried out shootings, bombings and suicide commando raids against government and international targets, including aid workers.
The region is awash with guns and multiple armed men and militia forces operate in the area, one of the most dangerous places in the world for aid workers.
Somalia has been riven by civil war since the collapse of the central government in 1991.
The Al Shabab have been driven out of Somalia’s major towns by a UN-mandated African Union force (Amisom).
However the Al Shabab still controls large swathes of southern Somalia as well as pockets of Puntland.
On Monday, a new chief of the AU force took over command, vowing he would lead the 17,700-strong force in a fresh offensive against the Al Shabab, with over 4,000 reinforcements expected.
With extra troops, “Amisom will be able to expand its area of responsibilities to liberate other locations, which are currently in the hands of Al Shabab,” said new commander Silas Ntigurirwa, a Burundian general.
Al Shabab claimed responsibility for an bloody attack in September on a shopping mall in Nairobi in retaliation for Kenya’s military intervention in Somalia.
Last week, 13 people were killed in four attacks in Kenya during week-long celebrations to mark the country’s 50th anniversary of independence.
Source: Gulf News

MOGADISHU, Somalia—The top United States State Department official for Africa is urging Somalia’s government to do more to protect its most vulnerable people, especially women, and to respect the rule of law.

Assistant Secretary of State Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who is visiting Somalia, said in a statement Saturday that Somalia’s long-term stability “requires more than just a security response to the threats posed by terrorists.”

The statement said the U.S. wants to see a Somali government that can protect its people.

Somalia’s government controls only small parts of the country and struggles to provide security and battle corruption, although there are signs of political progress following years of turmoil.

Somali lawmakers recently voted to oust the prime minister and his Cabinet, action seen by some as signaling the growth of Somalia’s institutions.

Source: AP

December 14, 2013

As al Shabaab is cleared from more parts of Somalia more information is getting out about how the Islamic terrorists operated when they controlled most of southern Somalia after 2009. As long suspected, al Shabaab financed its operations by “taxing” everyone, including the aid agencies that were trying to deal with a major famine. Al Shabaab kept raising the taxes and gradually the businesses and aid agencies left. This helped make the al Shabaab collapse in 2012 possible.
In northern Kenya, on the Ethiopian border, tribal fighting has caused several hundred casualties in the last week, with up to a hundred dead. All those involved are semi-nomadic herders who have feuded with each other for generations over access to grazing land and water. In the last two decades many have acquired cheap Cold War surplus weapons and the feuds have gotten bloodier. Efforts to disarm these tribes have not been very successful. The recent fighting pitted the traditional dominant tribe, the Borana, against the Rendille, Gabra and Burji. Kenya sent more troops to the area to separate the combatants and try to calm things down. The Borana have long been politically active and are currently backers of the ruling party in Kenya. Other tribes accuse the police and army of favoring the Borana, which does happen but often because the security forces trust the Borana more than the other tribes because of the political reliability of the Borana.
The latest international corruption rankings put Somalia, Afghanistan and North Korea at the bottom of the list, as the most corrupt countries on the planet. In Somalia the corruption is encouraged by the intense clan loyalties and the desire of high level officials to look out for their family and clan first and Somalia later, maybe. The inability of government officials to leave clan politics out of their decision making and halt the theft of government funds (nearly all if from foreign donors) has made unity and economic growth nearly impossible. The donor nations warn that without a crackdown on the corruption and the clan rivalries the foreign aid will be reduced and what does arrive will have a lot more conditions attached. These include bringing in foreigners to supervise the spending of the aid. If the foreign aid supervisors are unable to work because of threats and violence, the aid will stop. Most Somali leaders don’t believe the donor nations will completely withdraw and that the donors can be manipulated via media exploitation of Somalis suffering from famine and disease.
The donor nations are also angry about how the government is dealing with opposition or anti-corruption politicians. Murder is one of the tactics the governing parties are believed to be using to silence critics. The donor nations are also very upset at how the government has treated rape victims who went public. The victims were arrested and the government is trying to force the accusers to shut up. Somalis tend to view this sort of misbehavior as tradition and the way things have always been done.
There is growing sense of despair at the inability of Somalia to govern itself. Some Somalis (like al Shabaab) blame foreigners for interfering with Somalis internal affairs and manipulating Somalis into a state of chaos. But the majority of Somalis know that the problem is closer to home. Somalis have been battling each other, and their neighbors, for centuries. Disunity is nothing new. Corruption has long been the major flaw in Somali culture and the inability to cope with this has turned Somalia into one of the poorest and violent countries on the planet.
Then there’s always the clan (tribal) politics, and the inability of clan and warlord groups to compromise to form a united government. Not enough Somali leaders have accepted the fact that the old ways just are not working. Then again, many Somalis have a different concept of peace and prosperity. In times past, the losers in these tribal wars would all die, or be absorbed into the victorious tribe. But these days you have international relief efforts. So millions of Somalis are surviving on foreign aid. This refugee community produces more angry young men, ready to take up the gun and go get some tribal justice, or just get rich.
None of this is new, but the donor nations are getting tired to repetition. A decade ago Djibouti, Kenya and Ethiopia were advising various factions in the Somalia peace talks in Kenya about how to compromise and move forward. Back then Somali “traditions” had led to an inability to decide how the initial parliament would be formed. This would be the first government since 1991 and it seemed like an impossible dream. The problem was in determining who would get how many seats since, at that point, elections were not possible. Many of the warlords had an exaggerated view of their own power (political or military), and many withdrew from the final negotiations over allocating the parliamentary seats. Without the participation and agreement of all the major factions, the new national government would not work. It seemed impossible to make the Somalis compromise and cooperate. While the traditional clan leadership (a council of clan elders) was eager to establish a new government, mainly because the elders see their kinsmen dying from starvation and disease the powerful warlords (some of them led by Moslem clerics) the clan leadership did not have the firepower to force a settlement. The warlords caused death and fear as a matter of course, and only perk up when they see their power threatened. The warlords also knew that an effective national government could soon become powerful enough to defeat and kill or imprison the warlords. Djibouti, Kenya and Ethiopia each support, or dislike, some warlords more than others. Dealing with the warlords has always been the key to Somalia’s survival as a nation and ultimately the other nations in the region (especially Ethiopia and Kenya) had to send in troops to make it possible to establish a national government. While many of the warlords were persuaded to cooperate (or put out of business), they are still gangsters at heart and national unity is not a high priority for them.
December 12, 2013: In central Somalia (Beledweyne) fighting between rival clans left at least ten dead and nearly 20 wounded. In the central Somalia town of Baidoa a group of armed al Shabaab men attacked a government building without success.
December 11, 2013: The official investigation of the Westgate Mall attack in September was leaked. It admits that the four attackers may not have died but escaped during the chaotic effort to deal with the attack. The police did uncover a network of Somalis and non-Somalis in Kenya who aided the attackers and traced the movements of the four attackers in the months prior to the attack. The four crossed into Kenya in June and went to live in a Somali neighborhood in Nairobi. There they made their final preparations, including many visits to the mall to familiarize themselves with the place. The four days of shooting and explosions inside the mall were largely the result of incompetent leadership from the security forces. At least 67 people died in the mall and 27 remain unaccounted for. Officially, Kenya insists that the attackers were killed, but the police report admits that there is no definitive proof.
December 10, 2013: In northeastern Kenya police clashed with al Shabaab gunmen near the Somali border. Five policemen, three civilians and at least two Islamic terrorists were killed during the terrorist ambush. Two policemen are missing and presumed dead or captured.
December 7, 2013: : In central Somalia (the Bakool region) Ethiopian troops rolled into the town of El Barde to help the government garrison deal with local al Shabaab gunmen still operating in the countryside.
December 6, 2013: In Mogadishu al Shabaab fired several rockets at the sports stadium but there was little damage and no injuries. Elsewhere in the city an opposition Member of Parliament was killed by a bomb under his car. This took place just outside a heavily guarded government compound and opposition politicians accuse the government of being behind killings like this and efforts to shut down media outlets that do not agree with the government.
In south-central Somalia (Hiran) a peacekeeper from Djibouti was killed and another wounded as they attempted to disable a roadside bomb.
December 5, 2013: In the north (the port city of Bosaso in Puntland) a suicide car bomber attacked a military convoy, killing seven and wounding 37.
November 30, 2013: In Mogadishu a judge was killed. Such murders are believed to be the work of criminal gangs or Islamic terrorists, both of whom have an interest in convincing judges to be less enthusiastic in dealing with illegal activity.
November 28, 2013: In the north (Puntland) rebel clansmen attacked the convoy of the Puntland vice president. The attack failed and a soldier and either others (rebels and civilians) were killed. The Puntland government is trying to make peace in the area where the rebel clan operates and if that fails troops will be brought in.
November 27, 2013: In the central Somali town of Beledweyne police arrested over 500 people in the wake of an al Shabaab attack on the 19th. Peacekeepers sent into the area have moved out into surrounding areas taking control of four villages al Shabaab had been using as bases and keeping the pressure on the Islamic terrorists. The plan is to keep after the local Islamic terrorists until their supporters and the gunmen are all arrested or killed.

Source StrategyPage.com

EU Commissioner said , “EU doesn’t trust the corruption overburdened regime in Mogadishu”

Somalia, ex-Italian Somalia, is the most corrupt state in the world, according to the latest index compiled by the Berlin-based corruption watchdog Transparency International. U.N. and EU are trying to paint a dark picture of the corruption in Somalia, which could put off the countries that bankroll the country’s budget.
The reports highlighted all forms of corruption including political, financial, educational, administration and even human right abuses against minority. The political system in Somalia is corrupted and based on tribe; recently the Chairman of Central Bank of Somalia Ms. Yusr Abrar resigned after the president of Somalia Mr. Hassan Sheikh pressured her to authorize illegal money; no press freedom; even the international community manages the aid funds by itself without Somalia government involvement.
The USA and Italy sponsor the salaries of the military and police, where each of the two governments send own representatives to Mogadishu to distribute the salaries directly to the soldiers , hand-to-hand, because both governments don’t trust Mogadishu regime.
Recently, the EU Spokesman expressed anger over the recent allegations by Somalia’s Deputy Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Somalia Ms. Fouzia Adan accusing the EU for not funding Somalia government.
“The Statement of Ms. Fouzia Adan is untrue and we, the EU, spend millions of dollars in aiding Somalia. However, if Ms. Adan meant that EU doesn’t directly handover the funds to the central government of Somalia, than she is right because EU don’t trust the corruption overburdened regime in Mogadishu.” EU Spokesman concluded in response to the Ms. Adan’s allegations. — end
The government in Mogadishu is a decoration. It does not control outside Mogadishu. It does not provide basic services to its citizens and don’t protect them. The African Union forces (AMISOM) are fighting Al-Shabab terrorist not the nationalized militia of the Somalia government, who are named after Somalia National Military.
The official spokesman of AMISOM Mr. Abdi of Djibouti Forces criticized the undisciplined military of Somalia for not taking their role in the fight. “Somalia Military are undisciplined, corrupted and unable to manage or control the areas liberated from Al-Shabah.”. He went on saying
“ Somalia Military are selling the weapons donated to them by the international community to Al-Shabab terrorist groups.” He concluded his statement.
Al-Shabab is bribing the military and security officials of Somalia which resulted many serious security breaches including the suicide bomber near the Villa Somalia, who was newly recruited by the NSS of Somalia. Another example is the incident at Somalia Supreme Court where the security vacated their posts allowing Al-Shabab members to enter the court building.
The constitution of Somalia is based on an unfair distribution of power between Somalia tribes. It is called 4.5, where some tribes take loin’s share in the cabinet while others are left helpless because they are minority.
The dirty political money is on rise in Mogadishu, where each MP received $20,000 against voting out the former Prime Minister Mr. Saacid. The first hand reports unveiled widespread of corruption in the parliament and the president distributed the dirty money against Mr. Saacid. This is how Somalia politics work – either money or tribe.

As we know, there are no public schools in Somalia and even the Ministry of Education doesn’t have textbooks. There are privately owned schools in Mogadishu that provide poor and uncontrolled education. However, the Ministry of Education receives scholarships from outside world mainly Turkey government.
At the initial scholarship, the ministry granted the scholarships on tribal manner which forced the Turkish government to send its representatives to examine Somalian students.
After that Turkish government representatives are preparing the examination questions and distributing to the students on the examination site. They correct the examination in Turkey and results are announced online. This illustrates how untrusted is the government in Mogadishu.
Law enforcement and police is another black-spot in Somalia government, where the corruption is evident on both lower and higher level ranks.
Sports is another victim of Mogadishu corruption. In last Olympics, the Somalia Olympic Committee sent untrained and unskilled athletes. The Somalian footballers seek political or refuge asylum during tours to rich countries. Nephewsim plays important role in team selection process, where you can see the entire football team from one tribe or region.
Dirty money can do anything in Mogadishu, even can waive off the custom tax and even someone could be a Somalian citizens in five minutes as reported by Al-Jazeera channel whose reporter received Somalian passport against $100. This is how corruption humiliated the Mogadishu regime.
The Somalia justice system is politically motivates and corrupted. In Feb 2013, a rape victim Luul Ali and a journalist who interviewed her were both arrested and sentenced to one year in prison for making false accusation and “insulting a government body”, a case that captured world attention. – Somaliland Press.
Ali said she was the victim of gang rape in a highly publicized case allegedly involving armed men in the military uniform in Mogadishu. – Somaliland Press
There are no functioning departments in Mogadishu, no accountability and if there is unaudited authority ultimately there will be corruption.
Amateurishly, the international community is pouring billions of dollars despite all corruption reports and allegations, and neglecting the developing nations in the region like Somaliland.
Somaliland has established itself as irreplaceable partner in war-on-terror, security and economic development. Somaliland industries supply products to eastern Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia. It builds roads, bridges and provides respectful social services including free health and education to its citizens. Somaliland regulated a mature democracy without outside support, and earned international appreciation. U
Somaliland has Anti-Corruption Commission and Audit Bureau. Somaliland high-ranking officials declare their assets before the oath. The elected parliament of Somaliland grills the government officials. Every year, Somaliland President briefs the parliament on the current situation of the country.
The international community behavior in the region illustrates that Somalia is an open project which profits many armies and agencies, and must be kept open!
By\ Abdulaziz Al-Mutairi
Email: az.almutairi@yahoo.com

Alleged rape victims and journalists have been jailed after convictions they say are politically motivated.

A court in Somalia’s capital has handed down six-month jail sentences to a 19-year-old alleged rape victim and the journalist who interviewed her after convicting them on defamation charges brought by the accused.

The alleged rape victim – a reporter for the UN-funded Kasmo FM radio station – gave a video interview to Mohamed Bashir – a journalist for the Shabelle radio station – in which she alleged she was raped at gunpoint by other journalists working for state-owned Radio Mogadishu. The woman and journalist who interviewed her were arrested soon after those accused filed a defamation suit.

The alleged rape victim received a suspended six-month sentence and will be confined to her home. The director at Radio Shabelle also received a one-year prison term related to the case, and both journalists from the news organisation are required to serve their time in jail.

This was not a one-off case in Somalia: In February this year, Luul Ali and a journalist who interviewed her were both arrested and sentenced to one year in prison for making false accusations and “insulting a government body”, a case that captured world attention.

Ali said she was the victim of gang rape in a highly publicised case allegedly involving armed men in military uniform in Mogadishu. In February this year, Ali and the journalist who first interviewed her were arrested and sentenced to one year in prison for making false accusations and “insulting a government body”. The ruling was later quashed on appeal after sustained international pressure on the Somali government.

Ali’s decision to speak up was brave: In Somalia’s deeply conservative society, rape victims are usually looked down upon. Standing outside the courtroom flanked by her husband and her lawyers after one of the hearings, Ali declined to comment on her case to Al Jazeera.

The stigma attached to rape is deeply entrenched in Somali society, and it is difficult for male Somali journalists to speak with victims about rape. It is even more difficult for the female victims, since most of the country’s journalists are men.

“Anything involving sex is hard to cover in Somalia. It is easier to speak to bomb victims than rape victims,” said Mohamed Mohamud Dahir, a popular presenter at SKY FM.

“The consequences for the victim after she goes public can also be life-changing. If you interview her and people know who the victim is, she will be stigmatised and may never find a husband – or she may even be disowned by the society.”

Hard to verify

That’s not the only issue for journalists trying to report on rape and sexual violence in Somalia. “Some victims come to journalists six months after it had happened with no letter from a hospital, doctor or the police. Without evidence it is difficult for the cases to be reported by the media,” explained Mohamed Ibrahim, secretary general of the National Union of Somali Journalists. “If they report, journalists can get arrested and end up in prison – and some have already been arrested for doing that.”

With Somalia still in the midst of a civil war that has lasted for more than two decades, it is impossible to know the true extent of rape. The government and NGOs are only present in some areas of the country, and they often don’t agree on the prevalence of sexual attacks.

Representatives from non-governmental organisations – who asked to remain nameless to protect themselves from retribution – say thousands of women are raped in Somalia every year. Many of the NGOs report the cases without taking the alleged victims to hospitals, for medical tests, or to the police station.

Some NGOs – especially in Mogadishu and Hargeisa, the second-largest city – offer cash to victims to buy medication and pay for their transportation to health facilities. With extreme poverty in many of Somalia’s camps for internally displaced persons, and in the absence of stringent medical check-ups, false reports of rape are said to be common. Sex workers who are unable to buy HIV medication and contraception have been known to report cases of rape to obtain money to buy medicine.

“Occasionally there are fraudulent cases,” said Sagal Sheikh-Ali, programme coordinator at the Somali Women Development Centre. This has led to some NGOs changing the way they report incidences of sexual violence.

“In most instances when a rape takes place, we are called and informed of it. We send a team of caseworkers to visit the survivor, or ask the person contacting us to bring them to us if the survivor is able. Then we conduct an interview to find out about the incident, which is then followed with the survivor being taken to have a medical test. These steps provide enough evidence to suggest almost immediately if it is rape,” Sheikh-Ali added.

Exaggerated cases?

According to the UN, there were 800 cases of sexual and gender-based violence in Mogadishu during the first six months of 2013. In 2012, the UN recorded 1,700 cases across 500 camps for internally displaced people in the capital.

But local NGOs that collect sexual and gender-based violence data quote numbers that are far higher.

This has not gone unnoticed by the UN-backed government in Mogadishu. “We do not deny rape happens. But the numbers are exaggerated by people who want to tarnish the image of the government,” Ridwan Haji Abdiwali, Somalia’s government spokesman, told Al Jazeera.

“Sexual violence in all countries emerging from conflict is a problem, one the Somali nation is not exempt from. The federal government of Somalia takes sexual violence extremely seriously; it is something that is completely unacceptable in Somali culture, is against our laws, and has no place in the new Somalia.”

Those who have worked in Mogadishu say any statistics should be treated with much scepticism. “NGOs tell you one number, the government tells you that number is wrong and victims come to you without evidence months later. And we stay away because we can’t tell who is telling the truth. It is impossible to know the true extent of rape in Somalia.” Dahir said.

With journalists threading carefully around rape for fear of arrest or being duped, and NGOs and the government disagreeing on the prevalence of rape, the real victims of sexual and gender-based violence in Somalia will continue to suffer in the dark

Source: Al Jezeera

09/12/13

SEF London– The Managing Director of the Somali Economic Forum, Hassan M. Dudde was recently interviewed on the primetime Bloomberg TV programme; African Business Weekly whereby he highlighted and elaborated in depth the current economic prospects in Somalia.

Firstly, Hassan M. Dudde was questioned about the degree of political stability that Somalia has undergone recently especially with the utilisation of parliamentary constitutional methods to settle ongoing political issues. The SEF and Mr Dudde answered that they believe Somalia as a whole is benefiting from a renewed sense of security and optimism which has enabled skilled diaspora members to return. In addition, this increased vigour in economic and political fortunes of Somalia has had the combined effect of increasing the levels of inward Foreign Direct Investment and increasing the levels of business and consumer confidence within Somalia’s economy.

Moreover, Eleni Giokos, the host of the African Business Weekly programme inquired regarding the importance of remittances to Somalia’s economy and economic renaissance. In particular, the host touched on the recent landmark High Court ruling to keep Somali remittance companies open despite Barclays’ desire to close all of them. The Somali Economic Forum believe that the High Court ruling to enable Somali remittance companies to continue to operate is a positive and crucial step. The Somali Economic Forum believes that this ruling will enable people across Somalia to benefit from increased economic activity and continued diaspora investment to Somalia, especially considering that Somalia has one of the most economically active diaspora communities in Africa.

In addition, Hassan M. Dudde and the Somali Economic Forum detailed in great depth the recent natural resource boom in Somalia which has led to sustained interest in Somalia’s oil and gas sector.

As Hassan M. Dudde stated in the interview; “Somalia’s oil and gas industry is on the radar of all major multinational oil exploration firms and majors” and above all else is a sign that Somalia as an

economy is open for business. The Somali Economic Forum have documented that Somalia holds an estimated 100 billion barrels of oil. Due to this intriguing statistic the Somali Economic Forum believes that Somalia’s natural resources could prove to have a transformative effect on the general economy serving to increase job creation and FDI.

Finally, the host questioned the Somali Economic Forum regarding poverty alleviation and development in Somalia. As Hassan M. Dudde touched on so eloquently; Somalia as a nation is more than just another news story on poverty or extremism. Rather, Somalia as an economy is at a transformative stage and this media focus should therefore shift towards the rapid socio-economic change which is taking place across Somalia whereby there is increased investment, along with ever rising levels of FDI. Hassan M. Dudde touched on how the Somali Economic Forum’s key objective is to promote the positive economic trend that is taking place across Somalia and to bridge the information gap for local and international investors and stakeholders.

In particular, the Somali Economic Forum was able to successfully do this through the Somalia Investment Summit (SIS) held in Nairobi, Kenya in July 2013. Hassan M. Dudde touched on the next Somalia Investment Summit, which will be held in Dubai 2014. Tickets will be available on sale at the Somali Economic Forum website.

About Somali Economic Forum:

Somali Economic Forum, established in 2011 offers a platform for external stakeholders to discuss national economic and financial development opportunities within the State of Somalia. The forum has been evolved dynamically reflecting the changing economic landscape in the country and the region. With its second yearly consecutive editions held in London, UK and Somalia, the Somali Economic Forum has become the most influential, recurring economic and financial congress in the country.

Contact person

Mariam Farah

Admin and Communications Executive: +442078496897/+447717758007

Email: M.F@somalieconomicforum.org/ admin@somalieconomicforum.org/
To register your interest, visit the summit website at somalieconomicforum.org/events

Date: 8th Dec 2013

PRESS RELEASE

The Managing Director of the Somali Economic Forum, Hassan M. Dudde was recently interviewed on the primetime  Bloomberg TV programme; African Business Weekly whereby he highlighted and elaborated in depth the current economic prospects in Somalia.

Firstly, Hassan M. Dudde was questioned about the degree of political stability that Somalia has undergone recently especially with the utilisation of parliamentary constitutional methods to settle ongoing political issues. The SEF and Mr Dudde answered that they believe Somalia as a whole is benefiting from a renewed sense of security and optimism which has enabled skilled diaspora members to return. In addition, this increased vigour in economic and political fortunes of Somalia has had the combined effect of increasing the levels of inward Foreign Direct Investment and increasing the levels of business and consumer confidence within Somalia’s economy.

Moreover, Eleni Giokos, the host of the African Business Weekly programme inquired regarding the importance of remittances to Somalia’s economy and economic renaissance. In particular, the host touched on the recent landmark High Court ruling to keep Somali remittance companies open despite Barclays’ desire to close all of them. The Somali Economic Forum believe that the High Court ruling to enable Somali remittance companies to continue to operate is a positive and crucial step. The Somali Economic Forum believes that this ruling will enable people across Somalia to benefit from increased economic activity and continued diaspora investment to Somalia, especially considering that Somalia has one of the most economically active diaspora communities in Africa.

In addition, Hassan M. Dudde and the Somali Economic Forum detailed in great depth the recent natural resource boom in Somalia which has led to sustained interest in Somalia’s oil and gas sector.

As Hassan M. Dudde stated in the interview; “Somalia’s oil and gas industry is on the radar of all major multinational oil exploration firms and majors” and above all else is a sign that Somalia as an

economy is open for business. The Somali Economic Forum have documented that Somalia holds an estimated 100 billion barrels of oil. Due to this intriguing statistic the Somali Economic Forum believes that Somalia’s natural resources could prove to have a transformative effect on the general economy serving to increase job creation and FDI.

Finally, the host questioned the Somali Economic Forum regarding poverty alleviation and development in Somalia. As Hassan M. Dudde touched on so eloquently; Somalia as a nation is more than just another news story on poverty or extremism. Rather, Somalia as an economy is at a transformative stage and this media focus should therefore shift towards the rapid socio-economic change which is taking place across Somalia whereby there is increased investment, along with ever rising levels of FDI. Hassan M. Dudde touched on how the Somali Economic Forum’s key objective is to promote the positive economic trend that is taking place across Somalia and to bridge the information gap for local and international investors and stakeholders. In particular, the Somali Economic Forum was able to successfully do this through the Somalia Investment Summit (SIS) in Nairobi, Kenya in July 2013 and Hassan M. Dudde touched on how the next Somalia Investment Summit (SIS) will be based in Dubai on 7th-8th April 2014 with tickets currently on sale at the Somali Economic Forum website.

Mariam Farah

Admin & Communications

m.f@somalieconomicforum.org