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Horn of Africa

 

EU provides initial €171 million in humanitarian aid for Greater Horn of Africa region

EU provides initial €171 million in humanitarian aid for Greater Horn of Africa region

Ethiopia by IOM
© IOM

People in the Horn of Africa are facing mounting humanitarian needs as the region is plagued by multiple conflicts, climate extremes and economic shocks. Around 65 million are estimated to be in immediate need of assistance.

The EU announced today an initial allocation of €171 million in humanitarian aid to the region. This funding is in addition to €72 million already announced for Sudan. Overall, the total initial allocation for humanitarian aid to the Greater Horn of Africa in 2024 is €243 million.

The funding will support humanitarian projects in:

  • Djibouti (€500,000),
  • Ethiopia (€38 million),
  • Kenya (€11.5 million),
  • Somalia (€37 million),
  • South Sudan (€49.5 million), and
  • Uganda (€27.5 million).

A further €7 million will be allocated to disaster preparedness programmes across the region.

Main priorities for EU funding are (i) addressing the acute food and nutrition crisis in the region, (ii) improving access to basic services,  (iii) providing education, (iv) protection to children in humanitarian crises, and (v) setting up systems to help anticipate the impact of disasters through contingency planning and early action.

Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, stressed: “Multiple drivers of humanitarian needs in the Greater Horn of Africa continue to push vulnerable people to the brink. The funding announced today is a reflection of EU solidarity with the people in the region facing the most acute needs. It is intended to save lives and also help communities facing recurrent crises to build up resilience.”

Background

The acute food and nutrition crisis in the Greater Horn of Africa has a devastating impact on tens of millions of vulnerable people. At the same time, there is large-scale forced displacement, both within countries and across borders. Uganda, Sudan and Ethiopia host the highest numbers of refugees in Africa.

Displaced populations continue to be highly dependent on external assistance for their survival. At the same time, returnees face significant obstacles and often do not benefit from minimal conditions of safety and security. The region is also grappling with the impact of climate shocks and El Nino, oscillating between extremes especially in some parts of Ethiopia and Somalia, from a prolonged drought to floods.

The humanitarian situation in Ethiopia continues to be characterised by multiple and often overlapping crises driven by conflicts, climate hazards, epidemics and the macro-economic situation. According to the Global Humanitarian Overview, there are 20 million People in Need in Ethiopia.

The legacy of the northern conflict requires priority attention. A scale-up of reconstruction and resilience-building actions is urgently needed. The conflicts in Amhara and Oromia are driving up humanitarian and protection needs. Violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) are being reported and access for humanitarian partners is constrained.

Cycles of drought and floods continue to affect different parts of the country, eroding people’s coping strategies and increasing their hardships. There are close to 3.5 million IDPs and more than 970,000 refugees, including recent influxes from Sudan, who require humanitarian relief and protection.

Kenya is now hosting close to 700,000 refugees and asylum seekers, with the government moving towards an integrated settlement policy – with refugees and hosts communities having equal access to services.

EU support will focus on the provision of basic services and multi-purpose cash assistance to address the basic and protection needs of the most vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers, 

In Somalia, millions of people were already displaced before the onset of the drought and more have been forced to do so by drought, floods, conflict and insecurity to reach 3.8 million internally displaced. There are challenges in reaching communities.

4.3 million people – almost 1/4 of the population – remain acutely food insecure. An estimated 1.5 million children under the age of 5 are estimated to suffer from acute malnutrition.

EU humanitarian funding will focus on life-saving activities for populations recently displaced by acute crises, those in hard-to-reach areas and those exposed to catastrophic or very high levels of food insecurity and epidemic outbreaks.

In South Sudan, about 20% of the population is currently displaced due to continued conflict, intercommunal violence and non-receding flooding.

EU support will focus on lifesaving interventions, notably in case of new violence-related displacements (including the consequences of the conflict in Sudan), epidemic outbreaks, natural hazards and climate shocks, targeting the most vulnerable.

Uganda is Africa’s largest refugee-hosting country with close to 1.6 million refugees, including more than 926,000 from South Sudan. Every month, thousands of new refugees fleeing conflicts and natural hazards mainly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan are increasing the pressure on the Ugandan refugee-hosting model.

EU support will prioritise life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable refugees and their host communities, with continuous efforts to meet their basic and protection needs

Chinese Maritime Interests in the Indian Ocean

 Source: Sea Control posted on 24 March 2024 a 27-minute podcast titled “Chinese Maritime Interests in the Indian Ocean with Commodore Venugopal Vengalil” hosted by Nathan Miller.  

This conversation with retired Indian Commodore Vengalil, a member of the Chennai Centre for China Studies, took place on 5 February.  He reviews the history during the 21st century of the PLA Navy’s shift from an exclusive near sea focus to a significant interest in the far seas and the need to protect China’s interests throughout the Belt and Road Initiative region.

Commodore Vengalil discusses the challenges, especially the long line of communications, for the PLAN in the Indian Ocean to exercise sea control with questionable ability to access ports during hostilities.  He analyzes the capability of the Chinese fleet, which is large but with significant handicaps that limit its ability to project power.  

His remarks are based on a paper published by the Chennai Centre for China Studies on 2 December 2023 and titled “Assessment of Chinese Maritime Interests in Indian Ocean Region.”

An explosion near a police station in northern Kenya has killed 4 people, including 3 officers

An explosion near a police station in northern Kenya has killed 4 people, including 3 officers


Source: AP, Tuesday March 26, 2024



Kenyan armed soldiers are seen after an explosion at a small hotel in Mandera, Kenya, Monday, March. 25, 2024. Authorities in Kenya say that an explosion at a small hotel located near a police station in the northeast of the country has killed four people. Three of the victims were police officers. The blast in the town of Mandera on Monday wounded several others. (AP Photo/Omar Noor)

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — An explosion at a small hotel located near a police station in northeastern Kenya killed four people, including three officers, and wounded several others on Monday, authorities said.

The blast in the town of Mandera, which is on the border with Somalia, was caused by an improvised explosive device that had been planted at the hotel and was detonated as a crowd of people sat down to eat breakfast, police said.

Mandera police chief Samwel Mutunga said that two of those wounded were in critical condition and would be flown to the capital, Nairobi.

Investigators have blamed east Africa-based extremist group al-Shabab for the attack. The group, which hasn’t claimed responsibility for the explosion, has staged major attacks in Kenya and neighboring Somalia.

The latest attack followed another one on Sunday in coastal Kenya’s Lamu County, where two police reservists were killed.

The area has a forest, which has often been the site of security operations because it’s a known hideout of al-Shabab militants.

During a police operation in Garissa County on Sunday, officers recovered materials to make IEDs, an AK-47 rifle and two magazines. Three people escaped during the raid.

The area is near the Kenya-Somalia border, from where militants have in the past infiltrated and launched attacks.

The Kenyan government had last year announced plans to reopen the border with Somalia, but later postponed the reopening because of extremist attacks.

Somali government welcomes UN Security Council’s call for urgent Gaza ceasefire

Somali government welcomes UN Security Council’s call for urgent Gaza ceasefire


Source: Tuesday March 26, 2024

Mogadishu (HOL) – The Somali government has welcomed the United Nations Security Council’s (UNSC) demand for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the release of all hostages.

In a press release issued on Monday, the federal government stated that the Security Council’s adoption of Resolution No. 2728 is a commendable step towards fostering peace and stability in the region.

“As a responsible member of the international community, Somalia urges robust support and commitment from all stakeholders to ensure the success of this resolution,” the statement said.

Somalia vehemently advocates for an end to the conflict in the Gaza Strip, the safe return of displaced people to their homes, and the realization of a viable two-state solution. The statement emphasizes that sustainable peace and security in the region can only be achieved through genuine dialogue and mutual respect.

The resolution calls for an immediate ceasefire for the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which ends in two weeks, and also demands the release of all hostages seized in the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7.

Can the ICC Treat Starvation in Sudan as a War Crime?

Can the ICC Treat Starvation in Sudan as a War Crime?

 Source: Just Security published on 19 March 2024 an analysis titled “Does the ICC Have Jurisdiction Over the Starvation War Crime in Sudan?” by Tom Dannenbaum, associate professor of international law at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. 

As starvation becomes a more serious threat in Sudan, the author reviews the legal arguments concerning the International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction.  He concludes there is considerable ambiguity, and the key is for those with leverage to use it to pressure the Sudan Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces to facilitate humanitarian access and to cease using starvation as a weapon of war. 

Sudan Is One of Worst Humanitarian Disasters in Recent Memory

Sudan Is One of Worst Humanitarian Disasters in Recent Memory

 Source: Aljazeera published on 20 March 2024 an article titled “Sudan One of the ‘Worst Humanitarian Disasters in Recent Memory,’ UN Warns.”

More than 18 million Sudanese are facing acute food insecurity and more than 8 million are internally displaced or refugees in neighboring countries because of the continued fighting between the Sudan Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces.  Efforts to arrange a ceasefire have failed.  Sudan may slip into the world’s largest hunger crisis. 

The Forgotten War: BBC Coverage Inside Sudan

The Forgotten War: BBC Coverage Inside Sudan

 Source; BBC TV ran a 6-minute clip on 19 March 2024 titled “Millions Face Starvation in Sudan as Warring Factions Block Aid Delivery.”

This coverage is one of the few occasions when a Western media organization has reported recently from inside Sudan, including Khartoum and Omdurman.  The clip makes the point that media coverage of the situation in Ukraine, Gaza, and now Haiti has drowned out the horrific situation in Sudan. 

Somaliland President Muse Bihi and Waddani Party chairman discuss peaceful elections

Somaliland President Muse Bihi and Waddani Party chairman discuss peaceful elections


Source: Hiiraan Online, Thursday March 21, 2024

Hargeisa (HOL)—Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi and the chairman of the Waddani Party, Adirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro, discussed the upcoming elections, focusing on ensuring peaceful competition and defending the existence of the breakaway Somaliland region.

The former President of Somaliland, Dahir Riyale Kaahin, organized Wednesday’s meeting, which also addressed the political discord between the opposition Waddani Party and President Bihi, who also leads the ruling party of Somaliland.

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According to a press release from the presidential office, both parties agreed to unite against threats to Somaliland, emphasizing the importance of conducting the election campaign peacefully and accepting the election results. They also decided to hold further meetings within the next three days to discuss these implementation points further.

President Muse Bihi expressed gratitude to former President Dahir Rayale Kaahin for facilitating the meeting and promoting the common interests of Somaliland.

Two weeks before the meeting, President Bihi signed two amended electoral laws: the Electoral and Voter Registration Law (number 91/2023) and the Regulation of Organizations and Political Parties Law (number 14/2023). Following this, the chairman of Somaliland’s National Electoral Commission (SLNEC) informed local media that the commission is fully prepared for the dual elections scheduled for November 13, 2024.

Ethiopia security forces arrest 50 suspects for alleged terror activities in Addis Ababa

Ethiopia security forces arrest 50 suspects for alleged terror activities in Addis Ababa


Source: Hiiraan Online, Thursday March 21, 2024


The suspects were found in possession of various weapons, currency notes from different countries, bank books, and other documents (Photo: Ethiopian Federal Police/Facebook)

Addis Ababa (HOL) – The Joint Security and Intelligence Task Force has apprehended 50 people suspected of belonging to a covert group plotting terror and violence in Addis Ababa city and the bordering areas of the Oromia region.

According to a statement released on Tuesday, the task force revealed that the group had been planning acts of terror. Recent coordinated efforts by regional and federal security forces thwarted the group’s attempts to incite chaos and violence in the Amhara region.
The clandestine group reportedly operated from bases in Addis Ababa and Menjar Shenkora in the North Shoa zone of the Amhara region. They allegedly trained a special armed force and collaborated with certain followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, using church premises as a center for their covert activities.

After secretly monitoring the suspects for five months, security forces seized various weapons, including firearms and explosives, as well as currency from different countries, bank records, and assorted documents.

During the operation, security forces arrested Nigatu Gebreyesus, also known as Abraham, identified as the group’s leader, along with Fasil Getachew and Tewolde Birhan, who were responsible for finance, logistics, and resource mobilization.

The statement also implicated Dawit Woldegiorgis, former military personnel, and media personalities Habtamu Ayalew and Mesay Mekonnen as coordinators of the covert group based in foreign countries.

They were alleged to have established connections with an armed group led by former opposition party leader Eskindir Nega. Additionally, the statement mentioned Wendosen Aseffa (PhD), assistant professor Sisay Awugechew, and Yordanos Aleme, who had been imprisoned since August 2023, as previous group leaders.

UN weather agency issues ‘red alert’ on climate change after record heat

News|Climate Crisis

UN weather agency issues ‘red alert’ on climate change after record heat

Source; The World Meteorological Organization warns there is a ‘high probability’ that 2024 will be another record-hot year.

Heatwave
A fire rages in bushland near the West Australian city of Wannaroo, north of Perth during a heatwave [DFES/AP]

Published On 19 Mar 202419 Mar 2024

The United Nations’ weather agency is sounding a “red alert” about global warming, citing record-breaking increases last year in greenhouse gases, land and water temperatures and the melting of glaciers and sea ice.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in a report released on Tuesday that there is a “high probability” that 2024 will be another record-hot year and warned that the world’s efforts to reverse the trend have been inadequate.

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The Geneva-based agency voiced concerns in its State of the Global Climate report that a crucial climate goal is increasingly in jeopardy: limiting planetary warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) from pre-industrial levels.

“Never have we been so close – albeit on a temporary basis at the moment – to the 1.5C lower limit of the Paris Agreement on climate change,” said Celeste Saulo, the agency’s secretary-general. “The WMO community is sounding the red alert to the world.”

The 12-month period from March 2023 to February 2024 pushed beyond that 1.5-degree limit, averaging 1.56C (2.81F) higher, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.

It said the calendar year 2023 was just below 1.5C at 1.48C (2.66 F), but a record-breaking start to this year pushed the 12-month average beyond that level.

INTERACTIVE-RECORD_HEAT

“Earth’s issuing a distress call,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said. “The latest State of the Global Climate report shows a planet on the brink. Fossil fuel pollution is sending climate chaos off the charts.”

Omar Baddour, WMO’s chief of climate monitoring, said the year after an El Nino event – the cyclical warming of the Pacific Ocean that affects global weather patterns – normally tends to be warmer.

“So we cannot say definitively that 2024 is going to be the warmest year. But what I would say: There is a high probability that 2024 will again break the record of 2023, but let’s wait and see,” he said. “January was the warmest January on record. So the records are still being broken.”

A child stands at the yard of his house as a wildfire burns, in the village of Agios Charalampos, near Athens, on July 18, 2023. - Europe braced for new high temperatures on July 18, 2023, under a relentless heatwave and wildfires that have scorched swathes of the Northern Hemisphere, forcing the evacuation of 1,200 children close to a Greek seaside resort. Health authorities have sounded alarms from North America to Europe and Asia, urging people to stay hydrated and shelter from the burning sun, in a stark reminder of the effects of global warming. (Photo by Aris MESSINIS / AFP)
A child stands in the yard of his house as a wildfire burns in the village of Agios Charalampos, near Athens, Greece on July 18, 2023 [Aris Messenis/AFP]

The latest WMO findings are especially striking when compiled in a single report.

UN reports 35 percent increase in people affected by South Sudan violence

Source: UN reports 35 percent increase in people affected by South Sudan violence

New report says civilians are bearing the brunt of a surge in intercommunal conflict in pockets of South Sudan.

South Sudan
South Sudanese who fled from Sudan sit outside a nutrition clinic at a transit centre in Renk, South Sudan [File: Sam Mednick/AP Photo]

Published On 19 Mar 202419 Mar 2024

The number of people affected by violence in South Sudan surged by 35 percent in the last three months of 2023 due to intercommunal conflict, the United Nations has said.

The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) documented 233 incidents of violence affecting 862 people. In a report released on Monday, it said 406 people were killed, 293 were injured, 100 were abducted and 63 were subjected to conflict-related sexual violence.

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There was a 35 percent increase in the number of victims reported from the previous quarter.

The report also said that intercommunal violence by community-based militias or civil defence groups accounted for 86 percent of all civilians affected.

More than half of those affected by the violence were caught up in retaliatory attacks related to the border dispute between rival factions of the Dinka ethnic group – the Twic Dinka from Warrap state –  the main hot spot for conflict – and the Ngok Dinka from the oil-rich region of Abyei, with 263 killed and 186 injured, the report said.

“Intercommunal conflict continues to cause immense harm to communities across the country,” Nicholas Haysom, the head of UNMISS,  said.

South Sudan is to hold elections later this year, the first since a 2018 peace deal between President Salva Kiir Mayardit and his former rival, Riek Machar, that ended a five-year conflict that killed hundreds of thousands.

Violence caused by ethnic tensions and disputes over resources such as land has increased in various parts of the country in recent months, particularly in Abyei.

Straddling an ill-defined border between Sudan and South Sudan, Abyei has been claimed by both countries since South Sudan declared independence from Sudan in 2011.

Haysom urged the South Sudan government to intervene and “resolve underlying grievances and build peace”.

Outrage Among Journalists: Somali Media Council’s Illegitimate Appointments Threaten Press Freedom

Source. Horn of Africa Observer, Thursday March 14, 2024 – 22:18:21 in Latest News by Horn Observer Contributor

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) was utterly surprised by today’s decision of the Council of Ministers, which proposed nine individuals for the Somali Media Council in clear violation of the legal provisions outlined in Article 14 of the amended media law of 2020.

According to Clause 14(1), the Somali Media Council should comprise nine members: three from public/state media, three from private media, and the remaining three from civil society, including the National Human Rights Commission, National Women’s Organization, and the Somali Bar Association.

Notably, the law erroneously refers to the National Human Rights Commission as a civil society organization, even though it is a statutory body established by law and cannot be considered as a civic society organization. More alarming is the absence of the National Human Rights Commission in the country, yet all nine positions required by law (including the commission’s representation) were filled and submitted to the Council of Ministers. Typically, changing the National Human Rights Commission’s representation would require a law amendment through a parliamentary process.

Clause 14(2) asserts the Somali Media Council’s independence from political and government interference. However, the journalist community was shocked to find a politician (a former senator) among the nine names presented to the Council of Ministers, blatantly compromising the Council’s independence and credibility and exposing it to political influence.

Furthermore, Clause 14(4) mandates that the Somali Media Council’s formation involves consultations among the Minister of Information, media organizations, National Union of Somali Journalists and civil society. Regrettably, these consultations did not occur, and the process was conducted in secrecy, marked by a lack of transparency and neglect of essential perspectives.

“We are profoundly appalled. Having previously raised alarms about the repressive provisions within this amended media law, we are utterly astounded to witness the selection of its nine members through such an unlawful process. While we acknowledge the presence of some colleagues within these nine who possess genuine credibility and integrity in the media, it is beyond belief that nominations were made in complete violation of the law,” stated Omar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ Secretary General.

Clearly, this Somali Media Council was not legally instituted, and therefore it holds no legal standing in the eyes of the law. The approval of such individuals by the Council of Ministers constitutes an unlawful act that could endanger press freedom and completely discredit the Somali Media Council.

NUSOJ, having previously declined to be a member of the media council, has a principled stance and calls on Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre to annul the endorsement of these illegally constituted Council members and to ensure strict adherence to the law. The country and the media community cannot afford a new and unnecessary press freedom crisis.

As custodians of the law of the land, NUSOJ appeals to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to intervene and refrain from signing this illegally composed media council into a presidential decree, as would normally be required by law. Instead, the union urges the President to ensure that the law, even if it is considered flawed, is respected and press freedom is upheld.

Dropped Charges Against Former Somali Region President Reinforces Impunity


Source. Human Right’s Watch, Saturday March 16, 2024
By Laetitia Bader

Dropped Charges Against Former Somali Region President Reinforces Impunity



Front gate of Jail Ogaden, May 2019.  © 2019 Felix Horne/Human Rights Watch

This week, Ethiopian authorities dropped all charges and released Abdi Mohamoud Omar, also known as “Abdi Illey,” the former president of Ethiopia’s Somali region, after serving more than five years in prison. The action is a setback to ending impunity for crimes involving senior officials.

State media reported that Ethiopia’s Ministry of Justice took the action for the “sake of public interest.”

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Federal officials initially arrested Abdi Illey in 2018 for “violations of human rights and inciting ethnic and religious conflict in the Somali region,” and charged him in 2019 for his role during his last days in office, when Somali youth groups loyal to him and Somali regional special forces, called the “Liyu police,” attacked non-Somali groups. The charges also covered the destruction of churches and property in the Somali regional capital of Jigjiga.

But the authorities never brought charges against Abdi Illey for crimes during his decade of abusive rule.

As regional security chief in 2006, and president from 2010-2018, Abdi Illey oversaw and commanded the Liyu police. Human Rights Watch documented that the Liyu police frequently committed serious rights abuses against civilians throughout the Somali region during counterinsurgency campaigns, including extrajudicial killings, torture, and rape, as well as reprisals against local communities. 

In 2018, Human Rights Watch reported on the abuses during Abdi Illey’s rule, notably the pattern of torture and abuse in Ethiopia’s notorious Jail Ogaden, where prisoners were denied access to adequate medical care, family, lawyers, and at times, food. Former prisoners implicated Liyu police members, prison guards, and senior Somali region officials in rape, and widespread and routine torture, from which some detainees died. Abdi Illey himself was known to regularly visit the prison.

For victims of abuse under Abdi Illey’s rule, the decision to drop the charges is a devastating blow.

A 42-year-old former prisoner at Jail Ogaden told us: “We cannot forgive him for what he and his [Liyu] police have done to our people. He has destroyed a generation… He must face justice for what he has done.”

By failing to hold Abdi Illey to account for the many rights violations during his rule, the Ethiopian government is sending the message that impunity remains the order of the day.

With the government reportedly just weeks away from launching a nationwide transitional justice policy, the authorities need to reverse course and demonstrate a willingness to tackle accountability for serious abuses.

Central Bank of Somalia orders freeze on accounts of 16 people sanctioned by US Treasury

Central Bank of Somalia orders freeze on accounts of 16 people sanctioned by US Treasury


Source: Hiiraan Online, Saturday March 16, 2024

Mogadishu (HOL) – The Central Bank of Somalia has ordered the country’s banks to freeze the funds of 16 people and companies sanctioned by the United States Treasury for laundering money for the al-Shabab group.

The Central Bank on Friday instructed the local banks to terminate any previous business relationships and close the business accounts of the sanctioned people to manage terrorist financing risks.

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Last week, the Treasury said the “expansive business network” was part of an international fundraising and money-laundering web for the al-Qaida-linked group operating in Somalia and designated a terrorist organization by Washington.

The targeted entities include Dubai-based fintech Haleel Commodities LLC with branches and subsidiaries in Kenya, Somalia, Uganda and Cyprus.

UAE-based Qemat Al Najah General Trading, which served “as an important money laundering node in the network,” and a Kenyan bus company that supported al-Shabaab’s logistics were also slapped with sanctions.

UAE to form Emirati foreign legion with 3,000 recruits to boost military capabilities in Yemen, Somalia

UAE to form Emirati foreign legion with 3,000 recruits to boost military capabilities in Yemen, Somalia


Source: Hiiraan Online, Saturday March 16, 2024



FILE – Three armed mercenaries from private military company Spear Operations Group are seen on a mission in Yemen. The unit hired by the United Arab Emirates, is said to be responsible for political assasinations. CREDIT: Grey Dynamics

Mogadishu (HOL) – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is reportedly constructing a new elite military unit reminiscent of the French Foreign Legion. According to global defence analysts Intelligence Online, the force will comprise at least 3,000 foreign recruits and aim to bolster the Emirates’ military capabilities. A former French special forces officer is leading the initiative, and recruitment is scheduled between mid-2024 and 2025.

The recruitment process, managed by an Abu Dhabi company, promises well-paid jobs to young men and signifies a notable shift in the UAE’s defence strategy. This new force, dubbed the Emirati Foreign Legion, will reportedly be deployed in Yemen and Somalia, where the UAE has vested interests but faces considerable security challenges. 

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The UAE’s engagement in East Africa, particularly through military and economic means, has been a cornerstone of its foreign policy. The Emirates’ involvement has ranged from training Somali soldiers to establishing military bases and engaging in extensive humanitarian and infrastructure projects. Analysts say the plans align with the UAE’s broader goal of projecting power and countering threats across the region, particularly from Iran-aligned groups like the Houthi movement in Yemen and terrorist factions such as Al Shabaab in Somalia.

The UAE’s presence and actions in the region have sparked controversy. Its military operations and alliances, particularly those supporting non-state actors and engaging in regional politics, have sometimes been at odds with the interests of traditional allies and local sovereignty. 

The UAE has come under fire recently for its support of the Sudanese paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), in its war against the Sudanese army. The UAE has vehemently denied that it is arming the group despite a leaked UN report that said it had “credible” evidence that the Gulf country was providing military support “several times per week” via Amdjarass in northern Chad.

Establishing the Emirati Foreign Legion also raises questions about the evolving nature of international military cooperation and private military contracting. The UAE government’s recruitment of foreign soldiers directly for an indefinite period introduces new dynamics into international defence relationships and mercenary practices.

By operating in the shadows, bypassing conventional military channels, and employing foreign nationals under largely obscured conditions, the UAE is forging a new path that might redefine the boundaries between national armies and private military forces. 

The latest initiative is set against a backdrop of previously rorted clandestine activities, as evidenced by the UAE and Egypt’s alleged secret recruitment and training of nearly 3,000 young Somali men in November 2022. The secretive nature of these recruitment drives, coupled with the lack of transparency and accountability, raises significant ethical and legal concerns.

Somalia’s newfound military cooperation with Turkey will also represent a paradigm shift in regional alliances and directly challenge the UAE’s strategic ambitions. The Somalia-Turkey defence agreement, ratified swiftly by Mogadishu, grants Turkey significant military leverage in the region, undermining the UAE’s previous efforts and investments. This agreement, coupled with Ethiopia’s engagement with the breakaway Somaliland state, has recalibrated the balance of power, prompting the UAE to reassess its strategy in the Horn of Africa.

The United Arab Emirates has a record of employing foreign military expertise for its defence and security operations. In 2011, the UAE collaborated with Erik Prince, the controversial founder of Blackwater, to establish a battalion called Reflex Responses, or R2, comprising 800 foreign soldiers. This unit was primarily tasked with internal security, executing special operations, and safeguarding vital assets, such as oil pipelines and high-rise buildings. Prince expanded his role by forming an elite military force under Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed. This force marked the UAE’s initial foray into foreign military engagements, participating in conflicts in Syria and Yemen.

Additionally, Prince and a former South African special forces officer named Lafras Luitingh would go on to create the Puntland Maritime Police Force with funding from the UAE before the New York Times exposed Prince’s involvement, leading the Emiratis to shut down the Reflex Responses program.

Reactions to this development have been mixed. France, witnessing its former military personnel spearhead this new unit alongside the global defence community, is watching closely. The French Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, and the Defence Intelligence and Security Directorate (DRSD) are reportedly investigating the matter, highlighting potential concerns about the implications of this move for regional security and international norms.

Somalia has 99% of $2bn debt cancelled in major boost to fragile recovery

Somalia has 99% of $2bn debt cancelled in major boost to fragile recovery


Faisal Ali
Source: TheGardian, Friday March 15, 2024

The Paris Club, a collection of some of the world’s wealthiest creditor nations, has announced the cancellation of 99% of Somalia’s debt, in a major boost as the country continues its fragile economic recovery from an ongoing three-decade conflict.

In a statement released by the Paris Club, which is run by senior officials from the French Treasury, Somalia’s creditors, including the US, UK, Russia, Norway, and Japan, announced the cancellation of $2bn owed to club members as of January 2023.
The Paris Club said part of the debt would be waived on a “voluntary and bilateral basis” between individual countries that Somalia had borrowed from and the rest under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC), an IMF and World Bank scheme to support poorer countries with unsustainable debt levels.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Somalia’s finance minister, Bihi Eged, said: “Achieving full debt relief will transform Somalia’s future and allow our government to create fiscal space for basic public services.” Somalia’s information minister, Daud Aweis, said on X that the agreement marked a “big milestone in the country’s journey to financial recovery”.

Kristalina Georgieva, the managing director of the IMF, also welcomed the breakthrough, calling it a “major stride towards economic development and poverty reduction” for Somalia.

The British ambassador to Somalia, Mike Nithavrianakis, said the UK, one of Somalia’s lenders, was ready “to honour our commitment to full debt relief”.

Somalia qualified for debt cancellation under the HIPC last December, making it eligible for up to $4.5bn of debt relief and beginning the normalisation of its relations with international financial markets after three decades of exclusion.

The HIPC initiative helps countries that are laden with debt to restructure their budgets, improve transparency and target poverty reduction, in preparation for debt relief.

The decision by the Paris Club represents the first major step toward financial normalisation for Mogadishu following the HIPC programme.

Welcoming the December completion of the HIPC programme in a column for the Guardian, the country’s president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, said: “Somalia’s debt relief journey was no simple task; it took nearly a decade, three different administrations, two presidents and four finance ministers to attain debt relief from the boards of the World Bank and IMF on 13 December.”

“Debt relief,” he said, “is just the beginning of real change for Somalia.”

The majority of Somalia’s debt was accumulated during the years of Siad Barre’s military dictatorship, which collapsed in 1991, with interest accruing on the loans since then.

Uweis Abdullahi Ali, an economist at the Heritage Institute, a Mogadishu-based thinktank, said the debt relief “is a big achievement for Somalia and allows [it] to begin re-engaging with credibility with international financial markets”.

Ali added that although Mogadishu was now able to access a wider array of concessional loans, grants and more financial instruments to help finance delivery of public services, the government should strengthen its ability to domestically generate revenue.

“The government should prioritise the new fiscal space for expanding essential services such as education and health and other productive investments that will bear fruit to the domestic economy.”

Ethiopia releases former Somali region president Abdi Iley, signals reconciliation

Ethiopia releases former Somali region president Abdi Iley, signals reconciliation


Source: Hiiraan Online, Friday March 15, 2024



Addis Ababa (HOL) – Ethiopia’s justice ministry announced the release of Abdi Mohamed Omar, also known as Abdi Iley, the former president of the country’s Somali region, after five years of incarceration. State media reported that the charges against him were dropped “for the sake of people’s interest,” marking a step toward national reconciliation amid ongoing internal conflicts.

Abdi Iley’s arrest in August 2018 came amid severe unrest in the Somali region, a volatile area marred by ethnic violence and political instability. His detainment followed deadly clashes in Jijiga, the regional capital, and surrounding areas, resulting in significant casualties and displacement. The 2018 violence, triggered by the Ethiopian military’s intervention, marked a peak in the region’s ongoing turmoil.

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Accused of inciting violence and overseeing human rights abuses, Abdi’s leadership faced intense scrutiny. Rights groups and victim accounts have linked his regime to widespread misconduct, including the use of force against political adversaries and civilians.

The termination of Abdi’s charges by the Ethiopian government highlights its current approach to resolving the nation’s deep-rooted ethnic tensions. This move aligns with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s broader political reform and national healing agenda.

Simultaneously, Kinfe Dagnew, a former head of the military corporation, was released. Arrested on similar grounds in 2018, Kinfe’s release, alongside Abdi’s, reflects the intricate challenges of Ethiopia’s political and social landscape.

Despite being Ethiopia’s second-largest region, the Somali region remains one of its most tumultuous. The 2018 clashes and subsequent military presence underscore the ongoing struggle between governance and regional autonomy.

The decision to free Abdi Iley has stirred varied responses, underscoring Ethiopia’s complexity of balancing justice with reconciliation efforts. This move raises questions about accountability and the path forward for those impacted by the Somali region’s strife.

The narrative also draws attention to personal stories emerging from the unrest, such as Rahma Mohamud Haybe’s release, a former official under Abdi’s rule, and a young boy detained during the Jijiga riots. These accounts add a human element to the broader political discourse and further illustrate the profound human impact of Ethiopia’s ethnic and political conflicts.

Sudan army general rules out Ramadan truce unless RSF leaves civilian sites

Sudan army general rules out Ramadan truce unless RSF leaves civilian sites

Source: Aljazeera, Sudan general rejects truce after UNSC calls for cessation of hostilities during the Islamic holy month.

Sudanese girls who have fled from the war in Sudan gather under a shade at a Transit Centre for refugees in Renk
Girls who fled the war in Sudan seek shade at a transit centre for refugees in Renk, South Sudan on February 15, 2024 [File: Luis Tato/AFP]

Published On 10 Mar 202410 Mar 2024

Senior Sudanese Armed Forces General Yasser al-Atta has said there will be no truce in Sudan during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan unless the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group leaves the homes and sites of civilians.

The statement follows an appeal by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for a truce during Ramadan, which begins this week. The RSF said it welcomed the truce call.

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Al-Atta’s statement, issued on the army’s official Telegram channel on Sunday, cited recent military advances by the army in Omdurman, part of Sudan’s wider capital.

It said there could be no Ramadan truce unless the RSF complied with a commitment made in May last year at Saudi and US-mediated talks in Jeddah to withdraw from civilian homes and public facilities.

It also said Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the RSF leader commonly known as Hemedti, should not play a role in Sudan’s future politics or military.

The statement follows the UNSC’s appeal for a respite from the 11-month-old conflict during Ramadan, which is expected to begin on Monday or Tuesday, depending on the sighting of the crescent moon.

Fourteen countries on the 15-member council on Friday backed the resolution proposed by the United Kingdom, with only Russia abstaining from the vote.

The resolution called on “all parties to the conflict to seek a sustainable resolution to the conflict through dialogue”.

Fighting between the army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF erupted in mid-April 2023.

Tens of thousands of people have since been killed, 8.3 million have been forcibly displaced, and the UN says nearly 25 million people – half of Sudan’s population – are in need of aid

MV Abdullah, carrying 23 crew, seized by pirates heading towards Somali coast

MV Abdullah, carrying 23 crew, seized by pirates heading towards Somali coast


Source_ Hiiraan, Thursday March 14, 2024



Mogadishu (HOL) –  Somali pirates, who hijacked the Bangladesh-flagged ship MV Abdullah from the Indian Ocean on Tuesday, are taking the vessel towards the Somali coast, with 23 sailors onboard currently held hostage. Rescue operations have been initiated following the crew’s broadcasted plea for assistance.

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A map from the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) details the hijacked ship’s course, indicating it is 72 miles from Garakad, Somalia. At its current speed, the MV Abdullah is expected to reach Somali waters within a day or two. The hijacking occurred approximately at 1:30 p.m. Bangladesh time, as the vessel was transporting 50,000 tonnes of coal from Maputo, Mozambique, to Al Hamriyah in the UAE.

The pirates who hijacked the vessel demanded a $5 million ransom for the ship and its 23 crew members, or threatened to kill everyone.

KSRM Group’s media consultant, Mizanul Islam, confirmed the safety of all crew members aboard the hijacked ship in a statement to United News of Bangladesh, noting, “The ship should arrive at the Somali anchorage by Friday morning.” He emphasized that efforts are underway to ensure the safety and eventual release of the crew.

The ship, operated by SR Shipping, was en route from Mozambique to Dubai at the time of the attack. The owners have publicly acknowledged the hijacking and are actively pursuing the sailors’ release.

This incident recalls a similar event from December 5, 2010, when the MV Jahan Moni, another ship belonging to the same company, was seized by Somali pirates in the Arabian Sea. That ordeal involved the capture of 25 Bangladeshi sailors and 26 others, including the captain’s wife, who was held hostage for 100 days before their release on March 14, 2011, following negotiations. They were returned to Bangladesh the subsequent day.