Somalia: Balad, Afgoye farmers to rehabilitate Saboon barrage

By Abdirashid M. Dahir

Committee for Balad and Afgooye farmers has decided to carry out renovation works on Sabuun barrage near Jowhar, visiting the drainage basin supplying into the barrage at Hawadley point on April 23.

Farmers who truck their agricultural products mainly to Mogadishu have reeled under dry Shabelle River for a month. Haji Nasir Ali Ahmed from Afgoye and Balad Cooperative farmers Society said, the farmers of the two Shabelle would repair former facility that in the past stored water for the irrigation of farmland hectares.

Ethiopia – Government Announces New Flood Prevention Measures [Floodlist]

Ethiopia’s National Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency has announced that the government has set up new measures to protect inhabitants from river flooding in flood-prone areas as the country expects above-normal rainfall in the annual rainy season, locally known as the “belg” rains.

Top commissioner Mitiku Kasa revealed that preparations are underway to shield residents in Aftaki area in Somali region, Woldia town in Amhara region, South Omo and Siltee zones in Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s state, towns around River Awash in Oromia region, and Mille and Gawane areas in Afar region, Ethiopian News Agency reported on 15 April.

Somalia – Flash Floods in 2 Regions Leave 9 Dead

Torrential rainfall in Somalia has triggered deadly flash floods in 2 regions of the country in the last week. Despite the recent rainfall, many parts of the country, in particular northern areas, are suffering from the worst drought in years. UNICEF recently announced it is providing 50,000 households with access to safe water.

Flash Floods in Awdal Region

Heavy downpours brought flash floods to northwestern town of Dilla on 07 April, leaving six people dead and injuring nine others, Awdal Governor Mohamud Ali Saleban has confirmed.

The rain and flooding continued for hours, wreaking havoc in the town and inundating vast tracts of land. The torrential rain is a dramatic swing from the drought conditions that have affected the area where deaths from malnutrition have been reported since March this year.

Somalia: Puntland sets model in war on terror

By Abdirashid M. Dahir

Puntland troops are building up momentum against vile Al Shabaab terrorism without external military assistance. This can be described as a Somali-style role model set for Somalia’s Federal Government (SFG), which has ironically tried to keep at bay menace of terror at a time when thousands of peacekeepers from troop contributing African countries are at its disposal. 

Puntland has to combat terrorism with Somalia Government, given how our brave soldiers encircled Al Shabaab fighters on two frontlines. Definitely, I call the model ‘excellent combat experience template’ that deserves to be emulated for similar encounters in central and southern Somalia.  

Victory may be a bane of existence for some but I salute, media workers beaming photos of Puntland machinegun bursts echoing against remnants. As of Friday, fighting was clattering sporadically in Suuj where I was told, that government troops are ‘neutralizing’ (killing or injuring) terrorists hiding in deep pits.

Somalia women: Happy International Women’s Day

By Abdirashid M. Dahir

I want to use the occasion of International Women’s Day to heap praise on the contribution of our women both at home and abroad. Somali women have been at the forefront in fight against poverty and long-dragging hostility in many parts of the country.

We got women entrepreneurs everywhere, who are really willing to make a difference, far ahead of some men addicted to narcotic leaves of Khat, widely sold throughout Somalia. I am sure, there’s a big difference and by day, things take different forms for women and girls.

Until recently, the notion of sending girls into school was more modest among Somalis, except for less conservative ones and Diaspora returnees. Thanks to accelerated awareness, now even we debate on the issue of improving girls’ enrollment at schools to more staggering number than it’s today.

And Somalia Proposal in Crisis

By Abdirashid M. Dahir

Election format for 2016 is facing hurdles as parties do lack very intermediaries who could put the long running political saga to an end. Now, the future is bleak for 4.5 power sharing formula, given Puntland’s strong opposition to any process giving due to controversial yet appeasing 4.5 representation now only for the proposed Lower House.

International Community representatives are pushing for what seems to be a pet project in their mandate. It should have been registered with interest both in Mogadishu and Garowe, however as of today, we don’t see any viable compromise between the two camps dealing with the future of millions in a country that had largely been synonymous with the disgusting headline of ‘failed state’ in international media.

Happy New Year…A major challenge ahead of Somalia in 2016

By Abdirashid M. Dahir 

Al Hamdulilah (Praise be to Allah). 2015, in fact was both a good and period full of political turbulence for Somalia if you look at different dimensions in economy and politics from a realistic perspective. To be honest, there is a challenge waiting for Somalia to brace up in this year. On the first day, I am glad to wish you a happy New Year, the coming of 2016 once more. 

One needs to say that Somalia is recovering more than what analyst penned in various pieces in 2015. I see a very recovery, because Somali political leaders are today able to give at least, even if we deem it a lip service, some hope to the extent ‘democracy is debated’.