he Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) expresses profound concern over the apparent compromise of SJS Secretary of Information and Human Rights, Mohamed Ibrahim Bulbul’s phone devices, a matter that has recently come to our attention. Since his unlawful detention on 17 August, 2023, plain-clothed national intelligence officers confiscated Bulbul’s devices. Officers from the police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had requested...
ICRC visits over 300 detainees in Laascaanood following recent clashes
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) conducted its inaugural visit to more than 300 detainees in Laascaanood on Thursday, August 31. The detainees were captured during the latest bout of confrontations between the Somaliland army and SSC Khatumo forces over last Friday. On August 25, local SSC Khatumo forces, with the support of...
Russia starts grain deliveries to Africa
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday that “the practical work” on supply of Russian grain to six African countries has already begun. Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Eritrea, Mali, Somalia, and Zimbabwe will each get 50,000 tons of grain free of charge in the coming months, he said at an event in...
Building Bridges: Somalia’s journey to East African Community continues
After the conclusion of the arduous negotiationsthat took place in Nairobi in August 22-30, 2023 leading up to Somalia’s potential admission into the esteemed East African Community (EAC), I am filled with a sense of optimism and gratitude. The tireless efforts and unwavering commitment displayed by all parties involved have brought us one step closer...
Idris Elba and other stars name gorillas in Rwanda
New-born baby gorillas in Rwanda have been named – one by Hollywood star Idris Elba and his wife – in a much-vaunted annual event to promote conservation and tourism. The naming ceremony, known as Kwita Izina, has been taking place in Kinigi, a small town beneath gigantic volcanoes. This is home to rare mountain gorillas...
Drama in battle for Kenya’s big sugar factory
The battle for control of Kenya’s main sugar-producing factory has taken a dramatic turn this week. Mumias Sugar, partly owned by the government, has been in trouble since 2019 and has been seeking new investment. It has become ugly with various tycoons, including some from Uganda, wanting to gain control of the company. President William...
The Multidimensional Significances of Somalia’s Integration into the East African Community (EAC)
The recent decision by Somalia to join the East African Community (EAC) has emerged as a key development in the region. It can be noted that the implications of this significant integration process resonate deeply within the country and its population, and that the relation between Somalia and other EAC aligned states is vital as...
One in four people in Somalia have now fled their homes
“The city of Baidoa earned the nickname the ‘city of death’ because so many people died here during the famine and civil war in the early 1990s. People still die here.” A quarter of all people in Somalia are now displaced by drought and conflict, Islamic Relief says based on the latest official data, as...
Somalia and Djibouti rally behind Djibouti’s Diplomat for key ATMIS role
The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), formerly AMISOM, is in the midst of deciding its next deputy leader. This development within the commission, led by Moussa Faki Mahamat, has caught many eyes.advertisements The position went vacant in late 2022 after the departure of South Africa’s interim officer, Fiona Lortan. Since then, both Somalia...
Refunds for Kenya troops in Somalia up 93pc to $48m
Kenya received Ksh6.98 billion ($48.04 million) in reimbursement for its troops fighting Al Shabaab militia in Somalia in the financial year that ended June, which translates to a 93 percent jump ahead of full withdrawal from the peacekeeping mission in under two years. The refunds from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (Atmis), formerly...