UN Agencies Welcome Launch of Regulatory Body for Somali Livestock Exports
NEW YORK, 8 MAY 2003 (UN)--Two United Nations agencies have welcomed the launch of an initiative to set up a board to support the development and export of Somali livestock and meat products, through an improved system of disease surveillance, inspection and certification.
The UN Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org/">UNDP) and the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/">FAO) commended the formation of a Somali Livestock Board that could help the industry to meet the requirements of importing countries of disease-free livestock and meat products originating from Somalia. It also reflects the desire of Somalis to safeguard the quality and integrity of their herds and flocks, the agencies said.
The initiative was launched at the beginning of this month under the auspices of the Somali Business Council (SBC) of the United Arab Emirates at a meeting in Dubai, where the Somali business community, including livestock and meat traders, met with Somali authorities from the Transitional National Government, Somaliland and Puntland, and with representatives from importing countries in the Middle East.
UNDP said given the critical importance of livestock sector to the Somali economy, the establishment of the Board as a regulatory authority had potential for improving the livelihoods of both rural and urban dwellers in that country.
END.
Friday, May 09, 2003
SOMALIA: Second phase of peace talks to conclude next week
NAIROBI, 9 MAY 2003 (IRIN) - The organisers of Somali peace talks in Kenya say a plenary session will start next week to conclude the second phase of the conference.
A spokesman told IRIN that the recommendations of six technical committees would be submitted to the plenary for discussion.
However, wrangling continued on Thursday over proposals contained in the reports, and especially over the controversial issue of a federal charter. A harmonisation committee is supposed to be pulling the various reports together, although faction leaders have opposed this committee saying it is made up of "outsiders".
A Somali source told IRIN that the leaders' objection is "another attempt to take control of the talks". "They basically want everything to originate from them, before it is submitted to the plenary for discussion," he said.
Meanwhile, the issue of delegate seats to the plenary continues to be controversial. Earlier this week, conference organisers tried to evict 175 would-be delegates from the conference site, saying donors would no longer pay their expenses.
The organisers, mandated by the regional Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), had previously given the 175 notice to leave, saying they were not official delegates.
Witnesses told IRIN that armed police stood by, while personnel of the conference venue dragged mattresses and possessions from rooms. However, the 175 have maintained their protests and have not yet left the conference.
[ENDS]
NAIROBI, 9 MAY 2003 (IRIN) - The organisers of Somali peace talks in Kenya say a plenary session will start next week to conclude the second phase of the conference.
A spokesman told IRIN that the recommendations of six technical committees would be submitted to the plenary for discussion.
However, wrangling continued on Thursday over proposals contained in the reports, and especially over the controversial issue of a federal charter. A harmonisation committee is supposed to be pulling the various reports together, although faction leaders have opposed this committee saying it is made up of "outsiders".
A Somali source told IRIN that the leaders' objection is "another attempt to take control of the talks". "They basically want everything to originate from them, before it is submitted to the plenary for discussion," he said.
Meanwhile, the issue of delegate seats to the plenary continues to be controversial. Earlier this week, conference organisers tried to evict 175 would-be delegates from the conference site, saying donors would no longer pay their expenses.
The organisers, mandated by the regional Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), had previously given the 175 notice to leave, saying they were not official delegates.
Witnesses told IRIN that armed police stood by, while personnel of the conference venue dragged mattresses and possessions from rooms. However, the 175 have maintained their protests and have not yet left the conference.
[ENDS]
SOMALIA: UN hails new livestock trade initiative
NAIROBI, 9 May 2003 (IRIN) - The United Nations has welcomed a new initiative to support the development and export of Somali livestock and meat products.
The initiative setting up a common Somali Livestock Board (SLB) was launched under the auspices of the Dubai-based Somali Business Council, according to a press statement by the UN Development Programme for Somalia and the Food and Agriculture Organisation.
The meeting earlier this month brought together the business community and representatives from the Transitional National Government, the self-declared republic of Somaliland and the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, along with representatives of the importing countries.
Through an improved system of disease surveillance, inspection and certification, the SLB could help the industry meet the requirements of importing countries for disease-free livestock and meat products originating from Somalia, the statement noted.
[ENDS]
NAIROBI, 9 May 2003 (IRIN) - The United Nations has welcomed a new initiative to support the development and export of Somali livestock and meat products.
The initiative setting up a common Somali Livestock Board (SLB) was launched under the auspices of the Dubai-based Somali Business Council, according to a press statement by the UN Development Programme for Somalia and the Food and Agriculture Organisation.
The meeting earlier this month brought together the business community and representatives from the Transitional National Government, the self-declared republic of Somaliland and the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, along with representatives of the importing countries.
Through an improved system of disease surveillance, inspection and certification, the SLB could help the industry meet the requirements of importing countries for disease-free livestock and meat products originating from Somalia, the statement noted.
[ENDS]
SOMALIA: UN hails new livestock trade initiative
NAIROBI, 9 May 2003 (IRIN) - The United Nations has welcomed a new initiative to support the development and export of Somali livestock and meat products.
The initiative setting up a common Somali Livestock Board (SLB) was launched under the auspices of the Dubai-based Somali Business Council, according to a press statement by the UN Development Programme for Somalia and the Food and Agriculture Organisation.
The meeting earlier this month brought together the business community and representatives from the Transitional National Government, the self-declared republic of Somaliland and the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, along with representatives of the importing countries.
Through an improved system of disease surveillance, inspection and certification, the SLB could help the industry meet the requirements of importing countries for disease-free livestock and meat products originating from Somalia, the statement noted.
[ENDS]
NAIROBI, 9 May 2003 (IRIN) - The United Nations has welcomed a new initiative to support the development and export of Somali livestock and meat products.
The initiative setting up a common Somali Livestock Board (SLB) was launched under the auspices of the Dubai-based Somali Business Council, according to a press statement by the UN Development Programme for Somalia and the Food and Agriculture Organisation.
The meeting earlier this month brought together the business community and representatives from the Transitional National Government, the self-declared republic of Somaliland and the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, along with representatives of the importing countries.
Through an improved system of disease surveillance, inspection and certification, the SLB could help the industry meet the requirements of importing countries for disease-free livestock and meat products originating from Somalia, the statement noted.
[ENDS]
Thursday, May 08, 2003
SOMALIA: Puntland peace talks underway
NAIROBI, 8 MAY 2003 (IRIN) - Talks are underway to end conflict in the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, northeastern Somalia, Puntland's acting information minister told IRIN on Thursday.
Abdishakur Mire Adan said the talks - being held in the commercial capital Bosaso - between his administration and "the armed opposition" led by General Ade Muse Hirsi were "going very well".
Ade Muse, an ally of the rival claimant to the Puntland presidency, Jama Ali Jama, arrived in Bosaso on Monday. This followed a three-month mediation effort by Boqor Usman Aw Mahmud and Sultan Sa'id Sultan Abdisalam, both elders from the disputed region of Sanaag, said Abdishakur. MORE
NAIROBI, 8 MAY 2003 (IRIN) - Talks are underway to end conflict in the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, northeastern Somalia, Puntland's acting information minister told IRIN on Thursday.
Abdishakur Mire Adan said the talks - being held in the commercial capital Bosaso - between his administration and "the armed opposition" led by General Ade Muse Hirsi were "going very well".
Ade Muse, an ally of the rival claimant to the Puntland presidency, Jama Ali Jama, arrived in Bosaso on Monday. This followed a three-month mediation effort by Boqor Usman Aw Mahmud and Sultan Sa'id Sultan Abdisalam, both elders from the disputed region of Sanaag, said Abdishakur. MORE
Wednesday, May 07, 2003
Huseen Aideed Announces Run for Somalia Presidency
NAIROBI, 6 MAY 2003 (VOA)--Somali warlord Huseen Aideed Tuesday declared his intention to run for the presidency of his war-torn country. His announcement comes as delegates at a reconciliation conference in Kenya are working to select an interim leader for Somalia.
Mr. Aideed, a former U.S. Marine and the son of the famous Somali warlord Mohamed Aideed, says he wants to become the first president of the re-united republic of Somalia.
"My intentions are that I support the federal system but that it should be done through referendum. And that [there should be] a commission of by independent intellectual Somalis, outside and inside, to study very carefully the borders of the federal [state]," he said. "And the Somali population has the responsibility, not the politicians [to decide] what type of federal [state] we should have."
Speaking to reporters in Nairobi Tuesday, he outlined his vision for Somalia.
"Once elected, I promise to lead our beloved country towards reconciliation, reconstruction and to build a Somali society based on the ideals of democracy, economic prosperity and social justice for all Somalis," he said. "I promise to build a society that respects and upholds the reality of the Somali culture and tradition." MORE
NAIROBI, 6 MAY 2003 (VOA)--Somali warlord Huseen Aideed Tuesday declared his intention to run for the presidency of his war-torn country. His announcement comes as delegates at a reconciliation conference in Kenya are working to select an interim leader for Somalia.
Mr. Aideed, a former U.S. Marine and the son of the famous Somali warlord Mohamed Aideed, says he wants to become the first president of the re-united republic of Somalia.
"My intentions are that I support the federal system but that it should be done through referendum. And that [there should be] a commission of by independent intellectual Somalis, outside and inside, to study very carefully the borders of the federal [state]," he said. "And the Somali population has the responsibility, not the politicians [to decide] what type of federal [state] we should have."
Speaking to reporters in Nairobi Tuesday, he outlined his vision for Somalia.
"Once elected, I promise to lead our beloved country towards reconciliation, reconstruction and to build a Somali society based on the ideals of democracy, economic prosperity and social justice for all Somalis," he said. "I promise to build a society that respects and upholds the reality of the Somali culture and tradition." MORE
Horn of Africa now a key target for US ‘war on terror’
BEIRUT, 6 MAY 2003--BEIRUT: Not too long ago a man named Issa al-Hayatt carrying a South African passport was lying in the Kaysaney Hospital in downtown Mogadishu, the lawless capital of Somalia, a constant battleground between clan-based warlords. Around about March 11 or 12, he’d been shot in what appeared to be an attempt by militiamen to kidnap him. On March 18, six armed men, identified as Americans by witnesses, swept into the ward with several local militiamen, including a translator, and dragged away the man known as Issa.
They drove him out to Aisaley Airport near Mogadishu, put him aboard an aircraft which had flown in the Americans the day before, and took off for Nairobi, capital of neighboring Kenya, where he was placed under arrest by the country’s anti-terrorist police unit.
A few days ago, the man known as Issa was formally handed over to US authorities as a suspected member of al-Qaeda. Kenya’s National Security Minister, Chris Murungaru, named the man as Suleiman Abdalla Salim Hemed, believed to be a Yemeni but who also held Somali and Tanzanian passports. The minister said he was believed to be a high-ranking Al-Qaeda operative who was linked to the Nov. 28 suicide bombing of the Paradise Hotel in the Indian Ocean resort of Mombasa, in which 11 Kenyans and three Israelis perished, and the August 1998 bombings of the US embassies in Nairobi and Dar-es Salaam which killed 231 people, 12 of them American. THE DAILY STAR.
BEIRUT, 6 MAY 2003--BEIRUT: Not too long ago a man named Issa al-Hayatt carrying a South African passport was lying in the Kaysaney Hospital in downtown Mogadishu, the lawless capital of Somalia, a constant battleground between clan-based warlords. Around about March 11 or 12, he’d been shot in what appeared to be an attempt by militiamen to kidnap him. On March 18, six armed men, identified as Americans by witnesses, swept into the ward with several local militiamen, including a translator, and dragged away the man known as Issa.
They drove him out to Aisaley Airport near Mogadishu, put him aboard an aircraft which had flown in the Americans the day before, and took off for Nairobi, capital of neighboring Kenya, where he was placed under arrest by the country’s anti-terrorist police unit.
A few days ago, the man known as Issa was formally handed over to US authorities as a suspected member of al-Qaeda. Kenya’s National Security Minister, Chris Murungaru, named the man as Suleiman Abdalla Salim Hemed, believed to be a Yemeni but who also held Somali and Tanzanian passports. The minister said he was believed to be a high-ranking Al-Qaeda operative who was linked to the Nov. 28 suicide bombing of the Paradise Hotel in the Indian Ocean resort of Mombasa, in which 11 Kenyans and three Israelis perished, and the August 1998 bombings of the US embassies in Nairobi and Dar-es Salaam which killed 231 people, 12 of them American. THE DAILY STAR.
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