Thursday 23, May  2024 {HMC} Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi Ahmed, met with the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General at the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), Mr. Raisedon Zenenga, in Mogadishu on Wednesday.

The Minister discussed the advancements achieved in security and politics, as well as the collaboration between the Federal Government of Somalia and the United Nations.

The meeting explored mechanisms and frameworks to establish a joint technical committee from Somalia and the UN, which will work on the planned transition process towards a UN country office.

This month, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed James Christopher Swan as his acting special representative for Somalia and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM).

Swan will act as special representative “for a temporary period following the departure of Catriona Laing of the United Kingdom, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for her dedicated service in UNSOM and Somalia at a challenging time,” the UN said in a statement released on Tuesday.

By Martin Mwanje
Thursday May 23, 2024

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Somalia is leveraging new areas that it says will help amplify its climate mitigation measures in the country that is synonymous with climate change-induced natural disasters.

Over the years, Somalia has borne the brunt of climate extremes that include drought and floods, and which among other things often trigger mass displacement and unemployment, scramble for the scarce resources and security risks.

Youths and Climate Change

In the midst of the lingering challenges posed by the ensuing effects of climate change in the country, one arsenal has seldom been used to reverse the trend – the young people who are the majority in the country.

An estimated 73% of Somalia’s population is made up of the youths. Aware of the impact they can have in its climate mitigation measures as it maps out new areas that can help redefine the climate change discourse in the country, the UNDP has since resolved to incorporate the young people in its climate change initiatives.

Tarik Islam is the Chief Technical Specialist, Resilience and Climate Change Portfolio of UNDP Somalia. He says it is not only critical for the youths to be involved in initiatives aimed at nipping the effects of climate change in the bud, but such involvement ought to be concentrated at the grassroots countrywide.

“We are not focusing on youth organizations based in Mogadishu only. It has to be at the local level by making sure that in Somalia, a country where 73% of the population are in the youth group, any development solution that we talk about satisfies the expectations of the youthful generation. If it does not satisfy the expectations of the youths, it is probably not relevant for Somalia when it comes to resilience,” said Islam while talking to KBC Digital from Mogadishu in an interview last Friday.

“There are many opportunities that are accessible by the youths no matter where there are physically located. So, it is important that the youths in Somalia should not be wasted, the youths should not be left unattended and used by terrorist groups and ignored by the development processes that are in place.”

A year and a half ago, UNDP and Sida, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC), unveiled the “Somalia Youth Climate Platform” to highlight the vital role that young people can play in addressing climate change in the country. This initiative aims to unite youth groups from all regions to actively engage in efforts to combat the long-standing climate risks affecting Somalia.

Further, mid this month, UNDP Somalia also brought together youth groups drawn from across the country for a stock taking exercise of the Conference Of The Parties (COP28) which was held in UAE last year. At the meeting, participants reflected on their participation, the challenges, what needs to be done, and the lessons learned during the two-weeks conference that was held in Dubai with thousands of delegates from across the globe in attendance.

Blue Economy

Yet, the involvement of the youths in climate change discourse is not only the new frontier that the UNDP is seeking to leverage on.

Islam emphasized the vast untapped potential of the blue economy and announced that the UNDP, in collaboration with FAO and UNIDO, has completed a proposal for launching the Blue Economy project in the country’s coastal areas under the leadership of the Ministry of Fishery and Blue Economy. The project is set to kick off in the third quarter of this year, promising significant opportunities for sustainable development and growth.

“If the country needs to be graduated from poverty, in its current situation, if the full potential of the blue economy can be unleashed, that can change the face of the country. It is a game changer program,” added the UNDP Somalia official.

According to him, the project, if implemented will also ensure the country’s fisheries sector operates optimally, as well as spur eco-tourism through the opening up of the virgin Coastal ecosystems to other interested players among them ecologists and environmentalists.

However, amid the mapping of the new areas, Islam singles out three fundamental issues that need to be urgently ironed out to ensure the success of their campaigns.

To begin with, he singles out the issue of climate financing which remains a thorn in the flesh of various partners working round the clock to curb the effects of climate change in Somalia.

“There are a number of international partners now coming up to really help the country mobilize more resources, more climate resources, but they are still limited compared to what is needed. There is need to ensure funding gaps of national priorities are mitigated.”

He at the same time decries the disjointed manner in which climate change initiatives are carried out, a maladjustment he says they working round the clock to address.

“What we are trying to really do is to ensure that the country comes up with an integrated approach that make sure that policy, institutional, technological and information and legal barriers are identified and addressed, and an enabling policy environment is put in place so that the private sector who are the main players for the investment in the blue economy feel confident in the country’s strategies and participate in the economic activities across the board,” notes Islam.

Lastly, in the light of institutions most of which are nascent and lack requisite resources to execute their mandate, Islam roots for capacity building which he terms critical in helping them define their niche and mandate. In so doing, he strongly advocates that this approach will effectively minimize redundancies, bolster existing mitigation and adaptation strategies, and ultimately combat the pressing climate issues confronting Somalia.

Thursday May 23, 2024

Chinese and Ethiopian officials on Tuesday called for enhancing the multifaceted cooperation between China and Africa under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

Chinese and Ethiopian officials on Tuesday called for enhancing the multifaceted cooperation between China and Africa under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

The call was made at a high-level conference titled “Revisiting Ethiopia’s Role in the FOCAC and the Way Forward” in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.

Speaking at the event, Eshete Tilahun, head of the Office of the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said FOCAC has proven to be an effective and strong platform for promoting Africa-China cooperation by supporting critical infrastructure development, enhancing connectivity, boosting trade activities, attracting foreign direct investment, and fostering entrepreneurship across Africa.

“Since its inception in 2000, FOCAC has been instrumental in fostering cooperation. It is a testament to the shared aspiration, mutual respect, and collaborative spirit between China and Africa,” Tilahun said.

He said through FOCAC, Africa and China have embarked on a journey marked by dialogue, exchange of views, and joint efforts aimed at promoting sustainable development through the expansion of infrastructure and people-to-people connectivity.

Yang Yihang, minister counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia, said with the FOCAC framework serving as a strong catalyst, China-Africa cooperation has achieved fruitful results, making China Africa’s largest trade partner for 15 consecutive years.

He noted that by the end of 2023, more than 500 Chinese enterprises had invested in over 2,000 projects in Ethiopia, with a cumulative investment of about 5 billion U.S. dollars, creating 580,000 job opportunities.

Highlighting the need for African countries to create a favorable business environment, Yang said China will further encourage Chinese companies to seize investment opportunities in Ethiopia and Africa in general, and actively explore investment cooperation in infrastructure, the digital economy, renewable energy, and agriculture, among other areas.

Anteneh Getachew, director general of Asia and Pacific affairs at the Ethiopian Institute of Foreign Affairs, said the conference aims to assess Ethiopia’s “unreserved” approach to promoting multifaceted cooperation between Africa and China through the FOCAC platform.

He said the conference, organized by the Ethiopian Institute of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia, will explore future areas of cooperation and enhance Ethiopia’s role in the FOCAC platform.

Thursday May 23, 2024

A cyclone wreaked havoc in Kenya’s coastal region on Tuesday evening, claiming two lives and injuring six others.

Cyclone Ialy, which intensified from an initial tropical storm, brought strong winds, rain and high waves to the Indian Ocean.

Police in Kilifi County confirmed the death of a four-year-old schoolgirl after strong winds tore off the roof of a school classroom, while a godown worker died after a wall collapsed.

According to a police report seen by the Nation, strong winds blew off the godown wall of Salima Gasses Kenya Limited, where gas cylinders are stored.

Two employees were injured by falling stones but unfortunately one died while receiving treatment at Rabai Sub-County Hospital in Kilifi County.

The other injured worker was later transferred to Mombasa Hospital for further treatment.

Another tragic incident was reported from Gogoraruhe village in Mbalamweni sub-location, Kayafungo location, Kilifi County.

The cyclone destroyed the roof of Gogoraruhe Mosque ECDE School, injuring five pupils.

The injured children were rushed to Mariakani Sub- County Hospital for treatment, where the four-year-old girl tragically succumbed to her injuries while undergoing treatment.

The other four pupils sustained head and limb injuries, and are still receiving treatment.

Kilifi North Deputy County Commissioner Samuel Mutisya confirmed that several schools in the county have been affected by the strong winds.

“The wind has blown off the roofs of several schools and we are appealing to teachers not to allow pupils to learn in dilapidated classrooms with loose roofs,” he said.

The strong winds in the Coast region have also left residents stranded and facing disruptions to essential services such as electricity and water supply.

Coast Water Works Development Agency (CWDA) has informed the public of an interruption in water supply affecting Kilifi and Mombasa counties, following power cuts caused by destruction of power cables by falling trees.

In the statement, the agency said the Baricho Water Works had been experiencing erratic power supply since Tuesday evening, leading to the disruption of water supply.

By Wednesday afternoon, several parts of Mombasa and Kilifi were still without power.

The Kenya Meteorological Department said that the initial tropical storm Ialy had intensified into a tropical cyclone and was positioned close to the country’s coast in an unprecedented way. The cyclone was however expected to dissipate by Wednesday.